Gaither senior linebacker Matt Williams, the Cowboys’ leading tackler for the past two years, will miss the 2013 season with a major knee injury, coach Jason Stokes confirmed Friday.
“It’s so heartbreaking,” Stokes said. “That kid is the epitome of what you want in a football player.”
Williams announced the injury Thursday night on his Twitter account, telling a follower that “I’m done, bruh. … Can’t play. ACL and MCL.”
Williams finished the 2012 season with 117 tackles, tallying no fewer than 11 over the Cowboys’ final seven games. He later earned honors as a second-team all-Western Conference member.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Williams followed the season with a strong spring and summer as a member of the two-time 7-on-7 national champion Team Tampa. Williams was drawing interest from schools like Furman and Mercer when he injured the knee at a college camp last month.
Stokes said he had planned to expand Williams’ role this season, moving him to the wildcat quarterback and playing him a little at tight end and fullback.
But Stokes believes Williams still has a shot at a college scholarship. “He’s got great film from his sophomore and junior year. I’m going to make sure he goes somewhere.”
Joel Anderson can be reached at janderson@tampabay.com or on Twitter @jdhometeam