Star wide receiver Mike Williams has quit the Syracuse football program, head coach Doug Marrone announced Monday afternoon.

Speaking at his weekly press conference with local media, Marrone said Williams approached him earlier in the day and told him of his decision. Williams, who has been suspended from the team twice before, was not dismissed from the program.

It was Williams’ decision to leave, Marrone said, and the coach is unsure whether Williams is still enrolled at the university.

‘Mike Williams came into me today and has quit the program,’ Marrone said. ‘Again, I do not comment on people that have left the program, but he has quit the program.’

But unlike other instances of his players leaving, Marrone this time fielded questions about his former star. Marrone said Monday that he has ‘no idea’ why Williams quit the team and declined to offer specifics of his meeting with Williams.

He had not yet made a formal announcement to the team upon telling the media of Williams’ decision, but said he expected many players had already heard the news.

‘I’m not going to discuss the conversation from my end,’ Marrone said. ‘He came up to me and voluntarily took himself off the team. That’s it.’

Williams, the Orange’s best offensive player this season, was suspended from the university in June 2008 for violating the Academic Integrity Policy and missed the entire 2008 season. He re-enrolled in January and returned to the team for spring practice.

Marrone suspended Williams for SU’s Oct. 24 game against Akron for violating team rules. Afterward, Marrone did not elaborate on why Williams was benched.

Williams returned Saturday in Syracuse’s loss to Cincinnati and caught three passes for 24 yards. He has been one of the best wide receivers in the country this year, compiling 49 receptions for 746 yards and six touchdowns.

Williams was recently named one of 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, which is presented to the nation’s top receiver at the end of the season. He is expected to declare for this year’s NFL Draft.

Syracuse now has the difficult task of replacing Williams’ immense offensive contributions. The Orange (3-5, 0-3 Big East) needs to win three of its last four games to remain eligible for a bowl and faces No. 14 Pittsburgh (7-1, 4-0) Saturday.

Despite not having Williams, Marrone stressed the importance of staying positive and stood behind his players who are still on the roster.

‘You have to believe in the program, and you have to believe in what it’s about,’ Marrone said. ‘There’s been a foundation at this school for a long time, and that’s called faith. Faith is believing in something you can’t just touch. I believe in my heart – I know – I feel very comfortable in saying we’re going in the right direction.’

jediamon@syr.edu

Published on November 1, 2009 at 12:00 pm