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After injury, Williams, family set to meet this week with school officials on future

When Rawleigh Williams III hit the ground Saturday and didn’t move, the sinking feeling crashed like a wave that it might be the last time he’s in a Razorback uniform.

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When Rawleigh Williams III hit the ground Saturday and didn’t move, the sinking feeling crashed like a wave that it might be the last time he’s in a Razorback uniform.

It was a fleeting feeling. One of those things that just goes flying over you.

With Williams, though, there was a reason. His injury two years ago was frightening. He had surgery then to replace and fuse a ruptured disc in the upper part of his neck.

There are people in wheelchairs that have had those types of injuries.

According to every medical person I’ve ever talked to over the years, neurological issues can almost never be made as good as new. They are always open to recurrences.

It is usually manifested in concussions. After the first one, the second one doesn’t require nearly the same impact and it keeps progressing from there. Anything in the head and neck area appears to be that way.

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema is well aware of that.

“That’s probably the part of my job — everybody says, ‘What keeps you up at night?’ he said Saturday after the Razorbacks’ final practice of the spring. “Those are the things that keep me up at night, just my players’ well-being. So we’ll cross that bridge when it comes.”

For those that didn’t see the play, Williams bumped into McTelvin Agim on a non-tackling running play and fell to the ground.

He told Agim, “I can’t move.”

To just about anyone, that is scary enough. It rattled most of the players and coaches on the field.

For Williams’ family, who was in attendance, it had to be downright frightening.

His mother, Kim, was “emotional, as any mom would be,” Bielema said later.

That is why the family will be heavily involved in this decision-making process.

Williams has undergone more medical testing since the Saturday incident, which UA officials said medical personnel described as a “stinger.”

Williams had the feeling back in all of his extremities while he was on the turf and said he was “embarrassed” at not being allowed to jump to his feet.

According to a story by Tom Murphy of WholeHogSports.com, there will be a meeting soon:

Tailback Rawleigh Williams and members of his family will huddle with the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville medical team and Coach Bret Bielema this week to go over his latest medical tests and discuss his future, a source with knowledge of the situation told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Tuesday.

University officials expect to make an announcement on Williams’ status at some point next week, the source said.

Considering the gravity of the injury, Rawleigh Williams’ football playing days may be over.

And, Razorback fans, you can be disappointed. Maybe even a little angry over the bad luck.

But you can’t criticize the decision.

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2024 High School Rankings

Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll:
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (25)10-02681
2.Greenwood (2)10-02343
30Conway9-12022
4.Little Rock Parkview9-11714
5.Bentonville7-31625
6.Benton9-11486
7.Fayetteville8-21117
8.Pulaski Academy8-2898
9.Rogers7-3439
10.Joe T. Robinson9-122
Others receiving votes: Valley View 8, Mountain Home 7, Cabot 6, Little Rock Catholic 6, Shiloh Christian 6, Elkins 1, Farmington 1.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (27)10-01351
2.Conway9-11022
3.Bentonville7-3813
4.Fayetteville8-2454
5.Pulaski Academy8-2395
Others receiving votes: Rogers 3.
CLASS 6A
1.Greenwood (27)10-01351
2.Benton9-11082
3.Mountain Home8-2623
4.Shiloh Christian7-3494
5.Little Rock Catholic9-1345
Others receiving votes: Marion 6.
CLASS 5A
1.Little Rock Parkview (27)9-11351
2.Joe T. Robinson9-11062
3.Valley View10-0793
4.Farmington9-1484
5.Hot Springs Lakeside8-2205
Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 7, Harding Academy 7, Morrilton 3.
CLASS 4A
1.Elkins (20)10-01261
3.Arkadelphia (5)8-2913
2.Little Rock Mills (1)10-0682
4.Warren8-2554
5.Dardanell (1)9-123
Southside Batesville10-023
Others receiving votes: Malvern 12, Gravette 5, Highland 2.
CLASS 3A
1.Bismarck (12)10-01051t
2.Fordyce (10)10-0961t
3.Prescott (1)9-1704
4.Osceola (2)8-1543
5.Booneville (1)9-1395
Others receiving votes: Mansfield (1) 23, Rivercrest 10, Rison 4, Salem 4.
CLASS 2A
1.Carlisle (20)10-01271
2.Conway Christian (7)10-01152
3.Des Arc8-2595
4.East Poinsett Co.7-352
5.Bigelow6-4183
Murfreesboro7-3184
Others receiving votes: Mount Ida 6, Junction City 4, Cross County 3, Poyen 3.
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Strong-Huttig (27)5-0811
2.Midland9-0532
3.Cedar Ridge8-1253
Others receiving votes: Woodlawn 3.

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ESPN ARKANSAS 99.5 IN FAYETTEVILLE, 95.3 IN THE RIVER VALLEY, 96.3 IN HOT SPRINGS, 104.3 IN HARRISON-MOUNTAIN HOME.