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Heisman Contenders,
Start Your Engines
Memphis publicity
machine revs up for DeAngelo Williams
HEISMAN BOUND?
The University of Memphis knows a good thing when it sees it. In
this case, the school's athletic department is seizing the
opportunity to promote All-America running back DeAngelo Williams
(right) as a contender for the 2005 Heisman Trophy. [Photo: Memphis
Athletics] |
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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL:East Carolina's football
team and its fans will get their chance to judge DeAngelo Williams' Heisman
credentials in person when the Pirates battle Memphis in Liberty Bowl
Memorial Stadium on Oct. 22 in a Conference USA game.
• View ECU's
complete 2005 schedule.
• View U of M's
complete 2005 schedule.
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From a Memphis Athletics
report
The University
of Memphis has declared that it is poised at the starting line and
officially ready to enter its star player in the race for the 2005
Heisman Trophy.
Jennifer
Rodrigues, the school's Athletic Media Relations Director, is
spearheading a campaign that links DeAngelo Williams to the ever-popular
sport of auto racing and places the senior at the starting line of the
greatest race of his career.
In preparation
for this nationwide campaign, Rodrigues ordered over 3,500 1:24 scale
die-cast race cars with a special DeAngelo Williams paint scheme,
created by Fallout Design of Memphis.
The cars,
produced by Action Performance Companies, are expected to arrive in
Memphis in late July and will be immediately mailed to Heisman voters
around the country.
The University
has also constructed a Web site that features a video introduction
highlighting Williams, along with his updated statistics, biography and
photographs. A postcard will be included in the mail-out that will
direct national media writers and Heisman voters to the Web site (www.racefortheheisman.com).
Williams was
named to the 2005 Playboy All-America Team and the NationalChamps.net
preseason All-America first team.
Williams, a
senior tailback, jumped into the Heisman Trophy race in January of 2005
when he announced at a press conference that he would return to the
Tigers for his senior season instead of entering the NFL Draft. He had
been projected to be a late first round selection in the 2005 draft.
The
record-setting back rushed for 1,948 yards and led the nation with 22
rushing touchdowns last season. He was featured weekly among the leaders
in virtually every NCAA rushing, all-purpose yardage and scoring
category, and completed his junior season ranked second in the nation in
rushing yardage, second in all-purpose yardage and second in scoring.
Combining power
and speed, Williams has amassed 4,062 career rushing yards, 5,498 career
all-purpose yards and has scored 41 total touchdowns.
Leading Memphis
to back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time in school history,
the Wynne, AR, native garnered national attention by being named the
Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year for the second-consecutive
season in 2004.
His other honors
last season included selection to the All-America teams of
Asssociated
Press, SI.com and Pro Football Weekly All-America and being named
semifinalist for the Doak Walker and Maxwell awards.
Since the
conclusion of last season, honors have continued to roll in for the
5-foot-10, 217-pound back. Williams traveled to Los Angeles in January
as a finalist for the John Wooden Cup and was presented an Award of
Distinction by the Touchdown Club of Columbus (OH). He was tabbed the
Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Amateur Athlete of the Year in March and
was selected the Tennessee Sports Writers Player of the Year for 2004.
ESPN's Mel
Kiper has tabbed Williams as "one of the top five players to be selected
in the 2006 NFL Draft and the No. 1 running back to be taken," while CBS
Sportsline has rated Williams as the No. 3 player to be drafted in April
of 2006.
From a
Memphis Athletics
report.
Copyright 2005. All rights rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Page updated:
02/23/07 01:50 PM
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