Imagine how tough it will be now that sophomore Mike Williams — and his fourth-ranked Trojan teammates — are irked at the Warriors.

"A couple of their guys gave us motivation," Williams said. "They said a lot of things in the newspapers. Some guy said they'll beat us by 30 points, they'll beat us so bad."

The Trojans also claimed that a UH assistant coach made some critical comments during a radio interview.

Never mind that a search showed no such comments attributed to Warrior players or coaches. The comments are printed out, highlighted and posted on the bulletin boards in the Trojans' locker room and coaches' offices.

"We're going to take them as seriously as if they were a ranked team," Williams said. "We're ready to go. We busted each other's (butts) during the week. Hawai'i is the next team on our schedule. We're coming out ready to go."

It is no surprise that Williams, a tireless worker, is prepared for this nonconference game. Although the sophomore has above-average speed — 4.5 seconds over 40 yards — Williams has quickly developed into a go-to receiver. He has caught 17 touchdown passes in his 15-game NCAA career.

Chow said Williams uses his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame to gain position on smaller defenders. Williams has drawn comparisons to former Trojan Keyshawn Johnson, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Williams has kept in shape with a strict conditioning and weight-training schedule. He said he catches 100 tennis balls a day, helping to improve his hand-eye coordination.

Although teammate Keary Colbert has had a more successful career, Williams has received the most attention from opponents and the media.

Of the scrutiny, Williams said, "I don't worry about it. I always put the team ahead of anything individual. Everybody says, 'You have to live up to the hype.' I don't believe in that crap. I believe in going out there and playing ball."

Williams also said he plans on remaining with the Trojans for a while. The National Football League does not allow college players to apply for the draft until after their third season or 21st birthday. With suspended Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett expected to challenge that rule, Williams has refuted the suggestion he would be the next to seek early entry into the NFL draft.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "It isn't for me. I'm in a good program. I came in with a bunch of good guys, and I want to be with them when we win for a long time. There's no hurry to go anywhere. College is probably the best part of my life. I made a decision to come here, and I'm making the most out of it. I can't ask for more than that."