Coaches and players across the SEC breathed a sigh of relief when Nick Saban left LSU in January to become head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

Not tailback Ja'Kouri Williams.

"When coach Saban left, I was kind of disappointed," the Plaquemine, La., native said. "I really wanted to show him what he missed out on. There are a lot of folks down there that didn't give me the respect that I felt I deserved. Hopefully, I can prove them wrong when I go down there (Sept. 24)."

Williams won't easily forget LSU's unwillingness to offer him a scholarship, especially by Saban, who was practically a state hero after winning a national championship and two SEC titles. Now, LSU's coach is Les Miles. But the fans, friends, and family are the same.

"Playing in front of my family and all my friends is something I look forward to but we've got games before that," Williams said. "When we go to Baton Rouge, that game is going to mean a lot to me. When it gets here, that's when I'll think about that one. Right now, I'm focused on spring and UAB, (UT's first game on Sept. 3)."

Watching Williams during practice, the first thing that pops to mind is "speed."

"He brings a speed factor," running backs coach Trooper Taylor said. "When he gets into the open field, he can take it to the house. The thing he can get better on is protection right now."

Taylor said Williams must eventually rely on better technique to fend off bigger, stronger players in pass protection.

"A lot of it's mental," Taylor said. "He knows who he's supposed to get, he's just lunging and reaching right now. He can't afford to be unsound."

The main question for Williams is his durability. He has suffered minor hip and shoulder injuries this spring. However, Taylor said he has been pleased with Williams' willingness to play with pain.

The main recruiting knock on Williams was his size. The 5-foot-11 Williams came to UT weighing 175 pounds. With an off season in the weight room and training table, Williams is a lean 190 pounds and breaking through arm tackles that would have brought him down last year, his redshirt freshman season.

Williams admitted he was a bit concerned the first time he stepped on scales and saw the new number staring back at him.

"I knew they wanted to beef me up a little bit but I wasn't sure how I would handle that weight, if it would make me slower," he said. "I really don't feel a difference running. I feel like I still have my same speed if not more speed.

"The weight that I've put on is mostly muscle. I don't have too much fat on me. I really don't feel a difference carrying the weight."

That's good news for UT's coaches as they decide exactly how to use Williams' quickness. Is he an every-down back, a third-down specialist, or even a wide receiver where he practiced in December?

For now, Williams is in a pseudo battle with fellow freshman Arian Foster to back up senior Gerald Riggs. One will emerge as the primary backup but both will likely play because of their unique abilities.

"Both of us bring our special thing to the table," Williams said when asked to compare the two freshmen tailbacks. "He can do things I can't do and I can do things he can't do. We complement each other very well. When you put us together, it's going to be hard to stop us. He's a bigger back with shifty moves. I'm a smaller back with a lot of speed that can catch the ball out of the backfield."

Williams has heard from the doubters who say he can't be an every-down back in the SEC because of his size. Travis Stephens heard the same. Stephens, who was 5-9, 190, relied on his quickness, silenced the critics, and set a UT single season rushing record with 1,464 yards.

"It's all about your will and determination to get the job done. If I have it in my heart, I can get it done regardless of my weight," Williams said.

Stephens would be proud.