LINCOLN — When NU recruit Kevin Williams bumps into hometown acquaintances during the next couple of weeks, he’s not planning to tirelessly explain his reasons for choosing Nebraska.

If they’ve been paying attention to college football lately, Williams said, they already should know why he plans to play defensive tackle for the Huskers.

He is from the Toledo area, where Michigan and Ohio State are the big-time programs attracting the local interest. Maize and blue, or scarlet and gray? It’s the common, sometimes only, question among residents living in the backyard of the storied rivalry.

But Nebraska’s progressive rise to relevance is resonating among the nation’s recruits, including Williams. And of course, having Heisman finalist Ndamukong Suh as its poster boy all last year doesn’t hurt, either.

So Williams, of Holland, Ohio, isn’t expecting to get too many odd looks once the community realizes that he’s leaving Big Ten country for Nebraska.

“People might kid and talk about all the cornfields or whatever, but everybody knows that the decision I made is a no-brainer,” Williams said. “Definitely a good decision. Everybody knows what Nebraska’s doing.”

Williams is the sixth-known recruit to make an oral nonbinding commitment to Nebraska’s 2011 class, and the first who’s expected to play defense. The Huskers also have pledges from four offensive linemen and one quarterback. The six players are from six different states.

Williams made his announcement Monday after visiting Nebraska for the first time during the weekend. He walked into a near-capacity Memorial Stadium for Saturday’s Red-White game and couldn’t ponder the possibility of playing anywhere else.

“It was amazing,” he said.

But really, Williams was leaning Nebraska’s way for some time.

The Huskers were the first school to offer the 6-foot-2, 275-pound tackle most likely because of the often-profitable Ohio ties on Nebraska’s staff.

Williams’ coach at Springfield High School, Vince Marrow, is from Youngstown, Ohio, the same hometown of NU coaches Bo and Carl Pelini.

So Williams was forming a pretty strong bond with NU while other college coaches began expressing their interest. He eventually had a dozen other scholarship offers and said he strongly considered Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin.

But Nebraska’s coaches — Bo Pelini and lead recruiter John Papuchis, in particular — impressed Williams with their sincerity. He always felt comfortable talking with them.

“It was just how down to earth they were,” Williams said. “And if you ever have a problem, they have an open-door policy. You can talk about anything. That’s important to me.”

Contact the writer:

402-473-9585, jon.nyatawa@owh.com

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