In Al Groh's eyes, a player usually doesn't start to come into his own until his third year. Two years as a newcomer breed familiarity; two years of breeding familiarity builds the confidence that Groh needs to see out of a veteran player.
As last semester's spring practice turned to training camp, and training camp turned to the season opener, the question of which Virginia receiver was going to be Marques Hagans' go-to guy was about as certain as the status of Ahmad Brooks' knee.
Of the three main receivers being tracked on radar as the Western Michigan game approached, only senior Ottowa Anderson had tallied more than 60 career receptions -- and he had spent the entirety of 2004 selling La-Z-Boys in Norfolk.
Fontel Mines showed promise as a big body receiver in the prior season, but had that big body taken out of commission early. After injuring his collarbone in the first game against Temple, Mines missed the next five games, coming back in time to catch just five more balls in the final six games of the year.
Then there was Deyon (pronounced Day-on) Williams. With 27 career receptions, he trailed only Anderson among returning wideouts. His 13.7 yards per catch in 2004 missed beating out Alvin Pearman for the team lead by less than half a yard. And as an incoming junior, Williams was on pace with that three-year plan that Groh lives by.
Though slightly smaller than Mines, a 6-foot-3-inch, 188-pound body still fit the mold of a big receiver. But it was Williams' work ethic that gave teammates an early indication of what he could do.
"Deyon has developed a tremendous work ethic this summer," Mines said before the opening game. "He's been taking that leadership role as the go-to receiver. We need that attitude from a lot of people."
The hard work has propelled Williams into the No. 1 slot so far this season. After three games, the junior has 16 catches -- twice the number of grabs pulled in by Jason Snelling, who is next in line for total catches with eight. Williams has averaged a solid 11.8 yards per catch for a total of 189 yards, which is tops on the team by over 65 yards.
Hagans must have been taking note that a go-to receiver was emerging heading into the Duke game. On Williams' 20th birthday, his quarterback splurged on the best present a football player could ask for: a pair of touchdown passes. Against the Blue Devils, Hagans connected with Williams on two of his career-high four touchdown throws -- one for each decade of his wideout's life.
As the season's opening month comes to a close, Williams has quietly inserted himself near the top of most ACC categories for receivers. While he comes nowhere near the numbers of Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson (94.5 yards per game) or Maryland's Vernon Davis (88 ypg), Williams' 63 ypg holds a slim lead over the rest of the conference. And along with N.C. State's Tramain Hall, he has caught more balls per game than anyone else in the ACC, including Johnson.
Williams knows he is not yet at the top, but he also knows that as he continues to put in the work, the light at the end of the tunnel will only get brighter.
"I just come out here every week and work hard," Williams said. "Wherever I rank [among ACC receivers] is for everyone else to decide. But I do feel that because of how hard I work, one of these days I'm going be one of the top receivers in the conference."
At this rate, the end of that tunnel is getting nearer every day.
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