Should Keith Williams Be Fired?

Should Keith Williams be fired?

  • Total voters
    169
Nebraska football coach Mike Riley asks his players to consider a basic mantra when it comes to certain off-field choices:

Do the right thing.

Keith Williams, the Husker receivers coach, made a poor choice. He clearly did the wrong thing.

Now, how will Riley handle the matter? What constitutes "doing the right thing?"

It's not necessarily an easy answer.

...

"You can have a book this thick that has every idea you can come up with about rules," Riley told reporters. "And then all of a sudden, you run into something that's not in the book. It's a new situation. So, it's not that we don't talk about specifics. I do, every meeting, talk something specific about choices.

"But, like I tell (the players), if they really sit down and think about it, in the cool of the evening, by themselves, when nobody's influencing them, and they're thinking about doing 'this' or not doing 'this,' they know the right thing. They really do. We all can do that, right? We all know, too, that they're young ... but the real, real crux of the matter is: There is a choice, and there is a right, and there is a wrong.

"So, doing the right thing to me is simple, and it covers a lot of bases."
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LJS

 
Flat Water said:
So me get this straight: Many want to fire Coach Williams, throw him to the curb and maybe he gets the help he needs. (without even knowing the facts) That makes no sense.

The way I want to see (hope) things, things are played out is different.

I want to see he gets the support he needs and make it a learning opportunity. Under the right circumstances he should be retained, with strings attached. Williams needs Nebraska's support more than anything now. Maybe he'll become a better person with his issues worked out, and stay for a long time giving back to the fans and the program who supported him during such a difficult time in his life.
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I agree. Use this as an opportunity to send a message to the team, just as when Riley had that rape survivor come and speak to them. Williams is family and we stick behind family. We get them the help and support they need. But we also hold them accountable.

So he gets a suspension or leave pending the outcome of this. Then he enters treatment and successfully completes it. Then he gets his job back with a zero tolerance provision...he's not allowed to drink period. Then he gives a presentation to the team every year on the dangers of alcohol, addiction, and driving drunk.

Show the world Williams is family and we rally around family when they are in trouble. And use this as a real life teaching experience for the team.

 
I always have mixed feelings about the overlap of work/life. He's a representative of the university in the public eye and as such has an obligation to act like a representative at all times.

With that in mind, I'm not sure that the number of times you get a DUI matters, other than it's clear that once he's drinking his choices aren't the best. I have no clue if it's accurate, but I was told by someone that his last was in 2008.

Ultimately I'm going to take the side that there's a separation between work and life. Unless his contract says he's unable to work if he gets a felony, I think should keep his job (assuming he's charged with a felony). It's almost important to note that this is contingent upon him being able to complete his job duties still.

I think it's important to ask what would the point of firing him be? To teach him a lesson? To prevent him from influencing children? To teach him a lesson? He got a dui and did damage to his car, the law will provide the consequences. The team has a code of conduct I'm sure, those should guide coaches as much as players. I also think it's important to judge him based on his actions with this team. Especially if the timeline of 8 years is accurate. I know I have changed significantly in the last 8 years.

 
Flat Water said:
So me get this straight: Many want to fire Coach Williams, throw him to the curb and maybe he gets the help he needs. (without even knowing the facts) That makes no sense.

The way I want to see (hope) things, things are played out is different.

I want to see he gets the support he needs and make it a learning opportunity. Under the right circumstances he should be retained, with strings attached. Williams needs Nebraska's support more than anything now. Maybe he'll become a better person with his issues worked out, and stay for a long time giving back to the fans and the program who supported him during such a difficult time in his life.
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I want him to get the help he needs too. However, it is not the University's responsibility to rehab Coach Williams.

 
Question is, can he be fired? Does the University have any type of policy when things like this happen. Are they required to offer him a rehab program, or can they just terminate his contract for conduct unbecoming?

 
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I won't pretend to know what "should" be done. There are way to many variables to say for sure one way or the other.

But I've got a pretty good guess as to what will be done. I think he'll be fired. From Riley's standpoint, I don't think he'll be able to keep someone with this type of history on staff. Especially after Reilly's incident I'm sure the team got a lecture in no uncertain terms that it wasn't acceptable. Now there is a coach - not to mention someone 20+ years older - who's now done the same thing (at least) three times. And I think it also makes a difference how drunk he was. Based on a TV news report tonight, I'm not even sure it was "only" 0.15. It was just in the "at least 0.15" category. It's not like it was "I didn't think I was that drunk." He was basically twice the legal limit and maybe more than that. I don't know how that can be justified given the circumstances. And that's before any punishments come through the court system as far as jail time or loss of license. If we were at all worried about negative recruiting before.....

And on top of all that, I don't see the AD/Chancellor signing off on keeping him. You have a high-profile employee who is now all over the news for being in an accident and getting a third DUI. How does that look when you're trying to impose any discipline for alcohol incidents with the general student population? And are they willing to run the risk of keeping it only for it to happen a fourth time? What would happen if he injures someone - or worse - the next time? I can't imagine they'd be willing to run that risk.

