Xavior Williams ready for one final game with Iowa football at the Citrus Bowl
IOWA CITY — Xavior Williams will be the first to admit he didn't have the type of season for the University of Iowa football team he had hoped for.
Williams, a graduate of Notre Dame High School, was a freshman All-American and twice was named to the first team All-Missouri Valley Conference team in his four years as a defensive back at the University of Northern Iowa, decided to transfer to Iowa for his sixth year of eligibility after graduating from UNI.
Williams saw action in 10 of Iowa's 13 games this season, albeit most of it at the end of games when the outcome already was decided. He finished with three tackles — two solo and one assist.
Williams will close out his college career Saturday when 17th-ranked Iowa (10-3) plays 25th-ranked Kentucky (9-3) in the VRBO Citrus Bowl at noon in Orlando, Florida.
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For Williams, it will be his only chance to play in a bowl game, and he plans to make the most of it before turning his attention to the National Football League.
"It's kind of exciting, but I'm ready to move on from college football," Williams said. "Coming to Iowa was definitely a different experience. I've never played in a bowl game before, so I'm looking forward to it."
Williams said he has spent much of the last month studying film and staying in shape until practice resumed with the team prior to the trip to Florida.
Joining an Iowa team which returned all four starting defensive backs made for a difficult situation, but Williams tried to make the best of it.
"I picked up on some little things that they are taught," Williams said. "This is my sixth year of doing it at the college level, so so I got a few little things here and there and how they are coached."
Williams said he got to live one of his childhood dreams by playing at Kinnick Stadium as an Iowa Hawkeye. He said doing the wave at the end of the first quarter of home games was "really cool. That's a really special thing they've got going. It was good to be a part of that. It's was very special."
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While Williams is looking forward to the Citrus Bowl and one last opportunity to get on the field as an Iowa Hawkeye, he is ready to move on to the next phase of his life.
After spending an extra two days in the sun in Orlando with his girlfriend, Alicia Crivaro, and their daughter, Miley, following Saturday's game, Williams said he will head back to Iowa City to get to work.
Williams is set to participate in the 2022 College Gridiron Showcase Presented by Frog Fuel. That even is scheduled for Jan,. 8-12 in Fort Worth, Texas, and will give him another opportunity to display his skills to pro scouts and coaches.
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The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 28-30 in Paradise, Nevada.
"Since I haven't played much the last two years, I need an opportunity to get my name out there again," Williams said. "Im confident in myself. I will get some eyes back on me. I just need to go down there and compete.
"I will sign with an agent and get going with that. I plan to stay here in Iowa and train. Everything will be a lot different because I will be done with school and I will just be doing football and training. I plan to do some very intense training. I need to get faster and more explosive. After six years in college, I'm ready to move on to the next part of my life and give professional football a try."
This article originally appeared on The Hawk Eye: Xavior Williams ready for last game with Iowa at the Citrus Bowl
