Former UM DT Lester Williams Passes at Age 58

[gforce4]

RIP... wish I had met him when I lived in Alabama a few years ago. He might have relived me of one of my first football demons. I recall heading to North Dade with high hopes to watch my high school team Killian play Carol City. Don't recall the score my only memory is that the ball and Lester never left our backfield. Lester Williams was the biggest player I had ever seen who could do the things he did on the football field. He ate our quarterback for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late snacks. My condolences to his family, too young.

 

[MedleyCane]

RIP.

Lester Williams was sometimes left out of the Canes DT - U conversation, but started the trend.

Not really.
Gary Dunn, Eddie Edwards, Don Latimer and several others who preceded him started the trend.
But Lester was a very good player at UM, and he was part of that first historical class at UM filled with
5 star studs.
He was rated the no.1 DL in high school.
He was 2 years ahead of me in HS, and I remember as a sophomore watching him play against my HML team
and I was wondering how this guy could be a HS player.
He had as close to an NFL body for a HS player that I ever saw.
During track season he came over our school to throw shot, and dude was running around the track warming
up, and he looked like a gazelle.
So happy I was in JV and didn't have to face him.
LOL.
But so sad to hear about his passing.
Too young.
RIP Mr. Williams.

And of course Rubin Carter

+

Yes, of course, plus Jim Burt, a very good Don Smith, who was a pretty good player in the NFL (Falcons) and Charles Cook.

Yes, you're correct. I was trying to remember Eddie Edwards, 'the guy the Bengals drafted', and completely neglected Burt, Latimer, and Carter.

Thank you.

It is really amazing how many great players came out of the UM during the 1970s, a decade where the team was mostly terrible.
Chuck Foreman, Dennis Harrah, Burt, D. Smith, Dunn, Tony Cline, Edwards, Carter, Latimer, OJ Andersen, Woody Bennett, Burgess
Owens,etc.....UM had a really good DL coach in Harold Allen, who retired after 1983 season, his last game being that famous
OB game vs Nebraska.

Back to Williams, he almost quit after his sophomore or junior year....I remember reading he had to be talked back to playing at UM.
Glad he came back!

 

[MedleyCane]

RIP... wish I had met him when I lived in Alabama a few years ago. He might have relived me of one of my first football demons. I recall heading to North Dade with high hopes to watch my high school team Killian play Carol City. Don't recall the score my only memory is that the ball and Lester never left our backfield. Lester Williams was the biggest player I had ever seen who could do the things he did on the football field. He ate our quarterback for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late snacks. My condolences to his family, too young.

I don't know what those fellas at Carol City ate because, boy, they had some big boys.
William Roberts was a sophomore on that team, and he later played for ohioState and NJ Giants.

Even several years later when they weren't very good, they still had a big team.
American HS was nearby, got kids from essentially same area, and they had some big mofos too.

 

[fiverings01]

RIP 73

 

[OriginalCanesCanesCanes]

Not really.
Gary Dunn, Eddie Edwards, Don Latimer and several others who preceded him started the trend.
But Lester was a very good player at UM, and he was part of that first historical class at UM filled with
5 star studs.
He was rated the no.1 DL in high school.
He was 2 years ahead of me in HS, and I remember as a sophomore watching him play against my HML team
and I was wondering how this guy could be a HS player.
He had as close to an NFL body for a HS player that I ever saw.
During track season he came over our school to throw shot, and dude was running around the track warming
up, and he looked like a gazelle.
So happy I was in JV and didn't have to face him.
LOL.
But so sad to hear about his passing.
Too young.
RIP Mr. Williams.

And of course Rubin Carter

+

Yes, of course, plus Jim Burt, a very good Don Smith, who was a pretty good player in the NFL (Falcons) and Charles Cook.

Yes, you're correct. I was trying to remember Eddie Edwards, 'the guy the Bengals drafted', and completely neglected Burt, Latimer, and Carter.

Thank you.

It is really amazing how many great players came out of the UM during the 1970s, a decade where the team was mostly terrible.
Chuck Foreman, Dennis Harrah, Burt, D. Smith, Dunn, Tony Cline, Edwards, Carter, Latimer, OJ Andersen, Woody Bennett, Burgess
Owens,etc.....UM had a really good DL coach in Harold Allen, who retired after 1983 season, his last game being that famous
OB game vs Nebraska.

