Blogging The Boys: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: RSL Soapbox for Real Salt Lake Fans!

Why Does Everyone Hate Roy Williams?

After reading several diaries (and the comments posted in them), I've found that a lot of people don't like Roy Williams anymore. I will have to agree that this year he had his worst season, or so it seemed.

I have never thought we have used him the way he should be used. When I heard that in 2007 Roy Williams would be playing closer to line then what he was used to, I got excited. Coverage has never been his strong suit, it has always been "jacking people up." This season it was disappointing because I still don't think they used Roy the way they should have. When are they going to unleash him? I wish they would move him to linebacker.

Star-divide

After reading all of the comments of how ready fans are to pawn Roy off to another team, I decided to research our Teams stats. Here's what I found:

Roy Williams lead are team in 2007 with 73 solo tackles (2nd Best in Career). Bradie James was second with 64. Williams also assisted on 19 other tackles.
His best was in his rookie season (2002) with 88 tackles. This was the only other time that he led the team in tackles.

So after reading all this, it made me wonder why everyone bashes him so much. Give some of your thoughts on why you LIKE or DON'T LIKE Roy anymore? Why? Why Not?

Is it that he just not as exciting to watch as he used to be? Because he still gets the job done.

Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.

0 recs  |  Comment 29 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

I agree Roy Williams is a pretty good coach

I was glad when he won the national championship at North Carolina and proved all those doubters wrong.

by Romo9 on Mar 8, 2008 6:27 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Oh, sorry,

I hadn't read the post. Forgot about that Roy.

by Romo9 on Mar 8, 2008 6:28 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Actually that Roy Williams

one with someone else's players over Bruce Webber also coaching someone else's players. Roy is a nice guy. Just not such a good recruiter.

by lee3022 on Mar 10, 2008 3:44 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

He had so many tackles

because he blew so many coverages and had to make the tackle to save the play.  I agree with much of what you say but he doesn't jack people up anymore and I just don't think he is worth what we pay him.  I don't personally like or dislike him, I just think he is a liability in coverage and eating up cap room that could be paid to a playmaker.

by Billito on Mar 8, 2008 6:41 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Exactly...

If you look at just his tackles, his best games were against the Giants (Shockey) and the Redskins (Cooley), but the tackles were because the opponents TE was catching a bunch of balls and not because Roy was playing near the line of scrimmage and supporting the run.  The only people Roy "jacked up" this year were his opponents, slightly injuring both Ken Hamlin and Anthony Henry on tackles where he missed the opponent and hit his teammate.

Roy's coverage has been exposed by the league and opponents are now game planning to get Roy in single coverage.  Because of this, Roy has lost the confidence that he once played with.  My feelings are that we are a better defense with him on the sidelines.  I hate to say that because Roy was at one time one of my favorite players, but Roy is struggling and the Phillips 34 doesn't seem to be what many Cowboy fans thought was going cure whatever it is that ills Roy.

by Fargo Cowboys on Mar 8, 2008 6:56 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

He's become the whipping boy

I am a big Roy Williams fan, and it's true the Cowboy faithful have turned against him. It's sickening to me, personally, that one of our top defensive playmakers gets crapped on and blamed for every blown coverage even though other DB's get burned.

I think it's just people looking for someone to blame for secondary problems. Unfortunately Roy seems to have taken it personally and his big plays are down. I  empathize with him. When you have a damn rule named after you, it makes it hard to do your job. He was the intimidater on the defense and he's been handcuffed.
I am hoping he regains his form under Campo, but I'm afraid this next season is do or die for Roy. If he continues down this path, he'll be cut or traded because of his contract.

That's just my opinion, and I know many others disagree with it 100%, as most arguments I've had with guys on this blog have been about Roy.

"On my signal...unleash Hell." Demarcus Maximus Decimus Ware

by APerfectStar on Mar 8, 2008 7:17 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Oh that's crap

Give me a break.. I understand making the best of a bad situation but jeeeeesh... No one is blaming him for coverages he DIDN'T blow.. Even Newman gets beat from time to time. The difference is he makes up for it with big time plays and good COVERAGE where as Roy just gets piled on frequently because, unlike you, opposing teams see the weakness and take advantage. Believe me, I wish other teams would deny it just as you are, maybe they'll throw his way much less.

As for a tackle being named after you.. well, that's kinda the way it works. Did you ever have a nickname? Wonder how you got it..

by sublimezg on Mar 8, 2008 7:38 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

You are the one who is full of crap sublimezg!

He gets blamed for every blown coverage. It's evident in the posts on this very blog.

As for the horse collar tackle, Roy Williams did not invent it. It was a legal tackle. He got singled out because of TO's injury when he played for the Iggles.

