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Lovie Smith talks up QB Isaiah Williams, says he is smart, can both run and pass
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Illinois has three different four-star prospects coming into 2019 as freshmen.
One of them is Isaiah Williams, who is considered to be a QB for the Fighting Illini. Williams was rated as a 4-star prospect and the No. 6 athlete in the entire country within the 2019 class by 247Sports.
People know he can run. But if he is going to be a QB, he has to be able to pass as well.
Illinois coach Lovie Smith talked up Williams, not just about his legs and arm, but what’s above the shoulders, too:
#illini Lovie: Isaiah Williams is quicker than most people. His reputation is he's a running QB, but he can pass the football. Bright, smart, football intellect. Knows how to navigate as a hot-shot recruit into an older team.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) August 6, 2019
If Williams can not only run well, but pass it effectively, that will absolutely take Illinois’ offense to another level. And, if he can assume the leadership role that is almost automatically given to a team’s starting QB and prove that he can lead as well, that may be the cherry on top.
At Nebraska as a freshman, QB Adrian Martinez proved that he could both run and pass. But as a leader, he showed that he could be the face of the program. Head coach Scott Frost has said that before, and his actions said so as well during the B1G Media Days in July this offseason when Martinez was one of three players from the Huskers that was brought to represent the team.
Can Williams live up to the hype?
We’ll find out later this month when Illinois takes on Akron on Aug. 31.
Kevin covers Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.