WR Coach Keith Williams Arrested on Suspicion of DUI

[desertshox]

Firing a guy who has a drinking problem just makes an unemployed guy with a drinking problem. That doesn't help anyone. In fact, it is counterproductive.

Hopefully, Eichorst calls him in and tells him that he has taken his last drink and tell us what do you need from the University to get this fixed and behind you.

However, make it clear that his last drink has to be THE LAST DRINK.

While I generally feel people fly too far off the handle about DUI, if the information about # of offenses and amount of BAC on this offense are true, then I don't see why the university would take on the potential liability.
If it's because of his value as a coach, I have to question (a) whether he can be effective as a leader of players if he shows such poor judgment, (b) has any credibility on the recruiting trail, especially in the face of negative recruiting, and © whether being a full time coach in the pressure cooker that is Nebraska football is the most conducive situation for recovery and bad behavior avoidance.

If the info is accurate, I don't see how he can be kept on, for his good or the good of the program.

I wonder how many university professors have DUI's and fly under the radar because they aren't a football coach.

No idea. Probably some.

Wonder how many of them make almost half a million in salary a year.

So, I fail to see the relevance.

I fail to see the relevance in the amount of money they make being the reason one can remain hired and one can't.

Ok, that was just one example of a distinction.

What we ask of our coaches (and pay to them in exchange) is much more than we ask of professors. I think every rational person here recognizes that.

That said, if a professor was found guilty of a third DUI, I'd have to think that university would consider moving him/her on, even though the professor has much less responsibility for recruiting and developing students athletes than the highly paid football coach. one of the big arguments for firing a previous coach was that he appeared to embarrass the University. Here, a coach actually has (at least as that's perceived by most - I personally don't find it embarrassing). I'm sure if there were a professor of sufficient stature that anyone cared whether he/she got a DUI, the university would evaluate them in a similar manner because of the reputational impact. Simple reality is that there isn't.

the university doesnt ask the professors to mold their students to be the best students they can be and be ambassadors putting the university in the best possible light they can?

ffs, this isnt about bo or his former staff. stop trying to turn it into being about him. their dismissals may be similar but since we dont know everything that went into the decision to part ways with them, their situations are not fully applicable here.

 

[BIG ERN]

This is his 3rd offense according to the LPD. Nebraska law is that DUI's carry over for 12 years. His first offense being 2004 could make it interesting. Since he had a BAC level of .15+ and being in an accident doesn't help his case.

Looking outside of the law it is a bad look on Nebraska if he stays or leaves. Some recruits and their parents might think differently now and going forward. Just a dumb move for Coach Dub to put himself in this position when it is totally avoidable.

Is the guy looking at jail time or even prison time?

More than likely will be 90 days of jail time or less. It all depends, not everyone gets the same punishment for the same crime as we know in the US judicial system. Cases for a third offense can be zero jail time, fines of $10k+, loss of license for a year. Turn around and could get two years in jail for this, especially since there was an accident --That also draws more things in if someone was hurt in the opposing vehicle, even more of a punishment.

 

[RedSavage]

I see both sides to this so I'm not here to condone what KW did. However, people seem to be very quick to judge that he has a problem with drinking purely because this is the third incident. It'd be a little different if all these incidents occurred in say the last 3 years. I saw it briefly brought up earlier in the thread but if he was truly out wining and dining Lewis' coaches, and drinking with them, that does not sound like a man that has a problem. Sounds like a man that was doing his job. Coming from what we know about him and his background, I find it hard to believe he's some raging alcoholic. Now if I'm wrong and this is a normal Saturday night for him, that's another story.

 

[JJ Husker]

Firing a guy who has a drinking problem just makes an unemployed guy with a drinking problem. That doesn't help anyone. In fact, it is counterproductive.

Hopefully, Eichorst calls him in and tells him that he has taken his last drink and tell us what do you need from the University to get this fixed and behind you.

However, make it clear that his last drink has to be THE LAST DRINK.

While I generally feel people fly too far off the handle about DUI, if the information about # of offenses and amount of BAC on this offense are true, then I don't see why the university would take on the potential liability.If it's because of his value as a coach, I have to question (a) whether he can be effective as a leader of players if he shows such poor judgment, (b) has any credibility on the recruiting trail, especially in the face of negative recruiting, and © whether being a full time coach in the pressure cooker that is Nebraska football is the most conducive situation for recovery and bad behavior avoidance.

If the info is accurate, I don't see how he can be kept on, for his good or the good of the program.

I wonder how many university professors have DUI's and fly under the radar because they aren't a football coach.

No idea. Probably some.Wonder how many of them make almost half a million in salary a year.

So, I fail to see the relevance.

I fail to see the relevance in the amount of money they make being the reason one can remain hired and one can't.

