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Sporting News, The, Dec 14, 1998 by Tom Dienhart

Nobody had to remind Ricky Williams of his march toward immortality. There it was, near the Texas practice field, on a billboard in big, burnt orange letters: Run, #34, Run. 63.

Entering the final game of the regular season against Texas A&M, Williams, No. 34, needed 63 yards to become NCAA Division I-A's all-time rushing leader.

Sixty-three yards separated Williams from a place alongside runners such as Doak Walker, a college and pro great whom Williams had befriended before Walker's recent death.

Setting the record also would mean the guy called "Little Earl" would become a favorite to join "Big Earl," Earl Campbell, as the only Longhorns players to win the Heisman Trophy.

The anticipation ended early against A&M, when Williams ripped off a 60-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to eclipse Tony Dorsett's Division I-A career rushing mark of 6,082 yards.

Williams finished the game with 259 yards, giving him a Division I-A-high 2,124 yards for the season--the second year in a row he led the nation--and the record of 6,279 for his career.

Even more important in Williams' eyes, the Longhorns beat the Aggies to finish 8-3, following a 4-7 season.

With dreadlocks, a pierced tongue and a soft voice, Williams doesn't conjure images of a throwback, but he runs like one.

Still, no one could have envisioned Williams posting lofty career numbers after spending his first two years at Texas as a fullback. Nor could anyone have expected him to turn down the NFL's millions after a great junior season, his first at tailback.

Williams' pursuit of Dorsett's record turned serious last summer, when he ditched minor league baseball to focus on football. His commitment and dedication were rewarded by new coach Mack Brown, who gave the ball to No. 34 and told him to run.

THE SPORTING NEWS FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICAN TEAM

                              OFFENSE

Pos.     Player               Ht./Wt.       School

WR       Aaron Lockett-x      5-7/155       Kansas State
TE       Tim Stratton-x       6-4/240       Purdue
T        Josh Lawson-x        6-4/293       Virginia
G        Makoa Freitas        6-4/280       Arizona
C        Seth McKinney-x      6-3/293       Texas A&M
G        Scott Peters-x       6-3/321       Ariz. State
T        Joaquin Gonzalez-x   6-5/290       Miami (Fla.)
WR       Charles Smith-x      5-9/175       Fresno State
QB       Quincy Carter        6-3/225       Georgia
RB       Derrick Nix          6-1/208       Southern Miss.
RB       DeShaun Foster       6-1/205       UCLA

                              DEFENSE

Pos.     Player               Ht./Wt.       School

E        Justin Smith         6-5/255       Missouri
T        Keoni Fraser         6-2/250       Arizona
E        Jarvis Green-x       6-3/252       LSU
OLB      De'Andre Lewis-x     6-1/225       Texas
ILB      Jamie Winborn-x      6-0/232       Vanderbilt
ILS      Ryan Nece-x          6-2/203       UCLA
OLB      Jashon Sykes         6-3/220       Colorado
CB       Jamar Fletcher-x     5-10/169      Wisconsin
CB       Mike Rumph           6-2/190       Miami (Fla.)
SS       David Johnson        6-0/185       Kentucky
FS       Hakim Akbar          6-1/195       Washington

SPECIALISTS

Pos.     Player               Ht./Wt.       School

K        Ryan White-x         5-10/187      Memphis
P        Stephen Baker-x      5-11/185      Arizona State
KR       Nick Davis           5-10/180      Arizona State

x-Redshirt freshman

THE SPORTING NEWS ALL-AMERICAN TEAM

                                   First team
OFFENSE

Pos.      Player                Ht./Wt.    Class    School

WR        Torry Holt            6-1/193     Sr.    NC State
T         Kris Farris           6-9/310     Jr.    UCLA
G         Doug Brzezinski       6-5/305     Sr.    Boston College
C         Craig Page            6-3/288     Sr.    Georgia Tech
G         Rob Murphy            6-5/300     Jr.    Ohio State
T         Jay Humphrey          6-7/305     Sr.    Texas
TE        Rufus French          6-4/245     Jr.    Mississippi
WR        Peter Warrick         6-0/190     Jr.    Florida State
QB        Michael Bishop        6-1/205     Sr.    Kansas State
RB        Ricky Williams        6-0/225     Sr.    Texas
RB        Devin West            6-2/222     Sr.    Missouri

DEFENSE

Pos.      Player                Ht./Wt.    Class    School

E         Tom Burke             6-4/249     Sr.    Wisconsin
T         Jared DeVries         6-4/265     Sr.    Iowa
E         Montae Reagor         6-2/254     Sr.    Texas Tech
OLB       LaVar Arrington       6-3/226    Soph.   Penn State
ILB       Dat Nguyen            6-0/216     Sr.    Texas A&M
ILB       Chris Claiborne       6-3/250     Jr.    USC
OLB       Mike Peterson         6-2/224     Sr.    Florida
CB        Chris McAlister       6-2/185     Sr.    Arizona
CB        Antoine Winfield      5-9/180     Sr.    Ohio State
SS        Damon Moore           5-11/200    Sr.    Ohio State
FS        Anthony Poindexter    6-1/220     Sr.    Virginia

SPECIALISTS

Pos.     Player                  Ht./Wt.   Class    School

K        Sebastian Janikowski    6-2/255   Soph.    Florida State
P        Shane Lechler           6-2/220    Jr.     Texas A&M
KR       David Allen             5-9/185   Soph.    Kansas State

                                  Second team
OFFENSE

Pos.     Player                Ht./Wt.    Class   School

WR       Troy Edwards          5-10/195    Sr.    Louisiana Tech
T        Matt Stinchcomb       6-6/285     Sr.    Georgia
G        Anthony Cesario       6-6/310     Sr.    Colorado State
C        Eric Allen            6-5/288     Sr.    Mississippi
                                                    State
G        Randy Thomas          6-4/292     Sr.    Mississippi
                                                    State
T        Aaron Gibson          6-7/371     Sr.    Wisconsin
TE       Ibn Green             6-2/225     Jr.    Louisville
WR       David Boston          6-3/205     Jr.    Ohio State
QB       Cade McNown           6-1/215     Sr.    UCLA
RB       Travis Prentice       6-2/226     Jr.    Miami (Ohio)
RB       James Johnson         6-2/233     Sr.    Mississippi
                                                    State
DEFENSE

Pos.     Player                Ht./Wt.    Class    School

E        Corey Moore           6-0/217     Jr.     Virginia Tech
T        Anthony McFarland     6-1/290     Sr.     LSU
E        Patrick Kerney        6-6/260     Sr.     Virginia
OLB      Jevon Kearse          6-5/254     Jr.     Florida
ILB      Jeff Kelly            6-0/245     Sr.     Kansas State
ILB      Al Wilson             6-0/226     Sr.     Tennessee
OLB      Lamont Green          6-3/230     Sr.     Florida State
CB       Daylon McCutcheon     5-11/175    Sr.     USC
CB       Champ Bailey          6-1/186     Jr.     Georgia
SS       Jarrod Cooper         6-1/205    Soph.    Kansas State
FS       Larry Atkins          6-4/222     Sr.     UCLA

SPECIALISTS

Pos.     Player               Ht./Wt.    Class     School

K        Martin Gramatica     5-9/170     Sr.      Kansas State
P        Josh Bidwell         6-3/230     Sr.      Oregon
KR       Kevin Faulk          5-10/192    Sr.      LSU