If you want a history lesson, go check out the SF vs Dallas championship game when "The Catch" occurred. Dallas got the ball back and was driving down the field to a score. Drew Pearson catches a pass and is racing for the winning TD, but guess what, the DB chasing him horse collars him to bring him down. Next play, Danny White fumbles, SF wins and goes on to the Super Bowl.

"On my signal...unleash Hell." Demarcus Maximus Decimus Ware

by APerfectStar on Mar 8, 2008 8:11 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Whoa

Who cares who invented the horse collar, it is now illegal and Roy can't stop doing it. He even got suspended for doing it so many times this year. Yes he gets called for it almost every time when other players rarely get called for it, but it's a rule. He obviously doesn't have the discipline, or just doesn't care, and continues to cost our team. Not only is it an automatic first down and 15 yards, but we were without our starting safety for one game this year. He gets paid way too much for this to continue.

by ChrisRichey on Mar 8, 2008 9:01 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

I agree

He can't continue to do it.

"On my signal...unleash Hell." Demarcus Maximus Decimus Ware

by APerfectStar on Mar 8, 2008 9:26 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Big difference

between being the inventor of something and being the one who's face and name appear in people's minds when it occurs. He's blown coverage more times than he's laid the wood yet he's still considered a "Big Hitter", you can't take the good and then expect the weaknesses to be a candle in the sun. Believe me, I like Roy and really hope he turns up in a big way this season but I'm not gonna cover for his lack of being able to. Repetition precedes reputation and that's true for both his tackling style and his blown coverage.

by sublimezg on Mar 8, 2008 9:52 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Well we can agree on a couple things
  1. We both like Roy
  1. We both hope he reverts to the Roy of old.

Sorry if I came off too strong defending him. I know his weakness has always been coverage, but I guess to me, it seems like he is blamed even when it was another player's responsibility.

"On my signal...unleash Hell." Demarcus Maximus Decimus Ware

by APerfectStar on Mar 8, 2008 10:58 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Funny you say he gets blamed..

for every blown coverage cuz he sure does like to blame others a lot for blown coverages. The default Roy Williams reaction when he gets beat downfield is for him to turn and start pointing randomly at LBs or other DBs. Probably for effect so we think that it wasn't his fault. Nice try Roy.

I'm not an idiot and don't blame him for every coverage mistake in our defense. But its not hard to identify whose fault it is when he gets beat trying to run downfield with a TE, or when hes late covering his half in a cover 2, or when he fails to make a play on the ball cuz he has terrible ball skills. He reads the ball in the air about as poorly as any DB and nearly falls out of his jock or simply freezes too often on pump fakes. Throw on top of that that he doesn't even make up for it with big hits, run support, or QB pressure anymore. He still has never learned a proper form tackle as he still throws his shoulder into people far too often.

He was drafted because he was a game-changing defensive player in college and he just doesn't do that anymore. If you really want hard evidence then look no further than the fact that the coaches often took him off the field in passing situations this year. That is more telling than anything and validates what people think about him. What "Pro Bowler" gets taken off the field for big plays?

To top it all of hes arrogant and extremely sensitive about the criticism often responding to it by pointing out his pro bowls.

by albyman32 on Mar 9, 2008 1:03 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

I agree with you Tom

Roy has become the scapegoat in our secondary, its a shame most Cowboys fans bash him so regularly.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Mar 8, 2008 7:50 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Whipping Boy

Every team need a whipping boy.  Why not Roy?..kidding of course.

Seriously, you think only the "Cowboy Faithful" support Roy Williams?

That is b-s.  I am a "Cowboy Faithful" an a Roy hater for years.

I like the man, but think he does nothing for our secondary.

Teams laugh at our secondary when they game plan for us.  They not all they have to do is throw at Roy Williams.  

We fixed the problem by building an offense that can outscore most teams.

The Boys are Back!

by tbone on Mar 9, 2008 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Linebacker?

Maybe in a 4-3, but there is absolutely no way he could play ILB in a 3-4 because he's too small.

by ChrisRichey on Mar 8, 2008 7:29 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

He is too

small to play outside in the 4-3 most likely as well. There is just no way he can go against any o-lineman.

by Romo9 on Mar 8, 2008 7:45 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

It's a case of the grass is always greener...