Back to Williams, he almost quit after his sophomore or junior year....I remember reading he had to be talked back to playing at UM.
Glad he came back!

Thank you for bringing this info in here.

Fortunate to have this kind of information to remind readers of some great Canes that don't get talked about. While I know most of those names and I'd like to think I'm pretty good at remembering, or at least knowing about these great names, there are a few that I learned about from your posts.

D. Smith, Cline, Edwards, and Allen are new to me...I appreciate your posts.

 

[TheOriginalCane]

Sad to hear of the passing of another Hurricane great.

Growing up in Florida in the 70s and 80s, football was the only sport you could really follow. I got to know about the University of Miami, my future alma mater, by learning that certain NFL players had gone to UM, such as Ted Hendricks, Chuck Foreman, and Jim Otto. My high school mascot was the Patriots, and I loved to watch Lester Williams, Fred Marion, and Ronnie Lippett "represent the U" before that was actually a phrase that anyone identified with.

Now Lester can represent the U with the rest of the dearly departed Canes.

 

[Gatorhater]

RIP.

Lester Williams was sometimes left out of the Canes DT - U conversation, but started the trend.

Not really.
Gary Dunn, Eddie Edwards, Don Latimer and several others who preceded him started the trend.
But Lester was a very good player at UM, and he was part of that first historical class at UM filled with
5 star studs.
He was rated the no.1 DL in high school.
He was 2 years ahead of me in HS, and I remember as a sophomore watching him play against my HML team
and I was wondering how this guy could be a HS player.
He had as close to an NFL body for a HS player that I ever saw.
During track season he came over our school to throw shot, and dude was running around the track warming
up, and he looked like a gazelle.
So happy I was in JV and didn't have to face him.
LOL.
But so sad to hear about his passing.
Too young.
RIP Mr. Williams.

And of course Rubin Carter

Let's not forget Jim Burt. If I am not mistaken, he blocked a two point conversion attempt by FSU that ruined a great season they were having long before all those nightmare last minute losses they to us in the Glory Days. He might have been nose tackle back then. Couple decent ones back when the Mad Stork was playing DE. Like some many positions at The U, DT is full of greats.

I'm a CC boy so Lester will be missed just a little extra than other Canes for me. RIP big man.

 

[DTP]

Sad to hear. Another UM great gone too soon.

Thanks for sharing some of the stories of the past [MENTION=608]MedleyCane[/MENTION]

Lester was before my time but from what I understand he helped open the floodgates for the nation's (and south Florida's) top players to come to Miami.

 

[3G Cane]

He could play DT.

RIP

 

[MedleyCane]

And of course Rubin Carter

+

Yes, of course, plus Jim Burt, a very good Don Smith, who was a pretty good player in the NFL (Falcons) and Charles Cook.

Yes, you're correct. I was trying to remember Eddie Edwards, 'the guy the Bengals drafted', and completely neglected Burt, Latimer, and Carter.

Thank you.

It is really amazing how many great players came out of the UM during the 1970s, a decade where the team was mostly terrible.
Chuck Foreman, Dennis Harrah, Burt, D. Smith, Dunn, Tony Cline, Edwards, Carter, Latimer, OJ Andersen, Woody Bennett, Burgess
Owens,etc.....UM had a really good DL coach in Harold Allen, who retired after 1983 season, his last game being that famous
OB game vs Nebraska.

Back to Williams, he almost quit after his sophomore or junior year....I remember reading he had to be talked back to playing at UM.
Glad he came back!

Thank you for bringing this info in here.

Fortunate to have this kind of information to remind readers of some great Canes that don't get talked about. While I know most of those names and I'd like to think I'm pretty good at remembering, or at least knowing about these great names, there are a few that I learned about from your posts.

