As Rawleigh Williams III approached his locker, the first thing he did was apologize to reporters for being late.
He explained he had been getting a mandatory picture made, and it had taken longer than expected.
Williams, who is very personable, was relaxed, and he smiled a lot. The only visible scar is in the center of his neck. It's a little thick and seems out of place for someone who won't turn 20 until the 28th of this month.
He's ready for a season that almost didn't happen. That moment Oct. 24 never will be forgotten.
It was the third quarter of a hotly contested game against Auburn at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Tigers linebacker Kris Frost tackled Williams and in the process got his hand on the freshman running back's face mask, driving him into the ground.
Williams laid motionless, and the crowd went from yelling for a penalty flag to a somber quiet.
Williams was strapped to a cart and rolled off the field as everyone watched intently hoping to see a hand or foot move.
They didn't.
"I lost all feeling," he said. "I remember looking up, and there was my mom and dad staring at me."
Kim and Rawleigh II were scared, and it had zero to do with football, which was why they took their time before agreeing on his return to the game he's played since he was 5.
Basically, the disk between Williams' C3 and C4 bones had been pushed out and was almost touching his spine. And it may have at one time, because until just before the surgery, he had no feeling in his body. The disk was successfully pushed back into place and screwed down.
"There was some serious talks with my parents and doctors about me never playing again," Williams said. "Walking was more important than playing football again."
Williams wascleared, and he said he's been 100 percent healthy since February. But every precaution has been taken by the coaching and training staff. There was no contact in the spring, but he's good-to-go for full contact now.
Williams, 5-10, played at 225 pounds as a freshman. But after rehab for his neck he decided for his own good he would get stronger. So, he dedicated himself in the strength and conditioning program and is now running at 221 pounds.
His first step might be even better, and he looks even bigger off the field than he did on it, but some of that was because he played behind the nation's largest offensive line.
Listening to Williams talk about his parents, the love and respect in his voice is obvious; it was easy to tell they have a very strong and special bond.
Which was why last month, in his apartment watching TV with his girlfriend, he had another scare.
News broke about an assault on some Dallas policemen.
Rawleigh Williams II is a Dallas policeman.
"Even though he's assigned to the airport, you never know about special assignments or other officers who are friends of his you have known all your life," Williams said.
His dad answered his cellphone quickly and assured his son he was fine.
It was his mom and dad who both insisted on a second opinion after the surgery; the surgeon understood and Williams was fine with that.
"Everything they were saying made sense," he said. "Our prayers were answered. My dad played and coached football, so it is in my family and in my blood and I've never looked more forward to a season than this one."
Rawleigh Williams III has some great days ahead of him, and not necessarily just on the football field.
Sports on 08/09/2016