Provo • Three weeks after his somewhat surprising announcement that he will play for BYU in his final season of college football eligibility, South Carolina graduate transfer Ty’Son Williams has officially joined the Cougars.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake announced Monday that the 6-foot, 219-pound running back is a member of the BYU football team and will be eligible to play in 2019.
“Ty’Son really wants to be here at BYU,” Sitake said in a news release. “He has a strong vision for his career and is excited about the opportunities at BYU to advance his education and career goals.”
Williams committed to BYU on April 14, picking the Cougars over Florida State, Western Kentucky, Marshall and others.
“Ty’Son is a well-rounded football player who can carry the ball and catch it out of the backfield,” Sitake said. “He is super athletic with tons of speed and playmaking ability. We’re excited to welcome him to the university and our football program.”
Williams played two seasons at South Carolina (2017-18) after redshirting in 2016. He played in 20 games and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Last season, he ran 70 times for 328 yards and four touchdowns.
A four-star recruit out of Crestwood, N.C., Williams played his freshman season at North Carolina and appeared in six games, rushing 19 times for 57 yards.
He was a member of the ESPN Top 300 out of high school and ranked as the No. 11 running back in the country. He had offers from Wisconsin, Clemson, Georgia, Duke, Notre Dame and Virginia, among others, out of high school.
Williams is expected to compete with Rice graduate transfer Emmanuel Esukpa, sophomore Lopini Katoa, senior Kavika Fonua and others for playing time this fall.
