The Recruiting Guy

Texas running back's family sold on Arkansas' staff

When Dallas Bishop Lynch running back Rawleigh Williams III switched his commitment from Ole Miss to Arkansas in June, his parents embraced the decision after getting to know Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and his staff.

The three visited numerous schools before the younger Williams eventually committed to Arkansas.

"Rawleigh is my oldest son, and I've put so much time and effort into him and his younger brother," Rawleigh Williams Jr. said. "You see your kids dealing with certain situations and you hope they learn from them."

Rawleigh Williams Jr. and his wife, Kim, have worked hard to prepare Rawleigh III and his brother, Brian, for life.

"I always tell them, 'I'm not here to be your best friend. I'm trying to make you into a man. Your little kid is going to look up to you and need answers, and your wife is going to come to you and need support and answers, and you're going to have to run a family,' " Williams Jr. said.

Williams' parents were focused on finding coaches who share their values and would build upon the foundation they have laid for their son. Williams Jr. said not all coaching staffs are created equal and that some have a win-at-all-costs attitude.

"I understand you have to win football games, but that's not all you have to do," said Williams Jr., a detective with the Dallas Police Department. "You have to take the parents' children, young men, and continue to instill in them accountability, discipline, maturity and responsibility.

"And, man, I got such a great feeling with Coach Bielema and his staff."

The three visited Fayetteville again last weekend for an official visit.

"It's the kind of staff I don't mind passing the baton to continue with R.J.'s growth and development," Williams Jr. said.

Kim Williams is CEO of a non-profit interfaith housing coalition that provides housing for homeless families, and she said she was particularly impressed with Bielema and running backs coach Joel Thomas, who has served as her son's lead recruiter.

"I just think it's just one of the most wholesome, family-oriented environments," she said of Arkansas. "It's still highly competitive and all the things that you expect when it comes to college sports, but at the same time I have a real comfort level and trust level when it comes to Coach B and Coach Thomas and those coaches."

Kim Williams said she was impressed by Thomas' genuine interest in her son, who rushed 341 times for 2,814 yards and 37 touchdowns this season.

"He always knew what was going on in our life and what was going on in R.J.'s life.," Kim said. "Whenever we talked to him he was aware of how he [Rawleigh] was doing athletically and academically."

Williams Jr. said his son and Thomas are a good match.

"Coach Thomas seems like a no-nonsense type of guy, and I don't think R.J. will have any problems with that," he said.

Kim Williams and Thomas' wife Ebbie hit it off well during the visit.

"My wife and his wife talked the other night," Williams Jr. said. "It's not about football, it's not about recruiting, it's getting to know the person."

Williams Jr. and Kim also enjoyed getting to know Thomas' sons, Teyo, 3, and Niko, who will turn 2 on national signing day.

"Those kids are so funny," Williams Jr. said. "We're going to get a picture with R.J. and those two and look at it in four years and see how everyone has grown."

He and his wife also mingled with some of the Arkansas players and were impressed.

"There's such a thing as peer pressure," Williams Jr. said. "If you're with a whole bunch of knuckleheads, then the likelihood of you becoming a knucklehead, the percentage just increases."

He likes Bielema's focus in recruiting good people.

"It seems like he's trying to do it the right way, and I think he can win the right way," Williams Jr. said. "I think it takes a little longer and it's whole lot harder, but it can be done, and he's trying to do it with the right kind of kids."

Kim said the emotion Bielema showed toward the seniors before the Ole Miss game revealed a strong connection with the players. Williams III heard that firsthand while talking to the players.

"They said he was the real deal," Kim said. "He cares about the players and that he expects a lot out of them, but he really cares."

E-mail Richard Davenport at

rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

Sports on 12/21/2014