ORONO – Marcus Williams enjoys the thrill of tucking the football under his arm and running for daylight.

In his final game for Amherst (Mass.) High School, the talented tailback carried the ball 16 times for 350 yards.

Thus, it was with some frustration that many college recruiters, including those at his hometown University of Massachusetts, didn’t project him as a college running back.

Williams recalls a recruiting visit with UMass coaches.

“They said, ‘Well, we don’t know if you’re athletic enough to play running back for us, so you’ll probably just start out on defense at linebacker or safety and then we’ll see,'” Williams said.

An astute University of Maine recruiter, the late Jeff Cole, saw things differently. Four years later, Williams has erased any doubts about his potential as a running back.

The versatile 5-foot-10, 230-pound tailback goes into Saturday’s 2 p.m. Atlantic 10 game against Hofstra at Alfond Stadium needing 106 yards to become UMaine’s all-time rushing yardage leader.

“When I got here, I set goals for myself personally and, individually, my No. 1 goal was to break the school’s all-time rushing record,” Williams admitted. “The fact that I’m close is a great feeling.”

Williams has been the starting tailback for three seasons. He carried the ball 719 times for 3,723 yards and 31 touchdowns.

The two-time All-Atlantic 10 choice and Walter Payton Award finalist enters the Hofstra game in third place on the Black Bears’ career rushing list behind Carl Smith (3,820 yards, 1988-91) and all-time leader Lorenzo Bouier (3,828 yards, 1979-82).

“It’s good that I’ve been able to be part of that tradition with guys like Carl Smith, Bouier, and Royston English (2,842 yards, 1998-2001),” Williams said. “I’m just glad that I’ve been able to stay healthy and had the support of my coaches and my teammates to kind of follow along in that tradition of Maine having good, strong, tough backs.”

In the UMaine mold

Traditionally, UMaine has built its offense around its ability to run the football. The Bears’ offensive motto is “Pound the Rock,” a reflection of their desire to present a physical presence that starts with running the ball effectively behind a strong line.

“We like to run the ball, control the clock, really set a physical tone against our opponents,” Williams said. “We’re going to smack them in the mouth, physically outplay them.”

Maine head coach Jack Cosgrove, who spent his college career and most of his professional life at UMaine, said Williams has been the perfect fit as the Bears’ tailback.

Williams has taken advantage of his speed, strength, toughness, resilience and durability to serve as UMaine’s marquee offensive player.

“I think he’s allowed us to be who we have wanted to be on offense and that’s a pound-the-rock, running the football type of operation,” Cosgrove said.

“He’s been out front each and every week since he became the starter in 2002, running the football for us effectively each and every week,” he added. “Because of the pounding and the physical demands of that position, that’s something that is more easily said than done.”

Parental support

Williams, who grew up in Minneapolis, Minn., was a soccer player until his mother, Dr. Pam Marsh-Williams, relented and allowed him to play tackle football in fifth grade.

“He enjoyed it and that seemed to be a way to keep him focused on school and everything about family life,” Marsh-Williams said. “He was happier and more balanced.”

Dr. David Williams said he could see Marcus’ potential from the early years.

“Marcus has been destined to be a ballplayer and I figured if he was given an opportunity, he would do very, very well,” he said.

His parents have delighted in watching Marcus compete. They have supported him every step of the way while keeping him grounded.

“My parents are extremely intelligent, extremely wise,” Marcus said. “Anything that I do that is positive is a direct reflection of them. I’m blessed.”

Going out in style

Williams was determined to make his senior year special. Last summer, he spent six weeks in Cleveland at Speed Strength Systems Inc., where NFL and NBA players, along with college athletes, have trained to become quicker, stronger and faster.

The program included rigorous daily workouts and a strict nutrition program.

“It really pushed me to the next level, to where I was doing things that I really didn’t want to do,” said Williams, who has seen tremendous gains during the 2004 football season.

Williams has been noticeably more effective this fall. He has turned 5-yard runs into 25-yard dashes and has been more elusive and more durable while averaging 108 yards per game and 4.9 yards per carry.

“He reads the holes really well, is an extremely physical performer,” said UMass coach Don Brown, who was interrupted during a postgame interview by two of his players who chimed in with, “The boy’s put on some weight,” and “yeah, he’s got some wheels now, too.”

Williams also has continued to diversify, becoming a competent receiver (19 catches, 176 yards) and a good blocker.

“He’s a much more complete back than any back I’ve been around here,” Cosgrove said. “He’s playing at a higher level.”

Williams is hoping all the hard work pays off. NFL scouts have been to Orono to watch film and talk to him. One compared him to NFL star Emmitt Smith, now with Arizona.

Just as he was confident about his ability to be a Division I tailback, Williams believes he can take his game to the next level.

“I have a very strong aspiration to play professional football, to play in the NFL,” he said. “My main focus right now is to do whatever I can to help us win ballgames, but when the season’s over, we’re going to make sure we do whatever’s possible to put me in the best situation for that to happen.”