Williams will miss an “extended period” of time after suffering a left foot injury that requires surgery, Brett Brecheisen of ArkansasRazorbacks.com reports.
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The foot injury Williams suffered in Saturday’s scrimmage will force him to miss the entire 2015 regular season.
The official statement said that while the injury required surgery, Williams is expected to make a full recovery.
“I i just want to clarify that often Jonathan will approach back tougher versus ever”, Bielema said inside a assertion. “It’s an unfortunate injury to a great young man, but we are in the process of gathering as much information as possible”.
Though Williams has a Razorbacks redshirt year option for 2016 eligibility if he doesn’t play, Bielema said the running back from Allen, Texas, likely will turn professional which “he was on the verge of” last January before opting to withdraw his name from 2015 NFL draft consideration.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Arkansas is now listed with +5000 odds to win the College Football Playoffs this season. He led the SEC in broken tackles last season with 65.
Bielema also mentioned third-year sophomore Denzell Evans who lettered on special teams and mopped up some games at running back.
Williams is Arkansas’ No. 10 career rusher with 2,321 yards, and he has averaged 5.72 yards per carry.
Arkansas’s running back depth may be impressive, more so before the injury to Williams and freshman Juan Day (who tore his ACL in March). Collins ran for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
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With Williams out, the Razorbacks will lean on Collins, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound junior.
