Texas State Offers Longview’s Marcus Williams

Longview 2019 offensive lineman Marcus Williams received his first Division I FBS offer on Monday, and he didn't have to wait long to pick up No. 2.

Texas State offered Williams on Wednesday, which was reported by the Longview News-Journal. 

The Lobos' incoming junior, who competed at a satellite camp hosted by ETBU in Marshall on Monday, has now picked up offers from two of the schools that were represented by coaches at the event.

Southern Miss was the first to offer Williams.

Williams (6-6, 250) played along Longview’s offensive line as a sophomore. He’s expected to be the starting left tackle this season for one of the region’s most successful large-sized schools.

Longview won a share of the District 11-6A championship before losing a one-point heartbreaker on the road against Beaumont West Brook in the first round of the Class 6A Division II postseason. The year ended with an overall record of 8-3.

Texas State has offered 10 East Texans in the 2018 class, but Williams is the first the Bobcats have targeted in 2019.

The Bobcats went 2-10 last season under first-year coach and 28-year coaching veteran Everett Withers.

While Texas State did not immediately thrive within or outside of Sun Belt Conference competition, its fans see a glimmer of hope on the horizon. James Madison, Withers’ former program, won the FCS national championship mostly with players Withers’ staff had recruited.

Withers, previously a highly-regarded defensive coordinator, also got a crash course with FBS head coaching duties prior to joining Texas State. He led North Carolina as its interim coach for the full 2011 season after Butch Davis got fired and placed the Tarheels in a bowl game.

Urban Meyer hired Withers after the 2011 season to serve as his first defensive coordinator at Ohio State.

A slow start at Texas State didn’t prevent the Bobcats from obtaining one of the region’s most explosive quarterbacks. Lufkin signal-caller Kordell Rodgers joined the program in the past cycle.

Withers’ Texas State staff secured a commitment from a second East Texas prospect in the most recent cycle, but the prospect ended up signing with a junior college.

Williams will first become eligible to sign with any NCAA Division I school that offers him in December of 2018.

2019 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• Jade Ashalintubbi, Elysian Fields, OL, 6-6, 331 —offers from Tulsa, ULM (2)
• Chance Billington, John Tyler, OL, 6-3, 201 — offer from SMU (1)
• Keontae Burns, Pittsburg, WR, 6-3, 182 — offers from Iowa State, North Texas, SMU, Southern Miss (4)
• Coltin Clack, Texas High, QB, 6-3, 202 — offers from Florida Atlantic, SMU, Southern Miss (3)
• Christian Hood, Marshall, OL, 6-2, 290 — offer from Southern Miss (1)
• T.Q. Jackson, Jefferson, WR, 6-2, 175 — offers from SMU, Southern Miss (2)
• Keivie Rose, Henderson, DE, 6-4, 220 — offers from Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, SMU, Southern Miss, Tulane (5)
• Carl Williams, Lufkin, DT, 6-3, 275 — offers from Oklahoma, SMU, TCU, Tulsa (4)
• Marcus Williams, Longview, OL, 6-6, 250 — offers from Southern Miss, Texas State (2)