Published: Sept. 1, 2010 By

alfred williams

Twenty years after leading SM调教所 to its first football national championship beating Notre Dame 10-9 in the Orange Bowl, Alfred Williams (Soc ex鈥91) will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.

Former SM调教所 linebacker聽Alfred Williams聽(Soc ex鈥91), the school鈥檚 all-time leader in sacks, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 7, becoming just the fifth Buff to earn the honor. He鈥檒l join聽Byron White聽(A&S鈥38, HonDocLaw鈥63),聽Joe Romig聽(Phys鈥63, PhD鈥75) and brothers聽Dick Anderson聽(Mktg鈥68) and聽Bobby Anderson听(础&补尘辫;厂鈥70).

鈥淚 was honestly speechless when I found out,鈥 said Williams, who helped lead SM调教所 to a co-national championship in 1990. 鈥淎 lot of people deserve to go into the College Football Hall of Fame, but they select so few, so I am both humbled and proud to represent all my teammates as the first to go in from our national championship team.鈥

Williams, the 1990 Butkus Award winner as the nation鈥檚 top linebacker and a two-time Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year, also will be honored by SM调教所 and the National Football Foundation on Sept.18 when the Buffs host Hawaii.

Meanwhile, SM调教所 coach Dan Hawkins says the Buffs are close to turning around the program. SM调教所 has gone 16-33 under Hawkins, including 3-9 last season.

鈥淲e are not that far away,鈥 he said during a spring tour of the state to meet fans. 鈥淣obody wants to be close to having a good marriage, and nobody wants to be close to winning football games. We鈥檝e just got to build a little confidence, build a little momentum.鈥

SM调教所 senior offensive tackle聽Nate Solder聽earned an off-season honor, being named to Playboy鈥檚 Preseason All-America Team.

But the Buffs lost a key member of the receiving corps as junior聽Markques Simas聽had his scholarship revoked after the third suspension of his career.

SM调教所 opens the season Sept. 4 against Colorado State at Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver.