Alabama has ground to make up with 4-star Auburn commit Darrell Williams' mother
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/10/alabama_has_ground_to_make_up.html#incart_most-commentsDarrell Williams talks Auburn-Alabama recruiting battle
HOOVER, Alabama -- Alabama has worked hard to stay in the mix with Hoover four-star linebacker Darrell Williams, but it still has ground to make up with an important person in his life: His mom.
Williams, who committed to Auburn this summer, says the Tigers have done a better job establishing a relationship with his mother.
"I grew up an Alabama fan and my family grew up Alabama fans, but that's really what brought my mom to like Auburn more, because of how the coaches interact with her and how the wives interact with her," Williams says. "Alabama, she feels like they don't talk to her as much. That's kind of bad for them, that's holding them back a bit. You want the mom and the player to be on one accord. You are recruiting both people.
At the end of the day, it's my decision, but I want my mom to feel comfortable. That's a big deal."
His mother has accompanied him on a few of his visits and pays close attention to how the coaches treat her son. Williams, ranked No. 4 on AL.com's A-List, previously told AL.com that Alabama was the school recruiting him the hardest.
Alabama coaches intensified their recruiting efforts of the Hoover linebacker after he committed to Auburn, and have gotten him to take multiple visits to Tuscaloosa.
Auburn, however, doesn't bring up the fact its in-state rival is still heavily recruiting one of its top in-state commits. It just focuses on its own recruiting pitch, and Williams seems to appreciate that. He told a group of reporters Thursday that Auburn was pulling away from Alabama in the in-state recruiting battle.
"They don't bring it up," Williams says. "If I was a coach, I wouldn't bring it up. I'd work to keep me locked in on their school. They shouldn't have any worries, if I was a coach I wouldn't worry, it's just a kid getting recruited. Just let them do what he's got to do, he's committed to you."
Williams plans on making a return trip to the Plains this weekend to watch Auburn face LSU. He might take another unofficial visit to Alabama on Oct. 18 for the Texas A&M game and will definitely be back in Tuscaloosa for the Iron Bowl. He might even take his official visit during the biggest football weekend in the state of Alabama.
"It'd be kind of weird, though, I'd take it," he says.
Both Oklahoma and Auburn want him to take his official visits after the football season.
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