Report: Avantae Williams returns to Miami football program

Freshman safety Avantae Williams will be readmitted to the Miami football program, per the Miami Herald’s Susan Miller Degnan. The decision comes following the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office announcement that all charges stemming from a domestic violence accusation had been dropped.

Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz left the door open for Williams to return to the program last week, saying the final decision would be made by the school’s leadership. The former four-star recruit was originally dismissed from the program on July 22 after accusations from his ex-girlfriend.

He originally faced three counts of aggravated battery on a pregnant victim, which is a felony.

Williams’ return to Miami

The former Miami safety expressed his feelings on the matter after having his charges declined.

“Thanks be to God that the truth came out and all charges against me were dropped,” Williams posted on Twitter. “As the father of a daughter and son I will always focus on my responsibility to set the right example of how women should be treated. In the future, I want to help others who face false charges.”

Avantae Williams followed his post with another message which read “more to come,” sparking rumors about a return to Miami.

He also entered the transfer portal following the incident but did not meet the deadline to receive immediate eligibility.

Coming out of high school, Williams was a top 50 prospect and also the No. 2 safety in the country. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound defensive back was heralded for his versatility and athleticism.

Williams’ attorney Michael Etienne spoke with the Miami Herald about the next steps last week. In addition, he confirmed his client’s desire to continue playing football.

“I cannot overstate that the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office did the right thing here,” said Etienne. “Now our priority is to get Avantae back into school playing the sport that he loves.”

He continued: “We reached out this morning to the University of Miami to see if they could get him reinstated. Compliments to Coach Edwin Pata, the assistant recruiting director, who cared enough to reach out to me and ask me to do everything I can to give Avantae a fighting chance.”

Next Steps

Now that Williams is back with the team, he must battle for snaps in a crowded safety room which features returning star Bubba Bolden, Gurvan Hall Jr. and highly touted freshman James Williams.

The Hurricanes kick off their season on Sept. 4 against No. 1 ranked Alabama in Atlanta, Georgia as part of the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff.