Back from Purdue, Williams wants to see Rebs

It was cold and snowing in West Lafayette, Ind., when Eric Williams arrived for the start of his official visit to Purdue.

The wide receiver from Bradenton (Manatee), Fla., got used to the cold and focused instead on the Boilermakers' plans for him in their offense.

"They just showed me around the office, showed me a couple of schemes and showed me how the offense worked," Williams said Sunday afternoon. "It went very well. I feel I can fit in the offense and I can be a playmaker right off the bat."

Williams, a 5-foot-10, 192-pounder, didn't commit to Purdue. There's one other school he really wants to see before he makes a decision.

"I told them after I get back from my Ole Miss visit, I'd see how I liked that and it will be out of those two," Williams said, adding that he has a scheduled official visit to Marshall for Jan. 23 that sounds tenuous at best.

Williams hasn't set an official visit to Ole Miss yet, but he's hoping to iron that out tomorrow when he talks to the Rebels' coaching staff.

"It's even," Williams said. "(Purdue) is not ahead of Ole Miss, but I just want to hurry up and get it over with though. I'm going to try to make that visit in the first week of January or the second week and see if I like the program and what it offers me. Then I'll make the decision."

Williams, who has 13 scholarship offers, has forged a close relationship with Ole Miss wide receivers coach Ron Dickerson Jr. Dickerson and several other Ole Miss coaches were in his home last week, and the Rebels clearly have a shot at Williams, who has been targeted as a prime candidate to operate the "Wild Rebel" offense.

"(Dickerson) has told me he wants to use me like he uses Dexter (McCluster) and Dexter could be moving to running back," Williams said. "He said I could come in and run the 'Wild Rebel.' He won't guarantee me a starting spot, but he said he'll put me in a position where most likely if I come in and work hard, I'll be a starter on special teams my first year and I'll be involved.

"I'm very big on them, too. My mom really liked them. They were like the second team and come in and talk to the family. That was big to them. It's my decision, so they'll support whatever I do."

Williams said the decision, which will likely be a close call, will come down to "where I feel like I'm at home the most."