Tuscaloosa, Ala. ? Shaud Williams has endured five head coaches, a transfer and NCAA sanctions.

Still the Alabama tailback recalls only one time when he regretted not accepting a scholarship to play for Oklahoma, which has since captured one national title and is a favorite for a second.

“That’s when we were playing my sophomore year at Texas Tech,” said Williams, who played two seasons for the Red Raiders before transferring. “They were throwing oranges at us because they were fixing to go to the Orange Bowl.”

The fifth-year senior seems content to lead the Crimson Tide (1-0) into tonight’s game with the top-ranked Sooners (1-0), who returned to glory since Bob Stoops replaced John Blake in Williams’ freshman year.

The preseason All-SEC pick scored three touchdowns in a season-opening win over South Florida.

Williams, a native Texan, turned down a scholarship offer from OU in Blake’s final season because of the program’s uncertain future and a desire to stay closer to home.

Instead, he opted to attend Texas Tech. It seemed like a good call when he set a freshman single-game school record with 230 rushing yards against Colorado.

Then, Tech coach Spike Dykes retired and his successor, Mike Leach, brought in a more pass-oriented system.

Williams had to sit out the 2001 season at Alabama under NCAA transfer rules, but ran for a team-high 921 yards last season.

Then coach Dennis Franchione left for Texas A&M and Mike Price installed another passing system before getting fired in May. Mike Shula is Williams’ fifth coach in as many years.