D. Smith, Cline, Edwards, and Allen are new to me...I appreciate your posts.

I was fortunate to be at a high school during the late 1970s that not only had great players end up at many big-time
schools, including UM, as well as our HC.
And because of those players and that coach, I got to meet many folks who were playing at the UM.
All of them were gentlemen.
Good guys.
And that has never changed going forward to this day.
Which is why it p!sses me off when the lazy idiots from the national media, and even folks like Uncle Puke,
make our players sound like a bunch of thugs.
I always thought that was a disservice to these kids who represented our city, even if they hailed from less than
ideal situations.
Anyways, end of soapbox.
And thank you for your kind words.
I love to share what I know as well as read from you and the other folks on this forum, even if I may not
always agree.
You folks make me feel like I'm back home!
LOL.

 

[MedleyCane]

Sad to hear. Another UM great gone too soon.

Thanks for sharing some of the stories of the past [MENTION=608]MedleyCane[/MENTION]

Lester was before my time but from what I understand he helped open the floodgates for the nation's (and south Florida's) top players to come to Miami.

Thank you as well!
I think there is a way of digging up old Miami Herald and Miami News articles.
Let me see if I can find one on Lester.

 

[MedleyCane]

RIP.

Lester Williams was sometimes left out of the Canes DT - U conversation, but started the trend.

Not really.
Gary Dunn, Eddie Edwards, Don Latimer and several others who preceded him started the trend.
But Lester was a very good player at UM, and he was part of that first historical class at UM filled with
5 star studs.
He was rated the no.1 DL in high school.
He was 2 years ahead of me in HS, and I remember as a sophomore watching him play against my HML team
and I was wondering how this guy could be a HS player.
He had as close to an NFL body for a HS player that I ever saw.
During track season he came over our school to throw shot, and dude was running around the track warming
up, and he looked like a gazelle.
So happy I was in JV and didn't have to face him.
LOL.
But so sad to hear about his passing.
Too young.
RIP Mr. Williams.

And of course Rubin Carter

Let's not forget Jim Burt. If I am not mistaken, he blocked a two point conversion attempt by FSU that ruined a great season they were having long before all those nightmare last minute losses they to us in the Glory Days. He might have been nose tackle back then. Couple decent ones back when the Mad Stork was playing DE. Like some many positions at The U, DT is full of greats.

I'm a CC boy so Lester will be missed just a little extra than other Canes for me. RIP big man.

Didn't Gilbert also pass away?
Geez, I hate hearing about this.
These guys are too young.

A buddy of mine who played on the 1980 team told me that Burt was his toughest opponent during 1v1 drills.
Said dude was nasty.

 

[Memnon]

[TWEET]898253110270844928[/TWEET]

 

[Pentagon Cane]

Lester was a man among boys. Lou Saban's first big recruit to stay home and this started Miami's resurgence. He anchored that 1981 defense which was as good as any Miami has had over the years. When we played CC during the spring 1977 jamboree at Miami-Dade North, he was something to watch. We opend up the first quarter and our center cut him every single play. Our center was one tough SOB. He said every time he cut him it was like hitting a freight train. We got out of the quarter 0-0. That Chiefs team was flipping loaded and went on to win states.

 

[MedleyCane]

Lester was a man among boys. Lou Saban's first big recruit to stay home and this started Miami's resurgence. He anchored that 1981 defense which was as good as any Miami has had over the years. When we played CC during the spring 1977 jamboree at Miami-Dade North, he was something to watch. We opend up the first quarter and our center cut him every single play. Our center was one tough SOB. He said every time he cut him it was like hitting a freight train. We got out of the quarter 0-0. That Chiefs team was flipping loaded and went on to win states.

Trying to dig up some more stuff on Williams on the net from his Carol City days and was somewhat unsuccessful at finding the old
press clippings.
But someone on the Tenn board asked about a former Carol City HS teammate with someone replying that he coached alot of that
Carol City team when they were playing optimist.
Smokey Roan is mentioned as well.
I believe the QB on that Choctawatchee team they beat in the state final was Mike Rodrique, who was part of that 1978 QB class with Richt
and Jim Kelly.

