Evan Williams was one of the top running backs in the state last year, and a switch to quarterback hasn't slowed him down.
How good of an athlete and football player is Evan Williams of Minneapolis’ DeLaSalle High School?
So good that first-year head coach Sean McMenomy decided that he was going to move Williams from running back to quarterback this season, even though he had no idea how well Williams could throw the ball. He made the move despite the fact that Williams ran for 1,700 yards and 26 touchdowns as a running back while leading the Islanders to a second consecutive AAA Prep Bowl last season.
All McMenomy knew was by putting the 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior at quarterback, he would put the ball into the hands of one of the state’s top playmakers every single play. DeLaSalle runs a no-huddle spread offense, and no one spreads out a defense more than Williams. An added bonus? Williams had played quarterback before in youth football and through his freshman year of high school.
"An athlete is an athlete, so I knew if anything, we could figure out some plays where Evan could throw passes to at least keep teams honest," said McMenomy. "But I was surprised at how well he could throw. Now I feel as comfortable with him running the ball or throwing the ball 50 times a game if needed."
For the soft-spoken Williams, the move came as a surprise, but it was a move he had no problems agreeing to make.
"At first, I wasn’t so sure about it, but after coach talked to me about it and told me his plans, I liked the idea," said Williams. "Whatever I need to do to help the team, I’m all for."
Through four games Williams has rushed 89 times for a state-leading 1,076 yards and 15 touchdowns. He is averaging 12.1 yards per carry. Williams has also completed 45-of-73 passes for 867 yards and six touchdowns. He has rushed for 291, 291, 223 and 271 yards in those games and passed for over 200 yards in three of the four games.
He has been clocked at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, so it’s no wonder Wyoming, Northern Iowa, Iowa State, North Dakota State and UCLA are among the many teams that covet Williams. Even though Williams is playing quarterback this year, there is no doubt he will be a running back at the collegiate level.
"There’s no question; Evan is a tailback," said McMenomy, who coached for four years at Minneapolis Southwest before taking over at DeLaSalle this year. "All the schools that are recruiting him know that, too. They want him as a tailback."
There is an Evan Williams YouTube video that shows some of the many highlights that Williams has accomplished in his career. When McMenomy saw that shortly after taking the head coaching job, he was impressed. But when he saw Williams up close and in person, running by people, over people, juking and jiving, making people miss, his opinion on how good Williams was was taken to another level.
"I probably underestimated how good he really was," said McMenomy. "Until you see him in person, it’s hard to understand the speed at which he cuts and how fast he really is."
DeLaSalle, meanwhile, is 4-0 and ranked No. 2 in the state behind three-time defending state champion Glencoe-Silver Lake, the team that has defeated the Islanders the last two years in the state championship game. The seniors on this team have won over 40 football games in their high school career, and have grown up playing together through the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation leagues. Despite the impressive offensive numbers, all the wins and dominating performances, the thing that stands out the most to the Islanders seniors is those Prep Bowl losses.
"It hurts," Williams said. "We’ve been together so long, and played together so long, the only goal is to win that final game. This group is very special; it’s great to be able to play with your best friends. Hopefully we get a chance to play in that big game once again."
McMenomy sees that drive not only in Williams, but the rest of the team. In fact, the success and attention a star like Williams is getting could be a distraction for some teams, but not at DeLaSalle.
"I was a bit worried about all the attention Evan is getting," said McMenomy. "But at DeLaSalle, they talk about how everyone is a part of one big family. And that’s really true. What has really impressed me is how close these guys are and the relationships they have. Another plus is, in the spread offense and by going no huddle, we run a lot of plays, so we increase our snaps, and there are plenty of balls to go around."
When it comes to crunch time, you can bet the ball will be in Williams' hand. And that’s not a problem for anyone on the DeLaSalle football team. Especially because as good as Williams is on the field, McMenomy gave Williams an even better complement about him off the field.
"He’s about as humble as they come," said McMenomy. "He doesn’t say a lot and you won’t get many words out of him, but he is a great kid – I’ve never met a more humble superstar."
