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Williams heads home first
Forward to return to Memphis before deciding whether to leave Buffs
Jeremy Williams is heading back home to Memphis for the summer. Whether or not Colorado's promising 6-foot-7 forward bought a one-way ticket is still unclear.
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"I don't know and I won't know until he gets here," Jewel Fason Plunkett, Williams' mother, told the Camera on Wednesday.
Apparently, Williams has never truly felt comfortable in Boulder since Ricardo Patton announced before the 2006-07 season began that it would be his final year as CU's head coach.
According to Plunkett, Williams wanted to transfer during his freshman season but Patton wouldn't release him from his scholarship.
And last December, when it became clear that he would have to take a redshirt instead of play due to academic ineligibility, Williams had to be talked into remaining in the program by the new coaching staff.
"It has been a trying year for Jeremy at CU," Plunkett said. "Actually, it has been trying there since his freshman year with his former coach leaving upon his recruitment and a lot of different things with the team."
During the recruiting process, Williams and his family made the assumption that Patton would be at CU throughout his collegiate career.
Will Smith, one of the Buffs' assistants at the time who has moved on to Northern Illinois with Patton, played at Williams' high school and helped lure the talented prospect to Boulder.
"We didn't know it was a possibility that Coach Patton’s contract was up and that he wouldn’t be there,” Plunkett said. “I do know Jeremy wouldn’t have gone to CU had we known that.”
Williams, who averaged 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds as a freshman, is finishing up his final exams this week, which will determine whether or not he will be eligible to play for CU next season.
Plunkett said her son was a very strong student in high school and is back on track academically after a tough start in the college classroom.
Plunkett added that there has been a lot of personal issues in the family recently, including the loss of her father the summer before Williams left for CU.
“With Jeremy leaving home for the first time, having his grandfather pass, and then Coach Patton dropping that bombshell ... it made it a tough freshman year for him,” Plunkett said. “That all played a part in his academics and he fell short in that area. But that’s all water under the bridge.”
If Williams decides not to return to CU he will become the seventh Patton recruit to leave the program since Jeff Bzdelik was hired a little over a year ago.
Plunkett said Patton and his staff wanted Williams to come with them to Northern Illinois — where former CU players Sean Kowal and Xavier Silas have transferred and Caleb Patterson has made an official visit — but he didn’t have any interest in going to De Kalb, Ill.
Six different coaches have already called Plunkett inquiring about Williams’ status since rumors of his departure hit the Internet two weeks ago.
He would have three years of eligibility left at CU but only two should he transfer to another program.
“As for Jeremy returning to CU, Bzdelik has told him to think about what he wants to do,” Plunkett said. “Nothing has been discussed. We’re just trying to get past this semester. When he gets home we’ll see what he wants to do. ... A lot has happened to Jeremy but something positive will come out of all this.”
Williams is scheduled to fly home to Memphis on May 12.
Posted by shoulder2shoulder on May 8, 2008 at 6:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
See you later!!!
"We didn't know it was a possibility that Coach Patton’s contract was up and that he wouldn’t be there,”
Anyone that has half a brain knew Patton wouldn't last another year or two!
Posted by NC2ABOUND on May 8, 2008 at 6:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jeremy - as a huge fan I want to share a couple of thoughts... First, whomever (if anyone besides other coaches with alterior motives) is giving you advice to transfer or leave CU, I TRULY BELIEVE that they are not looking out for your best interests.
You can be one of the pillars of the new basketball foundation of the CU basketball program and help turn it into a Big 12 powerhouse. You have paid the price (sitting all last year) and are in position to take advantage of all your hard work and patience in the best basketball conference in the country! There are vary few players in the entire world that could even imagine being in the position that you are in - please don't throw that away.
I can understand all the other opportunities and alternatives that you have in front of you that may look good but they are all unknown (and I'm sure your family wants you close cause you are a great person and are loved). BUT, who knows what God's plan has in store for you and where it will lead you. Consider that you have worked hard to earn your position, you have bought the ticket, you have paid the price now jump on the CU hoops airline and let's see where the ride will take you! We are cheering for you whatever your decision but don't change your flight!
Signed, Fan of a program that is just taking off & is NC2ABOUND
Posted by NC2ABOUND on May 8, 2008 at 6:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Shoulder 2 Shoulder,
Comon - Jeremy is a great kid and has gone through a very tough situation. Let's all get behind him and the program and encourage him to get back on board...
I would like to hear some comments from some more CU fans who want the best for an unselfish player with NBA talent and athleticism...
GO BUFFS
Posted by tallisall on May 8, 2008 at 7:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I guess Patton is going to be a powerhouse at his new school. The players love the guy so much they are flocking to him.
Bohn?? What's up?
