RB Respect Month Vol. 2, Day 31: Ricky Williams eats Rice as a pre-Heisman snack (1998)
A fitting way to close RB Respect Month.
For those reading on e-mail: click 'view in browser' to see the full contents of today's post
Welcome to day 31 of Running Back Respect Month™! Yesterday, Steve Slaton and West Virginia shocked the world with their ground-and-pound attack against Georgia in the 2006 Sugar Bowl. Today is the final day, so let's take a look back at everything we've gone over this month:
If you're not subscribed to the site already, hit the button below to subscribe and get your first month for just $3!
Today: Ricky Williams vs. Rice (1998)
RB Respect Month Vol. 2, Day 31: Ricky Williams eats Rice as a pre-Heisman snack (1998)
In all the years people have talked about Ricky Williams' absurd list of accolades at Texas, the one thing I haven't heard them mention (understandably) is how badly he decimated Rice. In three career games against the Owls, Williams had 68 carries for 623 yards (9.1) and 13 touchdowns. He had 691 all-purpose yards if you want to get real gluttonous and include his 68 total receiving yards, too. The 1997 and 1998 games accounted for the majority of the damage:
Williams 1997 (left) and 1998 (right) games against Rice.
What makes the 1998 game stand out enough for it to get the last spot in this year's RB Respect Month over 1997's –spoiler: 1997 will be in Vol. 3– is the sheer absurdity of his numbers that night, plus what it meant for his eventual Heisman win. Williams ran 30 times for 318 yards (10.6) and six touchdowns, springing back into the Heisman race after Texas' 1-2 start to the season:
