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Hernandez, Williams Close As Brothers

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By SCOTT PURKS Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 4, 2008

RIVERVIEW - Darrell Hernandez and Rodney Williams are as different as they are the same.

Hernandez is a senior. Williams a sophomore.

Williams tackles like a freight train. Hernandez is more finesse.

Hernandez watches out for Williams like he's his little brother. Williams looks up to Hernandez like he's his big brother.

They are best friends.

They are linebackers.

They believe they can take Spoto's football team to great heights.

"And they can certainly help us do it," Spoto coach Dale Caparaso said. "They are two of the county's best."

How did Hernandez find a best friend who is two years younger?

"Football," Hernandez said. "Football and the fact he lives one street over from me in Progress Village."

By "football," Hernandez means that when neighborhood kids started playing football, as most neighborhood kids do, age differences had nothing to do with anything. Fact was, and still is, Williams plays as well as anybody two years older than him.

Plus, there was the "older brother" aspect for Williams, who didn't have any big brothers.

"I listen to Hernandez," Williams said. "I know he wants what is best for me."

When Williams started playing last year as a freshman, it was Hernandez who gave him the lecture about keeping up his grades.

"He said all that talent won't mean a thing if I don't make grades and can't play," Williams said. "He said I have to make my grades to make my future."

Since then, Williams' grades have picked up.

When Hernandez graduates in the spring, he hopes Williams takes over the team's overall leadership role.

Williams, who already is a leader in his class, said he'd be more than happy to oblige.

"We believe we can help put Spoto on the map," Williams said. "We want people to keep an eye on us because we believe we have something to show."

Meantime, if you want to catch up with Hernandez, you might look for Williams, and vice versa.

They will either be side by side as middle linebackers, side by side playing a video game, side by side studying or side by side doing something.

"When I leave Spoto I'm still going to talk to Williams every day," Hernandez said. "I have to make sure my best friend is doing OK, even though I know he'll be all right. You know, you just have to be sure."

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