Auburn Suspends Preseason All-American WR Duke Williams

Written by Ryan Wright

Disciplinary issues have temporarily sidelined one of the top wide receivers in the nation as fall camps start up across the nation for college football. On Friday and Saturday D’haquille “Duke” Williams did not participate in practice with the Auburn Tigers.

The message sent to Williams through the media via Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn was loud and clear, “Bottom line: Nobody’s bigger than the team around here, and that’s between him and me.”

When local media pressed Malzahn on Williams’ absence he kept it quick and to the point stating, “When he takes care of that (discipline issue), he’ll be back on the field. I’ll make that decision. I’ll let you know when he’ll be back.”

Williams was a standout for the Tigers in 2014 as a junior college transfer. The 6’2”, 224 pound, target led Auburn with 730 yards off 45 receptions with five touchdowns. The Louisiana native has appeared on numerous preseason All-American teams with many projecting Williams’ stat line to jump with a pass-first quarterback like Jeremy Johnson under center instead of 2014 dual-threat signal caller Nick Marshall.

Malzahn cut Williams’ junior season short suspending him for the Outback Bowl against Wisconsin for violation of unspecified team rules. Williams’ stats last season were also cut short after missing two games due to a sprained MCL. Williams also missed eight practices leading up to the Outback Bowl due to an undisclosed illness.

A timeframe on Williams’ current suspension is up in the air and left to guess that it will last as long as the senior wide out and Malzahn remain at odds.

Photo credit: flywareagle.com; No. 1 Duke Williams hushes the Florida crowd in the Swamp.