Former Vol Terry Daniels - VolNation

I wasTerry's Optimist or Pop Warner coach at Central Boys Club in Miami. That team had on it alot of tallent and won back to back City League Championships. They only lost one game in 2 years. I was also a coach at Miami Carol City HS the next 3 years with them. The QB Labrant Harris, Terry, and some of the other Kids went on to Miami Carol City HS where They were undefeated as a JV team, and then went 23 and 1 in their Highschool Varsity careers. They lost the 1976 State Championship to Tallahasse Godby with 2 key players out with injuries. and then won with a perfect 14-0 season in 1977 beating Ft Walton Beach Choctawhatche HS as State Champions plus were voted by USA today the #1 HS team in the country. Terry was an outstanding RB in high school and highly recurited. He made 1st Team Parade High School All American along with Lester Williams from the same team. I always felt he was not coached well at Tenn., and that they missused him He was not really given a good chance as a running back but switched to DB and was outstanding there going on to play with The New Jersey Generals and Hershel Walker. That HS team sent a total of 18 kids to College on scholarships. To mention a few QB L. Harris Oregon, NG Johnny Lewis Oklahoma, DT Lester Williams U of M. LB Charlie Scott Colorado, TE Tony Williams U of Memphis. There were more but I can't remember all of them at this time. .

 

[Awsi Dooger]

If I remember correctly, his choosing the U was a big deal. He was one of the first national recruits to pick Miami.

It was a huge deal. I remember the skepticism that it would stick. That had nothing to do with Williams himself. It's just that we had gotten accustomed to all the big local names departing like Neal Colzie and Elvis Peac*ck, etc.

The Canes had an identity at that point. It was, "Come See OJ Run." That was the advertising pitch over a couple of offseasons and there was easy legitimacy attached because Lou Saban had been the other O.J's coach with the Bills just a few years earlier. It was a heavy run oriented decade in college and pros. Since we had a great young tailback and a respected pro coach, the program was considered on the uptick. Now we needed a defense to go along with our running game. I remember the nightly sports talk radio theme on WIOD and WKAT insisting that the Canes would soon be reeling in more top recruits. But until Williams inked there was understandable hesitance to fully believe.

O.J. Anderson is never credited enough for how great he was in college, and how much he contributed to the uptick in the program's fortunes.

Prior to Anderson the '70s were a fun decade with so many oddities like the Gator Flop, 5th Down vs. Tulane, season opening upset of Texas, etc. We always had several superb players on the roster, primarily on defense. So we were candidates to hang in there against the big guys despite lopsided expectation like 35.5 point home underdogs to Oklahoma in 1975. But it always seemed like we'd be changing coaches and changing offensive schemes every couple years or so. Not until Selmer featured Anderson and then Saban took the same idea to a different more respected level did the program start to feel different, even if the won/loss record wouldn't indicate as much to someone younger who didn't experience it in real time.

I remember Howard Schellenberger identifying the Williams signing as one of the indicators he used when deciding to take the job. Locals were ready to buy in.

RIP

 

[Jmhcane]

Tony Cline, anyone?

RIP.

Lester Williams was sometimes left out of the Canes DT - U conversation, but started the trend.

Not really.
Gary Dunn, Eddie Edwards, Don Latimer and several others who preceded him started the trend.
But Lester was a very good player at UM, and he was part of that first historical class at UM filled with
5 star studs.
He was rated the no.1 DL in high school.
He was 2 years ahead of me in HS, and I remember as a sophomore watching him play against my HML team
and I was wondering how this guy could be a HS player.
He had as close to an NFL body for a HS player that I ever saw.
During track season he came over our school to throw shot, and dude was running around the track warming
up, and he looked like a gazelle.
So happy I was in JV and didn't have to face him.
LOL.
But so sad to hear about his passing.
Too young.
RIP Mr. Williams.

And of course Rubin Carter

Yes, of course, plus Jim Burt, a very good Don Smith, who was a pretty good player in the NFL (Falcons) and Charles Cook.

 

[Pentagon Cane]

Lester was a man among boys. Lou Saban's first big recruit to stay home and this started Miami's resurgence. He anchored that 1981 defense which was as good as any Miami has had over the years. When we played CC during the spring 1977 jamboree at Miami-Dade North, he was something to watch. We opend up the first quarter and our center cut him every single play. Our center was one tough SOB. He said every time he cut him it was like hitting a freight train. We got out of the quarter 0-0. That Chiefs team was flipping loaded and went on to win states.

