Smithtown, NY, January 29: In a surprising development, Roland Williams and the Long Island Amazin' have come to a mutual agreement on a buyout of the final year of his contract, according to numerous reports. Neither Williams nor the Amazin' have responded to various e-mails, text messages, and phone calls.
Williams has one year and $3.4 million left on the contract extension he signed after the 2008 season. In five seasons as Long Island head coach, he has extended the team's league-record streak to 21 consecutive playoff appearances, won two division titles, and advanced to the 'Super Saturday' semifinal round three times, but has never appeared in nor won an ESFL championship.
Prior to being promoted to head coach, Williams served as Long Island defensive backs coach from 1997-2000 and defensive coordinator from 2001-2006 under legendary head coach Mark Levy.
Reports began surfacing two weeks ago of a disconnect between Williams and the Long Island front office. Williams flatly rejected the Amazin' offer to enter talks on a contract extension, stating he preferred to remain employed on the terms of his current deal. Long Island did not want a 'lame duck' coach with no committment to the organization beyond 2012.
The move is especially surprising as Williams played an instrumental role in the hiring of new offensive coordinator Drew Drouightenoid, which was finalized on January 24.
Rumors will now begin swirling as to who will fill the Long Island coaching vacancy. It will be the first time the Amazin' are tasked with an open hire since 1970; Levy served as coach for a span of 36 years, and Williams, seen as heir apparent, was promoted to the head job without an interview. Most of the buzz in the hours since the Williams buyout was first reported has been focused on New York Sharks offensive coordinator Benny Trousers. Trousers, who is 30, has pioneered the revolutionary 'switchback' offense, which propelled the Sharks to a league-high 522 points in 2011 and an ESFL title. Trousers signed a 3-year, $7.5 million contract extension with the Sharks last week, but is free to interview and sign with a team that offers him a promotion to head coach.
Other candidates that have been mentioned include Drouightenoid, Levy, former Sharks head coach Scott Muller, Detroit head coach Marcel Williams, who is Roland Williams' brother, and Louisiana Unit-Tech head coach Corwin Keraux.
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