Linebacker finds good life at Nebraska

? Demorrio Williams used to work in the oilfields of east Texas. Now he works in the backfields of Nebraska football opponents.

“”It’s been a long ride. I don’t ever want to go back to that life,” the 23-year-old senior linebacker said.

Williams was a standout in high school in Beckville, Texas, pop. 800. The town is so small that he was overlooked by many college recruiters, and it didn’t help that he was suspect academically.

So, like many of the people he grew up with, he got a job in the oilfields after graduation.

“I thought I was through with football, and I didn’t even want to play it anymore,” he said.

After spending a few months laying pipe in the oilfields outside Beckville, football became much more appealing again.

“I said, ‘There’s got to be a better way than this,'” he said.

After two years at Kilgore Junior College, Williams landed at Nebraska, where he’s become the focal point of the Cornhuskers’ defense.

His athleticism is sparking comparisons to Terrell Farley, who defined the weakside linebacker position at Nebraska as an All-Big Eight player in 1995.

Williams had nine tackles in the Huskers’ season opener against Oklahoma State and nine more against Utah State. He had three sacks against the Aggies, with two of them causing fumbles. He recovered one of the fumbles to set up a touchdown.

His efforts against Utah State earned him the Big 12 defensive player of the week honor.

Utah State coach Mick Dennehy said he didn’t have enough athletes to stop Williams.

Penn State quarterback Zack Mills, who was sacked once and pounded regularly by Boston College defenders last week, will Williams today in Lincoln.

Is he having nightmares?

“A little bit after watching the tape yesterday,” Mills said. “He was killing the quarterback. We’re very aware of him. It’s going to be a tough matchup for us.”

Williams led the team with 92 tackles last season despite splitting time with T.J. Hollowell.

Williams said he is playing with more confidence this year because he knows the weakside linebacker position is his.

“My coaches believe in me, and when they put me out on the field, I never think they have second thoughts about me,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot this year.”

Defensive coordinator Bo Pelini has taken advantage of matchups by lining up Williams as right rush end in obvious passing situations.

In the Utah State game, the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Williams made the Aggies’ 6-5, 300-pound left tackle Donald Penn look like a matador as he bulled his way to the quarterback.

Williams said he was taken aback during preseason practice when he was told to line up opposite behemoth offensive linemen.

“I knew I wasn’t stronger than those guys, so I’m going to have to get off the ball before they ever take a step back, and that’s what I try to do,” Williams said. “I feel like I gave up 200 pounds last week against that guy.”

Playing off the line of scrimmage has worked so well, Williams sometimes wonders why former defensive coordinator Craig Bohl didn’t use him more effectively last year.