Trying to dig up some more stuff on Williams on the net from his Carol City days and was somewhat unsuccessful at finding the old
press clippings.
But someone on the Tenn board asked about a former Carol City HS teammate with someone replying that he coached alot of that
Carol City team when they were playing optimist.
Smokey Roan is mentioned as well.
I believe the QB on that Choctawatchee team they beat in the state final was Mike Rodrique, who was part of that 1978 QB class with Richt
and Jim Kelly.

Former Vol Terry Daniels - VolNation

I wasTerry's Optimist or Pop Warner coach at Central Boys Club in Miami. That team had on it alot of tallent and won back to back City League Championships. They only lost one game in 2 years. I was also a coach at Miami Carol City HS the next 3 years with them. The QB Labrant Harris, Terry, and some of the other Kids went on to Miami Carol City HS where They were undefeated as a JV team, and then went 23 and 1 in their Highschool Varsity careers. They lost the 1976 State Championship to Tallahasse Godby with 2 key players out with injuries. and then won with a perfect 14-0 season in 1977 beating Ft Walton Beach Choctawhatche HS as State Champions plus were voted by USA today the #1 HS team in the country. Terry was an outstanding RB in high school and highly recurited. He made 1st Team Parade High School All American along with Lester Williams from the same team. I always felt he was not coached well at Tenn., and that they missused him He was not really given a good chance as a running back but switched to DB and was outstanding there going on to play with The New Jersey Generals and Hershel Walker. That HS team sent a total of 18 kids to College on scholarships. To mention a few QB L. Harris Oregon, NG Johnny Lewis Oklahoma, DT Lester Williams U of M. LB Charlie Scott Colorado, TE Tony Williams U of Memphis. There were more but I can't remember all of them at this time. .

God ****, Central Boys Club...lol. They were unbelievable. I remember playing them one year at Miami Jackson. They didn't run us off the field but they were lightning quick and big for the weight class.

 

[Pentagon Cane]

If I remember correctly, his choosing the U was a big deal. He was one of the first national recruits to pick Miami.

It was a huge deal. I remember the skepticism that it would stick. That had nothing to do with Williams himself. It's just that we had gotten accustomed to all the big local names departing like Neal Colzie and Elvis Peac*ck, etc.

The Canes had an identity at that point. It was, "Come See OJ Run." That was the advertising pitch over a couple of offseasons and there was easy legitimacy attached because Lou Saban had been the other O.J's coach with the Bills just a few years earlier. It was a heavy run oriented decade in college and pros. Since we had a great young tailback and a respected pro coach, the program was considered on the uptick. Now we needed a defense to go along with our running game. I remember the nightly sports talk radio theme on WIOD and WKAT insisting that the Canes would soon be reeling in more top recruits. But until Williams inked there was understandable hesitance to fully believe.

O.J. Anderson is never credited enough for how great he was in college, and how much he contributed to the uptick in the program's fortunes.

Prior to Anderson the '70s were a fun decade with so many oddities like the Gator Flop, 5th Down vs. Tulane, season opening upset of Texas, etc. We always had several superb players on the roster, primarily on defense. So we were candidates to hang in there against the big guys despite lopsided expectation like 35.5 point home underdogs to Oklahoma in 1975. But it always seemed like we'd be changing coaches and changing offensive schemes every couple years or so. Not until Selmer featured Anderson and then Saban took the same idea to a different more respected level did the program start to feel different, even if the won/loss record wouldn't indicate as much to someone younger who didn't experience it in real time.

I remember Howard Schellenberger identifying the Williams signing as one of the indicators he used when deciding to take the job. Locals were ready to buy in.

RIP

He had 30 carries in the second half against Florida in that 22-21 come from behind win. It was flipping hot in November on that astro turf field. Best running back in America in 1978. Charles Alexander got all the press. Anderson had the better senior season. Anderson was the first running back taken in the 1979 draft with a lot less mileage. Alexander never amount to much in the NFL. Anderson is the best running back not in the HoF.