If amnesia is truly a cornerback’s best friend, then Marcus Trufant is the perfect man for the part.
Asked this week what he remembers about his Apple Cup matchups with former University of Washington wide receiver Reggie Williams, the Washington State University product shrugged.
“I remember losing,” Trufant said, referring to the Cougars’ 26-14 loss in 2001 and 29-26 defeat the following year. “That’s what it came down to. We were head-to-head every game, and he came out with the victory every time, so I don’t have anything to say about it.”
Just to refresh Trufant’s memory, the two matchups saw Williams catch a combined 23 passes for 372 yards – most of which came when UW’s young receiver and WSU’s best cornerback were locked up one-on-one.
But if Trufant has any kind of revenge on his mind this Sunday, when his Seattle Seahawks travel to Jacksonville to face Williams and the Jaguars, he isn’t letting on.
“It’s just like any other game,” Trufant said. “I’m going to come to play hard, and I know he’s going to come to play hard.”
Not one to gloat, Williams also was doing his best to play down the rivalry Thursday night.
“It’s a great matchup,” the Jaguars’ second-year wideout said. “He’s one of the better corners in the league, and it will be a challenge for me.”
This time, the matchup will be different. For starters, Trufant and Williams aren’t likely to go head-to-head on every play. Trufant is entrenched as Seattle’s right cornerback, while Williams will move around in various formations.
Then there is the no-so-minor detail of this being an NFL game. While Trufant has had a seemingly flawless transition from college to pro football – he has started all 32 of his NFL games and given up a moderate total of 11 touchdowns – Williams is still trying to find his way.
After Jacksonville selected Williams with the ninth overall pick in the 2004 draft, the ex-Husky had a quiet rookie season. He caught just 27 passes despite playing in all 16 games, including 15 starts. Williams, who turned 22 years old in May, generally looked lost in his new surroundings.
“It was necessarily hard (mentally), but I learned a lot,” Williams said. “I tried to soak up as much as I could.”
Williams put in a lot of time working out during the offseason, and it appears to have paid off. He caught seven passes in the preseason, including a 14-yard touchdown in last week’s finale.
“He’s actually gotten better every day he’s been here,” Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich said. “This is the first year he had all offseason where he had more time to prepare himself because he knows what to get ready for. As a rookie, you come into it, and you don’t know how to prepare yourself.”
Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio has also been impressed with Williams lately.
“He has had a great offseason,” Jacksonville’s head coach said. “He has worked his butt off. … His work ethic has been tremendous. I think he is more excited about the offense and how he is being utilized.
“It has all added up to a much more productive offseason. Our anticipation is that he is going to be a fine football player for us.”
The new, and possibly improved, version of Williams will make his official debut Sunday against a familiar foe in Trufant. In addition to both being Tacoma natives, the duo will always be linked by their Apple Cup bond.
In his first Apple Cup, Williams, then a freshman, broke out for 11 receptions and 203 yards. But Trufant played that game with a cast on his broken right hand, so the 2002 rematch was supposed to be less one-sided.
And then Williams put on quite an encore performance, with 12 receptions for 169 yards in UW’s 29-26 win.
Based on Trufant’s NFL success, Williams’s numbers probably won’t be anywhere close this Sunday. But Trufant isn’t making any boastful promises.
“He’s a great player. He’s playing great,” the Seahawks’ cornerback said. “I’m just going to go out, do my best and try to get it done.”
Williams, not exactly known as the humble type during his UW career, admits that the results might be different on Sunday.
“This is the NFL,” he said. “He’s gotten better. But I’ve gotten better too. It should be a good matchup.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
