THE FORGOTTEN PLAYMAKER WILLIAMS MOVES ON AFTER LOSING ELIGIBILITY AT USC.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Nearly every analysis of USC and Oklahoma talks about how alike the teams are at every position.

But it could be much, much different. Imagine the advantage for USC on offense for Tuesday's Orange Bowl if wide receiver Mike Williams still played for the Trojans.

Marquee players like Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, LenDale White and Dwayne Jarrett might take a backseat to Williams this week in Florida if he returned for his junior season.

``One would hope it would be different if I was on the team,'' Williams said Saturday. ``The guys always said, 'Mike, make a play.' ''

Even though Williams was the Trojans' go-to guy for two years, a USC staff member incorrectly said last week Williams never scored on a play of more than 40 yards. Officially, he had a 55-yard touchdown against Washington State and 54-yarder against Oregon his freshman year.

``It's kind of out of sight, out of mind,'' Williams said on no longer being with the Trojans. ``People think, 'He was great back when,' but oh well. When I wasn't scoring touchdowns anymore, that's what happens.''

Williams won't be on pins and needles Tuesday when the Trojans play the Sooners. He won't even attend the game but will watch on TV from Georgia, where he's working out in preparation for the NFL Draft.

``You feel committed like the alumni about whether they win or lose,'' he said. ``But you're not in the mix. I don't think it's bittersweet. It is what it is. I don't think you can make much more than that.''

Williams said he doesn't even miss college football this season, because most of his peers left last season for the NFL, like Reggie Williams (Jacksonville Jaguars), Roy Williams (Detroit Lions) and Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals).

``There's not a tremendous amount of big-play wide receivers as in years past,'' Williams said. ``If this was last year, it'd be a big deal. But college football, as far as wide receivers, isn't a big deal. When it comes to me missing out, I don't think on challenges passed.''

His connection to USC faded somewhat after the NCAA declared him ineligible in August, the day the Trojans left for their season-opener against Virginia Tech in Landover, Md.

Williams applied for reinstatement after a court ruling shut him out of the NFL Draft. He enrolled in school for the fall semester but left in October to move to Duluth, Ga., and begin workouts. Williams attended USC's victory over California at the Coliseum in September, his only game and last conversation with Trojans coach Pete Carroll.

``It was really short,'' Williams said. ``He just said, 'Wish you were here.' ''

The relationship soured after Williams declared for the NFL draft last January, and some negative comments made to NFL teams by USC coaches got back to Williams.

``We have a good relationship as far as player-coach,'' Williams said. ``I ran up some problems and sat in his office a few times too, for school stuff and him telling me I needed to block better.

``But when I think of 'SC, it's always good. The negative things were things out of my control. Some people in the program and even fans got on me when I wanted to leave school.''

There's no doubt USC would be a much different team with Williams, even if the top-ranked Trojans are 12-0 heading into the Orange Bowl.

``I probably wouldn't be playing at all,'' sophomore wide receiver Chris McFoy said. ``Without him, we made it this far. We've all got to pull our weight without him around.''

Wide receivers coach Lane Kiffin said it's not even close pondering how much better the Trojans could be with Williams. He quickly adds, though, that the Trojans are better off in the long run from a season without their main receiver.

``He was the most prolific wide receiver in the history of the Pac-10,'' Kiffin said. ``He caught 30 touchdown passes in two years. No one's done that. But Dwayne wouldn't be as far along. We're better off for the future. But there's no way you can say we wouldn't be better now.''

It might surprise some observers, but Williams said he will attend the NFL combine for rookies early next year, something many big-name players ignore. However, Williams knows it's in his best interest to answer any lingering questions from NFL teams.

``All the teams will be there and all the GMs,'' Williams said. ``Me being seen as far as my appearance there is so important.''

Williams said his goal is to run the 40-yard dash is 4.4 seconds after running 4.5 last year.

``I was nervous last year, I was the last workout,'' he said. ``I'll be more comfortable this year.''

Scott Wolf, [phone]

scott.wolf(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) no caption (Mike Williams)

(2) The last time Mike Williams spoke to Pete Carroll was during the USC-California game.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images