Spencer, NFL running back Moe Williams selected to Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame

Throughout his football career, Columbus native Moe Williams was a battering ram who never slowed down. On Saturday, Williams will get his chance to step back and reflect on his career when he is inducted into the Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

“It’s an extreme honor, the fact that the area’s had so many talented players that have actually been introduced to the big Hall of Fame,” Williams said. “To be along the lines of those is a huge, huge honor for me.”

Williams first made a name for himself at Spencer High School, where he ran wild on the gridiron every Friday night. He rushed for 1,973 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior, which led to an All-American recognition as well as being named the Georgia Player of the Year.

Williams parlayed his high school triumphs to a scholarship at Kentucky, where he played as a freshman. Williams explained that his all-out mentality at practice was huge in playing so quickly, which was a product of playing under coach Collins Jones at Spencer.

“When we used to have practices at Spencer, they were tough and grueling. They were military-type practices,” Williams said. “I looked at every single practice as if it was a gameday. It didn’t matter it it was a starting linebacker there at the University of Kentucky — I would try to run him over as if we were in a game.”

Williams’ persistence to go all in paid off. He rushed for 928 yards in 1993, which set the school record for rushing yards by a freshman.

Among all the highlights, Williams pointed to his efforts against Florida as a freshman as among the most special during his time as a Wildcat.

“I had the opportunity to go to the University of Florida during my recruitment,” Williams said. “I had 109 yards on nine carries against Florida. That was really one of the things that to this day is hard to forget. It really solidified to me that I made the right choice.”

After a 805-yard year as a sophomore, he hit his stride in 1995, rattling off 1,600 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. Along the way, he broke three Southeastern Conference records and broke or tied 15 school records.

After his junior season, Williams was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He spent nine of his 10 years in the NFL as a member of the Vikings, a period in which he often battled injuries.

“It was really mentally challenging once I got in the NFL to stay positive because of all the injuries I’d had,” Williams said. “It was tough, but I learned all those mental disciplines when I was at the University of Kentucky and when I was at Spencer High School. I just kept pushing forward.”

Williams retired after the 2005 season with 1,826 career rushing yards and 21 touchdowns to his credit. Since stepping away from the game, he’s worked in racehorse training and real estate and is now focusing on opening his own affiliate marketing company.

Williams, who now resides in Indiantown, Fla., said it’s been a while since he’s been back in Georgia. That gap in time, however, makes his selection to the Hall of Fame that much more meaningful to the 43-year-old.

“When people don’t forget about you even though you’ve gone on to a different path in life, it’s really, really humbling and really, really exciting,” Williams said. “It’s a huge honor that my name even came up.”

This story was originally published February 1, 2018 at 10:10 AM with the headline "Spencer, NFL running back Moe Williams selected to Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame."