Williams Excited About ’09, Kind Of Bitter About ’08

There is a fairly marked difference in Roy Williams when speaking of 2008 and 2009.

2008, which saw Williams bring down just nineteen catches after coming over from Detroit in a controversial October trade, induces a kind-of-bitter air on the part of the receiver, marked by aloofness toward the media and a vaguely sarcastic tone. When speaking of the upcoming season, Williams seems genuine, excited.

Both of these Roy Williams were on display after practice on Wednesday.

"I wasn't put in a position to do anything last year," Williams said when asked about his limited influence in 2008. "This year I'm in a position to do some things. Once game time came around I was ready [but]... just didn't get the looks. I get to run more than two routes in a game [this year]...That's exciting."

In fairness to Williams, there is some truth to that statement; he was brought in, somewhat inexplicably at the time, to a team that already had a number one receiver liable to burn the house down if he wasn't pacified by numerous attempts his way. And that says nothing about the difficulty of learning a new offense with half the year gone.

Lucky for us, and Williams certainly, it's a new year, and the UT product exudes a latent confidence and tempered excitement, only days away from the opener in Tampa.

"Very excited," Williams said, when asked about the new look Dallas offense. "We have so much talent on the offensive side of the ball, guys that can run it, guys that can catch it, guys that can block, guys that can throw it. You don't get much better than that, so, in order for us to put it all together we have to execute, and that's something we've been trying to do this preseason.