Posted by BuffNut99 on May 8, 2008 at 8:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Losing Williams would mean losing the team's best player. I agree with NC2ABOUND that transferring would not help Williams' basketball future, unless there are circumstances going on that are unknown to the program or to the Camera (quite possible). If Williams transfers, it won't be to a program where he will get as much PT or to a program in a conference as competitive as the Big 12. If he is considering leaving to go to N. Illinois, he should really examine why he is following Patton and why that would be in his best interests (I can't think of one good reason)...
Posted by CABuffalo on May 8, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
BuffNut - Williams is not CU's best player. I'm sure C. Higgins, T. Veal, and C. Crawford would take exception to that. We'll be fine. Why would a program want kids around who don't want to be there? I don't care if the entire team transfers if it means we get guys on the squad who play hard, want to be here, and are proud to wear a CU jersey.
Posted by dwahl on May 8, 2008 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope the kid decides to stay, he will have to sit out another year if he transfers to a DI school and that could stop his progress. He was a solid player as a frosh and could be a good 3 for Bz, either way, I am a season ticket holder who is 100% behind the programs direction. Looking forward to seeing who we get in the spring signing period and next year.
Posted by shoulder2shoulder on May 8, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NC2ABOUND- There is no doubt that he is a good player and I'll take your word a good person, but he doesn't do us any good if he isn't dedicated to CU. He wasn't dedicated to CU this last year and did the program zero good. He and his family were suprised that Patton is no longer here, they are the only two people in the world that are shocked. If he wants to leave a great academic university, great city and the opportunity to play for a NBA coach in the best conf in america then so be it.
Posted by Starwatcher on May 8, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey commenters, did you not hear Bz told all his patton players they would not start, his new kids on the block would. Why would any player want to play for a program that had no regard for current talent. And Buffnut, your trio players are not going to be competitive starters against the Big 12 teams. Bz couldn't pull it off this year with Hall, Silas and Roby. That trio is no comparison to them. Williams would have helped, but he won't trust Bz..why would he?
Posted by shoulder2shoulder on May 8, 2008 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Starwatcher AKA Kyle Bay- Get over it, the guys who are leaving are not BIG 12 players.Take your low level D1 skills to NIU and their terrible coach.
Posted by Starwatcher on May 8, 2008 at 4:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who is Kyle Bay??
Posted by extrapoint on May 8, 2008 at 6:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If Bz did tell all his Patton players they would not start there is a good reason.
I doubt if this true of Williams, however.
Unfortunately, it doesnt look good for his remaining here after reading the material above.
If he wants to follow a proven loser, what are we to do?
If he wants to be the biggest fish in this currently small pond and play against DI Big12 talent, maybe he will look out for his own interests instead of that of a second rate coach.
Posted by coereg on May 9, 2008 at 12:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If BZ told all of the Patton recruits that they weren't going to start, then why the hell were Roby, Hall, King-Stockton, Jackson Wilson, and Silas all starting?
And yes, I understand that Jax-Wil was a transfer, but he was recruited heavily by Patton coming out of HS.
The fact is, only a two of these players have actually transfered because of Bzdelik...Bay and Silas...and word on the street is/was not good for either of those players.
By the way, it's not Kyle Bay .. it's Kalvin Bay, from Coll. of Eastern Utah ... transfered to Coach Joe O'Brien and Idaho State.
Posted by shoulder2shoulder on May 9, 2008 at 6:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Proves how bad those recruits of Patton's were. Kal Bay was @ the college of Eastern Utah and started in 16 of 29 games. Go from the Big 12 to starting half the games at a terrible junior college? Such a great talent, that he ended up at Idaho State. No wonder CU hasn't won a NCAA tourney game in a decade, trying to compete in the best conf in America with below average talent that was being coached by the worst coach in a BCS conf.
Posted by CABuffalo on May 9, 2008 at 8:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Starwatcher - I wish I knew you, because I would commit to a bet of $100 that CU wins more games next year WITHOUT those players you mentioned in the lineup. I've seen what average athletes with heart and BBall IQ can do in Buzz's system, and I'll tell you right now that Higgins, Crawford, Tomlinson, Veal and company are more talented than what Buzz had at Air Force.
Posted by claroofusjones on May 9, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jeremy Williams clarified that he is not interested in going to Northern Illinois. That proves he is an intelligent young man. If he makes grades this semester, Williams should by all means come back and play. He could start at forward alongside Mr. Veal, Crawford at center, Cory Higgins or Austin Dufault at 2 guard, Tomlinson or unnamed recruit X at point.
I'll tell you, it can be frustrating staying and playing when almost all the guys that came in with you are gone. However, next year this thing will really turn around in earnest. This first year was a tough one, especially in installing a disciplined system.
I hope Jeremy Williams stays. He's got game. In a couple years, he could become a solid Big 12 talent on a team on the rise.
Lost in the shuffle are the Patton recruits Hall, Roby, Jackson-Wilson and Levi Knutson who stayed and improved their games.
Coach Bzdelik plus a top-notch CU education - heck, that's a no-brainer.
Posted by NC2ABOUND on May 9, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Starwatcher is very closely related to Bay... you can see why he has his opinions.
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