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psu football

By Derek Levarse dlevarse@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter
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The diplomat sits and answers question in his usual monotone. There’s little to no emotion in his voice as he addresses a number of topics and his new role as a captain at Penn State for 2008. He does not smile.

This is the face Derrick Williams shows to the public in formal situations and press conferences.

It’s not the one his teammates know.

“Derrick has always been loud and vocal,” fellow captain and 2005 recruit Sean Lee said. “Ever since he got here, that’s his personality. I think that’s something we need and we thrive off of.”

It’s a side of Williams that not everyone gets to see.

Since arriving on campus in 2005 – not just as a highly touted freshman, but the No. 1-ranked prospect in the country by some – Williams has typically saved his public emotions for the field.

Nittany Lions fans can’t forget his breakout game against Minnesota that first year, in which he triumphantly raced into the end zone twice in the first half, playing to a raucous student section.

It’s when he’s on the field and in the locker room that the true Williams shines through.

“Before games, during practice, with Derrick around, he’s always trying to pump guys up, get guys going,” Lee said. “You know, a lot of us are just consistent. I think a common trait (among the captains) is that we all work really hard, but I don’t like to yell and scream. I like to get the work done. He likes to get it done by pushing people and screaming at them.”

It’s a far cry from the composed and reserved individual who appears before and after games.

Which isn’t to say that Williams’ only leadership qualities comes from being loud and energetic around teammates. The senior wide receiver takes tremendous pride in his conditioning and work ethic.

“Since I’ve been a freshman, I’ve been probably one of the hardest workers,” Williams said. “I’ve been keeping myself up and I just try to stay motivated and motivate my teammates.”

Williams’ most pressing goal is to make life as easy as possible for whoever steps in as the starting quarterback this season, be it Daryl Clark or Pat Devlin.

He and fellow senior receivers Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood have made sure to spend time with both signal callers over the summer to work on chemistry and timing before practices start up again in the preseason.

It’s the last chance for Williams to leave the type of impact that he dreamed of when choosing a downtrodden Penn State program over more successful teams.

“It went extremely fast. It seems like I just got dropped off the other day,” Williams said. “Right now, the only thing I’m concentrating on is having a successful season as a team. We came in with a Big Ten championship, and that’s the way I’m planning to leave here.”

Bell transferring

Troubled wide receiver Chris Bell is officially headed out of Happy Valley, as he will transfer to Norfolk State according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Bell, rated a blue-chip recruit out of high school, was initially suspended from the team this offseason for academic reasons and was then booted permanently after he allegedly threatened a teammate with a knife in a dispute over a cell phone cover.

A Virginia native, Bell expects to be able to play his junior season this fall with the Spartans. Norfolk State is an Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Div. I-AA) school and Bell will not be required to sit out a year.

“I don’t have anything bad to say about Penn State,” Bell told the Pilot. “Being at Penn State, you have to do a lot of things. I think I was only doing about 75 percent of it. I would go to class, do my work, but really I wasn’t interested. Because I wasn’t interested, I wasn’t motivated.”