Mon Williams plans to transfer from UF

Former running back — turned linebacker — Mon Williams is looking to be released from the University of Florida.

The redshirt sophomore told The Sun on Wednesday night that he is looking to transfer from UF at the end of the fall semester.

Williams said a lack of playing time and the fact that he would like to be closer to his family contributed to his decision to transfer.

“The main reason I want to leave is because it’s still hard for my mom to come to the games because it’s so far,” said Williams, who is from Mesquite, Texas. “My grandmother just had a stroke and she’s in a wheelchair and I want to be closer to her.”

Williams said the thought of transferring crossed his mind at the beginning of the season when he realized he wasn’t going to get a shot at playing running back.

To Williams, the addition of running backs coach Kenny Carter has had a negative effect on him.

“I feel like since we got this new coach (Carter), everything’s been downhill,” he said. “We never talk. Even when he comes around, we never talk. He’ll only comment when something bad goes down.”

Williams made clear that his relationships with coach Urban Meyer and offense coordinator Dan Mullen haven’t suffered. He even spoke to Mullen about transferring when he was first switched to linebacker earlier in the season.

“(Mullen) told me to just stay and work hard in practice,” Williams said.

Williams said his mother informed Meyer over the phone of both her and her son’s intentions of pursuing a playing career at another school.

“My mom said she called him and told him and that she didn’t want me to be standing around,” he said. “She wants me to play somewhere.”

Once he switched to linebacker, Williams said he would “once in a while” get into the rotation, but has mostly seen time in practice as a scout team running back.

Williams was a part of Meyer’s second recruiting class at Florida, which was dubbed by most as the top class in 2006. He was a four-star prospect and the No. 12 running back coming out of high school, according to Rivals.com.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound running back showed signs of promise after rushing for 95 yards off nine carries in Florida’s 62-0 blowout of Western Carolina in 2006. It was the only significant time he would ever see at running back.

Williams’ troubles began in the spring of 2007 when he tore his ACL during practice. Williams redshirted the 2007 season — after enter as the leading candidate to start at running back. He then entered the 2008 campaign buried on the depth chart.

Williams said he didn’t understand why he wasn’t playing and some of his teammates questioned it as well.

“I honestly don’t know why I’m not playing,” he said. “Even the other running backs ask me why I’m not playing. … I guess they feel like I’m still protecting my knee.”

On the season, Williams has only one carry for 2 yards and has yet to see time at linebacker.

Williams said he hasn’t contacted any schools and will begin his search of potential schools next week.

Calls placed to the UAA were not immediately returned.