Roy is one of the better safeties in the NFL. The problem is that he isn't as good as Woodson was all those years.

by osa1011 on Mar 8, 2008 9:06 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Re: Roy

This is a make-or-break year for him for a couple of reasons.
First, though, I'd like to address his tackles;  Cool, he makes a lot of them. All that means is that people beat him for 25 yards rather than taking the ball in for 6. It's worth something, but the fact that most of those are so far from the line of scrimmage says something.
Roy's biggest problem is with linebackers. What comes to mind for me is Romo's quote when asked about his troubles passing on the Dolphins, specifically the lack of a Witten connection. He stated that Zach Thomas made underneath routes to a TE very difficult. That's why I love that signing; he fills a need. We aren't going to be lit up by the Cooleys and Shockeys when one of the best coverage Linebackers in NFL history is plastered onto them.
If Roy's ineptitude in coverage remains obtrusive even with this weakness handled, it becomes painfully obvious that he's not worth his substantial paycheck. Jerry would feel obligated as a mentally active human being to cut his losses and part ways with Bad Roy.

http://heartbreakplex.blogspot.com/

by BudLight on Mar 8, 2008 9:06 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Does anyone agree with me?

Does anyone agree that we don't use Roy the right way? I know he is a Safety, but it seems like so many other teams blitz their safeties a lot more than we do. I think I remember him blitzing like twice all year.

by calebsmith on Mar 8, 2008 9:22 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Well,

we have guys whose priority list includes rushing the passer, Roy Williams as a DB can't have that being his main job. Should he blitz more, maybe, but he can't go head to head with an o-lineman so that means the only way he can rush the passer is if he gets a free ride to the QB which could only really happen if we already have our 3 lineman and at the least 2 LBs rushing the same time as Roy does, that just isn't practical for him to blitz very often. Hold on...
Sorry Erin Andrew was talking, anyways, I think Roy is still an okay safety, I would still take him ahead of probably any second stringer, but he defenintly isn't worth his contract, the pro bowls, and, looking back on it, the #8 overall pick that brought such high billing as the next great Cowboys safety.

by Romo9 on Mar 8, 2008 9:57 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

because I would rather have a........

Big slower corner at SS, than a smaller faster LBer.  That simple, has been forever.

by Badknees on Mar 8, 2008 9:59 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

He's lost his passion for the game

I was a huge Roy Williams fan and elated when we got him on draft day, but somewhere along the way he's lost it.  He's still a pretty good tackler, but not great.  I'd rate him in the middle of the pack of NFL safeties.

He did seem better in coverage this year than last, but big plays from him have all but disappeared.  I'm surprised by how horrible a blitzer he's become, he simply cannot beat a one on one block.  Contrast that with a Rodney Harrison who excels at shedding blockers (and getting bitchslapped by Marion).

I was psyched when Wade moved him to nickel safety, I thought it would pay huge dividends.  Unfortunately he was mostly invisible.  

He's been on a steady decline and you don't see many players reverse that once it begins.  He no longer makes up for his liabilities in coverage with big plays, and with him getting worse, I'd rather see us  try to develop Watkins or C. Brown.  Hamlin would be good strong safety with coverage skills.

by cowboysuberfan on Mar 8, 2008 10:44 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

I have high hopes for Watkins

I think he showed great inprovement at the end of the 06' season.

by Romo9 on Mar 8, 2008 10:47 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Couldn't have said it any better...

I think you have captured essence of what a lot of us have felt about Roy over the years.  Well done.

The Red Ball Express will be rolling this year!

by BulletBob on Mar 10, 2008 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

One Question Sums it Up

One question can sum up why people do not like Roy Williams playing for our team.

You are the defensive coordinator.

What position does Roy Williams play?

He is half LB/half SS, but not whole at anything.
He used to be whole at knocking heads off, but now he can't do that.

I like Roy Williams the man, but I hate the positional problem he causes for our defense.

The Boys are Back!

by tbone on Mar 9, 2008 12:27 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Dallas Cowboys blog for the SB Nation network. We talk Cowboys 24/7/365. Join the discussion but follow the community guidelines.
Start posting about the Cowboys »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Small
Garrett DOES Have a Running Problem
Images_small
Playoff Chances: Week 10
Captain_small
NFL Power Rankings - Week 11 - Final Edition
Captain_small
Seven Statistical Nuggets To Take The Edge Off
Barberbench_small
A good problem to have: no major draft needs (poll)

Recent FanPosts

Small
Cowboys and Redskins at Dallas - A Look Back
Mom_s_camera_081_small
A Special 'Thank You' to Grizz.
Fox-jimmyjohnson_20_3
Are the Redskins the key to the division..?
Avatar_small
Mike Jenkins Bicep Treatment
Small
Anyone scared Watkins must play again...?
Small
It Isn't JUST About December
Small
More Witten please!!!
Arnold_small
To run, or not to run... That's Redball's dilemma

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Latest NFL Headlines from SB Nation

SPONSORS


Editor

Head_shot1_small Dave Halprin

Lead Writer

Small Rafael Vela

Contributing Writers

Villaronga_small Raul Villaronga

Hotdoglu_small Aaron Novinger

Landry_and_fish_small Mike Fisher