You're right, the amount of money they make has nothing to do with it. But, university professors with dui's also has nothing to do with it. How many people (that aren't currently in school) could name some university professors? There really is no comparison in how they represent the university. I'm surprised that someone who has been as vocally opposed to TO giving LP a chance feels the 40 year old KW deserves a chance after apparently his 3rd dui.
And my concern about recruiting has to do with the negative recruiting that will be so easy for other schools. If they know we're in on a guy, just one little mention of the WR coach with a dui problem could cost us numerous recruits. I just dont think anyone is valuable enough for that kind of bad PR. But, I also agree that memories are short and after one season or so, it may not be that big of a deal. I'd rather take the high road though.

 

[cm husker]

How exactly would he even do his job? He will lose his license for a very long time (15 years???). His job requires him to travel a lot and drive a lot to visit recruits. How the hell would he even do that? Can you imagine how expensive that would be to hire someone to come with you everywhere you go just to drive?

I generally agree with your point, but I will say that uber would probably go a long way. He's already reimbursed for his miles driven, I'm sure. I wonder what the delta would be for him to use a car service versus renting in each town.

I don't think that aspect would be impossible, but I do think he's lost a lot of credibility.

 

[Mavric]

[No message]

 

[Bowfin]

Being a sports fan does not mean that you have to loose all rational thinking about your fellow citizens. Sports is not more important than peoples lives. Drunk drivers have no right to kill other people.

How many people here said "Drunk drivers have a right to kill other people."?...Who said, "Sports is more important than people's lives?"...

As for what drunk drivers / alcoholics are like, I have met one or two down at the Rescue Mission over the years and grew up with some, so I'm going to say I really do know what havoc they can wreak on the rest of us. So my opinion on fixing instead of tossing isn't based on any ignorance of the seriousness of the matter. It's based on what I have seen happen or not happen in a lot (a whole lot) of scenarios playing out.

Firing Williams won't sober him up. Neither will keeping him as a coach. However, the University has more resources for trying to help Williams help himself with his problem(s) than is currently offered in the unemployment line, and I would rather see someone made better than punished. Mind you, it's an iffy proposition, but I would rather err on the side of doing too much than too little.

 

[MichiganDad3]

Has MR contacted the local golf coaches?

 

[StPaulHusker]

I see both sides to this so I'm not here to condone what KW did. However, people seem to be very quick to judge that he has a problem with drinking purely because this is the third incident. It'd be a little different if all these incidents occurred in say the last 3 years. I saw it briefly brought up earlier in the thread but if he was truly out wining and dining Lewis' coaches, and drinking with them, that does not sound like a man that has a problem. Sounds like a man that was doing his job. Coming from what we know about him and his background, I find it hard to believe he's some raging alcoholic. Now if I'm wrong and this is a normal Saturday night for him, that's another story.

It could be that he had his problem under control for the last 7-8 years and he fell off.

 

[suh_fan93]

One sobering realization after all of this is that it's clear that many people truly do not take driving under the influence seriously. It's scary actually.

 

[cm husker]

Does anyone think that KW has only driven drunk three times during the past 10 years and he was just unlucky each time?

The reality is, beyond all of the moral issues related to drunk driving and generally being negligence/reckless in your conduct, his repeated offenses demonstrate he systematically makes bone headed decisions. Why keep a guy in your organization who has those issues?

 

[Micheal]

This all quite amazing to me. If you have a DUI you can't get a job at the local park and rec department as a seasonal grounds keeper. I know there isn't really driving involved in this coaching role but wow.

 

[ADS]

One sobering realization after all of this is that it's clear that many people truly do not take driving under the influence seriously. It's scary actually.

Haven't seen anyone this isn't a big deal.

 

[StPaulHusker]

One sobering realization after all of this is that it's clear that many people truly do not take driving under the influence seriously.

I don't think it's necessarily not taking it seriously. Some people may think that it doesn't warrant losing your job if you can still do said job.

 

[Mavric]

This is all wild speculation on my part but I'm going to post it anyway.

I'm curious if his priors had at least something to do with his career path. I've always thought it was a little odd that he was at Tulane. With the energy and enthusiasm he has and all the NFL guys that he's working with, it just always seemed odd that he hadn't already moved up to a bigger program before now. At 45 years old, it's not like he's just a young guy working his way up.

But with this coming out, it kind of seems like it might fill in the gaps. He was at San Jose State from 01-04. He apparently left San Jose State in 04 for .... San Jose City College. Not exactly a step up but if the first DUI was in 04 it might be related. He was at San Jose City College until 08 when he went to Fresno State. That is a step up but is also in the similar time-frame of the second offense. He spent three years at Fresno State and three years at Tulane before coming here. I'm not sure a lot can be drawn from that other than the steps up in his career don't seem to fit what we've seen since he got here.

Anyway, doesn't mean much other than it might provide a little insight into what's gone on before and might indicate that it's entirely possible that it's affected his career before now.