Moe Williams
Encyclopedia
Maurece Jabari "Moe" Williams (born July 26, 1974 in Columbus, Georgia
) is a former American football
running back
in the National Football League
(NFL). He formerly played for the Minnesota Vikings
and Baltimore Ravens
. He attended the University of Kentucky
.
, Williams was a standout running back in football. As a senior, he garnered All-American honors, was named the Georgia High School Player of the Year, and lead his team to its first playoff appearance in 24 years.
. He gained 58 yards on 13 carries in the Peach Bowl at the conclusion of his freshman season at the University of Kentucky.
In 1994, despite playing for a team that finished with a 1-10 record, Williams gained 805 yards on 160 carries, starting all eleven games.
In 1995 Williams put together the best single-season rushing performance in school history, rushing for 1600 yards in 1995 and topping 100 rushing yards in seven games. In that season Williams also led the Southeastern Conference
in rushing yards per game (145.5), all purpose yardage (1,826 yards, 166 yards per game) and scoring (102 points). For the season Williams was honorable mention All America, a consensus All-Southeastern Conference selection and a finalist for the Doak Walker Award
.
During the 1995 season in a single game at South Carolina
Williams rushed for 299 yards (with three touchdowns in the first half) and a total of 429 all purpose yards (57 receiving and 73 on kickoff returns), the most ever by a player in the Southeastern Conference
and the second highest total in NCAA history. His 7.5 yards per rush was also an SEC record (minimum 40 attempts). After that game Williams was named the national player of the week by the National Football Foundation, Sports Illustrated
and the SEC.
Williams left Kentucky with a career total of 3,333 rushing yards in three seasons (an average of 5.4 yards per carry on 618 attempts), along with 38 receptions for 313 yards (8.2 per catch) and 27 touchdowns scored.
Williams entered the NFL Draft
in 1996
and was chosen in the 3rd round by the Minnesota Vikings.
. Williams' best year came in 2003
, when he amassed 745 rushing yards and 644 receiving yards.
Williams was involved in the 2005 Minnesota Vikings boat cruise scandal
in October 2005. He was charged in December 2005 with indecent conduct, disorderly conduct and lewd or lascivious conduct. On April 20, 2006, he was found guilty of disorderly conduct and was acquitted of the two other misdemeanor
charges and sentenced to a $300 fine and 30 hours of community service.
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). He formerly played for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. He attended the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
.
High school years
While attending Spencer High School in Columbus, GeorgiaColumbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
, Williams was a standout running back in football. As a senior, he garnered All-American honors, was named the Georgia High School Player of the Year, and lead his team to its first playoff appearance in 24 years.
College years
At the University of Kentucky, Williams made an immediate impact, setting the freshman rushing record with 986 yards in 19931993 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State crowned national champions, but not without controversy.Under the Bowl Coalition, undefeated Big 8 champ and #2 ranked Nebraska hosted ACC champ and #1 ranked Florida State in the Orange Bowl...
. He gained 58 yards on 13 carries in the Peach Bowl at the conclusion of his freshman season at the University of Kentucky.
In 1994, despite playing for a team that finished with a 1-10 record, Williams gained 805 yards on 160 carries, starting all eleven games.
In 1995 Williams put together the best single-season rushing performance in school history, rushing for 1600 yards in 1995 and topping 100 rushing yards in seven games. In that season Williams also led the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
in rushing yards per game (145.5), all purpose yardage (1,826 yards, 166 yards per game) and scoring (102 points). For the season Williams was honorable mention All America, a consensus All-Southeastern Conference selection and a finalist for the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
.
During the 1995 season in a single game at South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
Williams rushed for 299 yards (with three touchdowns in the first half) and a total of 429 all purpose yards (57 receiving and 73 on kickoff returns), the most ever by a player in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
and the second highest total in NCAA history. His 7.5 yards per rush was also an SEC record (minimum 40 attempts). After that game Williams was named the national player of the week by the National Football Foundation, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
and the SEC.
Williams left Kentucky with a career total of 3,333 rushing yards in three seasons (an average of 5.4 yards per carry on 618 attempts), along with 38 receptions for 313 yards (8.2 per catch) and 27 touchdowns scored.
Williams entered the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in 1996
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
and was chosen in the 3rd round by the Minnesota Vikings.
NFL years
Williams spent most of his 10-year NFL career with the Vikings, with the exception of a season with the Baltimore Ravens in 20012001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
. Williams' best year came in 2003
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
, when he amassed 745 rushing yards and 644 receiving yards.
Williams was involved in the 2005 Minnesota Vikings boat cruise scandal
2005 Minnesota Vikings boat cruise scandal
An alleged sex party occurred on October 6, 2005 on Lake Minnetonka with seventeen key members of the Minnesota Vikings football team; including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, Fred Smoot, Mewelde Moore, Pat Williams, Bryant McKinnie, Nate Burleson, Ralph Brown, Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor, Kevin...
in October 2005. He was charged in December 2005 with indecent conduct, disorderly conduct and lewd or lascivious conduct. On April 20, 2006, he was found guilty of disorderly conduct and was acquitted of the two other misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
charges and sentenced to a $300 fine and 30 hours of community service.