‘That doesn’t just happen.’ Teammates marvel at performance from WSU’s Kyle Williams after WR breaks Dez Bryant record
SAN DIEGO – With 1,000 receiving yards to his name this season, 13 touchdown receptions over Washington State’s last 12 games and possibly a bright future ahead playing professional football, Kyle Williams had a number of reasons to pass on Friday’s Holiday Bowl against Syracuse, in an era where many star players have opted out of postseason games.
If that thought ever crept into Williams’ mind at any point over the last three weeks, it didn’t stay there long.
WSU’s top receiver was not only a willing participant in Friday’s bowl game against Syracuse, he was the team’s top performer in a 52-35 loss, breaking a longtime Holiday Bowl record while improving his NFL stock roughly three months before scouts and general managers will evaluate him at the school’s pro day event.
During the first quarter at Snapdragon Stadium, a Holiday Bowl official relayed to reporters that Williams was on track to break the game’s all-time record for receiving yards, set in 2008 when Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant – a future three-time NFL Pro Bowl selection – registered 178 in a 42-31 loss to Oregon.
Williams had already tallied 116 yards, on just four passes from first-time WSU starter Zevi Eckhaus, by the time the second quarter started on Friday. The fourth-year wideout had 125 yards at halftime and added four more receptions in the final quarter to break Bryant’s record on a 5-yard catch with 1 minute, 27 seconds remaining.
As Williams was informed of the historical feat during a postgame press conference, senior linebacker Kyle Thornton – seated two chairs away on the dais – interrupted with a loud “woo-ey” before the receiver talked about the significance of the record.
“Honestly it’s amazing,” Williams said. “Every game I come and try to put on a show and try to do the most that I can. But to beat a receiver that’s all-time and great like that, it’s just an honor and it shows that all of the work I put in, it wasn’t for nothing. I’m grateful I could do that, but I wouldn’t have got it without this gunslinger.”
Eckhaus threw Williams’ way 14 times for a total of 10 completions. Williams turned those catches into 172 yards, finishing nine shy of the 181 yards he posted during a road loss to New Mexico earlier this season.
Williams made a statement to talent evaluators at the next level with his fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season and received a ringing endorsement from his quarterback as Friday’s press conference was winding down.
“I touched upon it earlier this week. For anybody that’s watching – scouts, maybe GMs – this kid’s character is insane and his work ethic,” Eckhaus said. “He shows up every single day, he doesn’t care about the accolades, the awards. I’m sure he appreciates them, but that doesn’t define him. Whether he was hurting, whether he was sick, whatever the case may be, he showed up. To have him out there with us, be a leader for the wide receiver corps, it means everything and that’s why he had the performance.
“That doesn’t just happen. You don’t go out there and break a record like that. He works every single day towards that goal and he pushes himself and he pushes the guys around him. I’m so grateful to have a guy like that by my side to take the field this past game. I’m just grateful to have a man like that.”
Williams finished with 1,198 receiving yards on the season and added another touchdown when he and Eckhaus connected on a 66-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter. With his 14th receiving touchdown, Williams tied Colorado two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter for the second-most in the country. Hunter will have a chance to take sole possession of second when the Buffaloes face BYU in the upcoming Alamo Bowl.
“For me personally, I don’t know what’s next,” Williams said. “Hopefully the next level, but at the end of the day I’m just going to leave it to god. It’s out of my control. And just take it one day at a time, one moment at a time. This is the last time I’m going to be with these boys so right now I’m just worried about enjoying this moment with my brothers.”
An Inglewood, California, native, Williams spent the first three years of his career at UNLV before transferring to WSU before the 2023-24 season. He’ll finish his college career with 248 receptions, 3,608 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns.
“It’s been a long college journey for me and it’s been a roller coaster, lot of ups and downs,” Williams said. “But to finish it off where a lot of things went left and you just see the commitment of everybody, just the brotherhood and camaraderie of the team, it was something special. If I could do it again, I’d do it over and over and over with these boys.”