The 2012 calendar year was a long one for SMU running back Jared Williams. The final game of his freshman season, in which the Mustangs drilled Pittsburgh, 28-6, in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., ended early for Williams when his left femur snapped in three places while being tackled early in the fourth quarter.

Running back Jared Williams said he hopes to report to preseason camp about 15 pounds lighter than his last playing weight of 215 pounds (photo by Travis Johnston).

He spent the spring semester at home in Bradenton, Fla., while recovering from the surgery that included the insertion of a rod in his thigh, and then watched from the sideline when his team gathered in August for preseason workouts, because although his rehab included running, he had not been cleared by SMU’s medical staff to resume workouts.

Williams was cleared to rejoin practices in October, at which point the Ponies were well in to their season and his role was limited to that of a stand-in on the scout team.

“It was rough,” he said of his season spent mostly watching his teammates practice and play without him. “I went to practice, and I went to meetings, but it was hard to watch, knowing that I wasn’t a part of it.”

Williams expects that to change. Fully cleared to take part in all football-related drills, he expects to join his teammates in all drills when the Mustangs convene in March for spring drills, competing for playing time after the graduation of Zach Line.

“It’s going to be crowded,” he said of the running back drills that will include Williams, Rishaad Wimbley, K.C. Nlemchi, Luke Seeker, Prescott Line, Tanner Rice and transfer Traylon Shead. “I don’t know how (the coaches) are going to handle who plays, or who gets how much playing time, but I expect to be in there.”

Williams said he’s in “pretty good” shape. Running still makes his leg hurt “a little, sometimes,” but he has no reservations about resuming his pursuit of the starting job.

“The hardest part is the mental aspect, trying to get over that little hump after not getting hit for a whole year,” Williams said. “But after the first time I ran the ball (in practice), it felt pretty good. It felt like my old memories. Now it’s just about getting back to being used to doing what I used to be able to do.”

Williams said he is not quite the runner he was before the injury, but is encouraged by the progress he sees. In addition to the occasional soreness, he has been pleased with his ability to start and stop and change directions — signature elements of his running style before getting hurt. His top-end speed, while not what it was, is getting better, Williams said.

“I’m not as fast as I was,” he said, “but I’m getting there.”

Williams said he is able to do pretty much the same workouts that his teammates are doing as they prepare for the Mustangs’ spring workouts.

“I’m doing a lot of running, and pretty much the same things everyone else is doing,” he said. “Sometimes I have to cut it down if my leg gets tired, but for the most part, I’m doing everything.”

Williams said he has no reservations about returning to the field at a position that puts him at a risk of re-injury.

“I’m going to run, and run inside, and I’m going to block,” he said. “I know I could get hit (on the thigh) again. It’s part of playing running back.”

Whether Williams regains his top-end speed and his pre-injury form remains to be seen, but he is doing what he can to get faster, working hard in rehab and losing weight.

“I’m about 196 pounds now,” he said. “I was about 215 when we played Pitt. (Head) Coach (June) Jones doesn’t want me to be a heavy back. I came in thinking I had to gain some pounds to get ready to play in college, to handle the impact of playing. Coach Jones wants me to be more of a quick guy, so I’m hoping to be 198 or 200 pounds when we open (preseason) camp.”