Receiver ready to show off speed

Receiver ready to show off speed

By Evan Fait

The Saluki offense will be fast this season, and one senior receiver is ready to set the pace.

Senior wide receiver Tay Willis enters his final season with SIU in a new position. Willis played running back in 2013, rushing for 321 yards, which was second-best on the team. This year the Georgia native will start mostly at wide receiver, and could make an impact according to offensive coordinator Bill O’Boyle.

“Tay just brings such an explosive type of personality to our offense. He’s obviously the fastest kid on our team,” he said. “Hopefully we can get the ball in his hands 10 to 15 times a game and let him do some things.”

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Willis’ speed makes him a terror on offense. Willis is generally clocked at 4.2 seconds in the 40- yard dash, a blazing speed that some of the NFL’s fastest players have been clocked at.

“A lot of people don’t have the extra gear that I have, so I’m able to pull away,” Willis said.

Willis was unofficially clocked at 4.1 seconds in the 40-yard dash before his freshman season at SIU.

Senior cornerback Courtney Richmond often covers Willis and practice. Richmond said covering Willis is a unique challenge that no one else in the Missouri Valley Conference can present.

“You’ve got to scheme Tay up. Just running with him, that’s a footrace that more than likely you will lose.” Richmond said. “You got to use different kinds of techniques and do something that fits to put you in the right position to guard him.”

With Willis and senior LaSteven McKinney, the Salukis will have lots of speed to overpower opposing defenses. Willis said the offense will make for an exciting show for the fans.

“We’re going to bring excitement to the fans, but also do what we can to put as many points on the board as we can.”

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While Willis did post the second-highest rushing numbers, along with 300 yards and a touchdown on kick returns, he said 2013 was a down year for him. Willis said he would’ve liked more time on the field in 2013 to help his team.

2014 will be a different story, however as Willis knows, he has an opportunity to be an important piece in the offense.

“It’s the opportunity I’ve been praying for all my life. I’m ready to take advantage of it.” He said.

O’Boyle said Willis will be used all over the field this season. He could be lined up as a wide receiver on the outside of the field along with taking up positions closer to the center of the field in the slot. Willis can even be motioned into the backfield as well, he said.

“Nick Hill has put together a great passing game where we can utilize him,” O’Boyle said. “The thing about Tay is he has excellent hands. The guy catches the ball so well. That’s a huge plus.”

Richmond said Willis is a beast on the field, and the rest of the MVC will have trouble stopping him and the rest of the Saluki offense.

“If [defenses] try to take [LaSteven McKinney] and Tay away then they’ve got to worry about MyCole [Pruitt] and somebody else working the seams up the middle,” Richmond said. “How can you really stop them?”

Willis may be fast, but he isn’t huge. Willis is listed at 5’8 on the Saluki football roster. Willis sees his lack of height as a positive though.

“A lot of times with my size corners underestimate me,” he said. “They try to press and that’s what I want them to do because I’m a lot stronger than I look and also a lot quicker.”

Willis said he thinks he’s an underrated prospect for the 2015 NFL Draft as well, and to change that he knows what has to be done.

“I’ve just got to show everybody what I can do,” Willis said. “I’ve got to help take my team to a championship.”

SIU will begin its journey to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs Thursday against Taylor University.

Tony McDaniel can be reached at [email protected], @tonymcdanielDE or at 536-3311 ext. 256

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