 
Keith Williams loves Nebraska, he didn't imagine there was a place like this. He grew up in a rough part of Louisiana and also lived in some bad neighborhoods. He absolutely loved Nebraska and was committed to staying here because of the great people. Now, he makes a horrific mistake, one that could cost him his job. A man who has been through a lot now has made a terrible mistake. I hope he stays in Nebraska for rehab and finds a job to help his kids, but he is done. I love KW but its over its over its over its over. I hope rehab goes well, and he makes smart choices in life.

One time, he had to drink so much, he almost lost his liver to get KJJ. True story, he would drink with keyshawn senior downtown and it payed off immensely, we got KJJ. That's not the only reason we got him, but it was important he got to know Keyshawn senior well. But if you even THINK about drinking a little over the limit, you need to have the judgment to call a cab or an Uber. So long to a great recruiter and all the best KW.

 
Elf said:
I voted yes. This is his third one and that is inexcusable imo.
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If Carl Pelini didn't get fired for his many transgressions and Tim Miles is still working here with his, then Williams won't be fired. I can see him with a leash as short as a choke chain, but he won't be fired.

 
AFhusker said:
Elf said:
I voted yes. This is his third one and that is inexcusable imo.
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If Carl Pelini didn't get fired for his many transgressions and Tim Miles is still working here with his, then Williams won't be fired. I can see him with a leash as short as a choke chain, but he won't be fired.
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I would've voted to fire The Carl™ as well. There is a certain level of professionalism that needs to be maintained by college coaches. Driving while intoxicated is well beneath that threshold.

 
Amazing what people will dig up and say just so they can (in their minds) have a beloved recruiter stay on staff.

Football first ya know....

 
Count 'Bility said:
StPaulHusker said:
Count said:
Help him. Fine. I get it. I get the help thing. But his privelege of coaching for Nebraska is done. Or should be. I dobt give a sh#t what the repercussions on the scoreboard are. Bo pelini. Happy Valley 2011. Ibelieve is Bos finest hour. "The game shpuldntve been played." Use as an opportunity to educate.

If anyone has any doubts as to what the future holds for williams as a coach here, i think you are severly lack perspective. I think youre so caught up with the good thongs he was doin on the field and recruiting and the thought of great things for nebraska football that your judgement on the right thing is clouded. He needs to be gone. I dont care if every single WR we have transfers and every committ decommits and we go 3-9 next year. This isnt some fluke 1st time offense of which i would understamd such sentiment. Its his 3rd time. Its a pattern. If not a certainty. He should not be educatimg young men. If i had a son as a high profile receiver, I would not want him playing for KW. Keith has a LOT of work to do. Best of luck to him.
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I would like to point out that you thought the NFL shouldn't have suspended Ray Rice for knocking out his wife in an elevator because she stayed with him.But yet a DUI is COMPLETELY unacceptable.
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StPaulHusker said:
Count said:
Help him. Fine. I get it. I get the help thing. But his privelege of coaching for Nebraska is done. Or should be. I dobt give a sh#t what the repercussions on the scoreboard are. Bo pelini. Happy Valley 2011. Ibelieve is Bos finest hour. "The game shpuldntve been played." Use as an opportunity to educate.

If anyone has any doubts as to what the future holds for williams as a coach here, i think you are severly lack perspective. I think youre so caught up with the good thongs he was doin on the field and recruiting and the thought of great things for nebraska football that your judgement on the right thing is clouded. He needs to be gone. I dont care if every single WR we have transfers and every committ decommits and we go 3-9 next year. This isnt some fluke 1st time offense of which i would understamd such sentiment. Its his 3rd time. Its a pattern. If not a certainty. He should not be educatimg young men. If i had a son as a high profile receiver, I would not want him playing for KW. Keith has a LOT of work to do. Best of luck to him.
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I would like to point out that you thought the NFL shouldn't have suspended Ray Rice for knocking out his wife in an elevator because she stayed with him.But yet a DUI is COMPLETELY unacceptable.
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yes. I recall that situation. I recall making smartass comments on it and not being serious about most of it. Except for the fact i thought it was ridiculous she was still with him. I dont ever recall saying the nfl shouldntve suspended him but maybe i did. But e shouldnt be allowed to play. Niether should greg hardy. Whatever. That sh#t was like 3 years ago. And fortunately for me, i learned from that sh#t episode and obviously wouldnt repeat such feeling again. Thanks for digging that up. You put me in my place.....it changes everything. Williams shouldnt be punished at all then.
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I don't think anyone is saying there should be no punishment.

 
I voted "not sure" because I'd rather hear more facts and how the judge/prosecutors want to handle this.

From the outside looking in, I can understand why he would be fired and I would accept it. However, I can understand if he is retained and could see how he and the university would be able turn this into a positive message going forward through rehabilitation and advocacy.

 
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