RICKY’S OTHER STATUE

Following Ricky Williams’ retirement from the NFL, the University unveiled an eight-foot, 1,000-pound statue of the running back before the annual Orange-White spring game April 1.  The statue stands in the southwest corner of the stadium next to the statue of the Longhorns’ other Heisman Trophy winner, Earl Campbell. “Words can’t describe how honored I am,” Williams said. “Having a statue at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium is something I never thought would happen.”

Williams, who captured the 1998 Heisman Trophy during Mack Brown’s first season as head football coach, ended his Texas career with a then-NCAA record 6,279 rushing yards, 2,124 of them coming during his senior season. The fifth overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, Williams spent 11 years in the NFL and became one of only 26 players to top the 10,000-yard rushing mark. He’s one of only three Texas tailbacks, joining Chris Gilbert and Cedric Benson, to rush for more than 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons.