PROVO — The explicit music stays, no @#$% doubt about it, but the other shenanigans are going on a two-year sabbatical, vows Jamaal Williams.

The BYU running back is taking in stride his suspension for the season-opener against Connecticut, putting all the blame on himself. For the next two years, he says, he is staying on the good side of the university’s stringent Honor Code, excluding the profane lyrics that proliferate rap tunes.

“My music is nowhere near going to be playing here at all,” Williams said of the sounds that play during BYU football practice.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall and the university should hope that all Honor Code infractions go the way of the Williams situation. A repeat offender, Williams is speaking openly of the one-game penalty and the desire to finish his last two years without incident.

Standing in front of the media after BYU’s first practice of training camp, Williams handled himself with grace and poise. He induced a chorus of laughter by saying his free time will be spent at Classic Skating.

Growing from admitted immaturity, Williams has turned into a role model for non-LDS players, particularly among African-Americans. It’s easy to see why he was given a relatively minor penalty.

Over the years, especially during an outbreak of Honor Code violations before Mendenhall became the coach 10 years ago, the players in question were known to claim ignorance of the rules. Williams quickly rejected any assertion that he didn’t know the rules, saying he is expected to abide by standards the same as everybody.

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Camp Cougar, Day 4

One day after a closed session that head coach Bronco Mendenhall said "might have been one of the most difficult and intense practices that we've ever had," the coach eased off the gas somewhat on Tuesday, cutting a little short his team's morning session on day four of camp.

“I’m trying to be a positive role model now, show (other players) how to live the right way at BYU and have fun and have a great time playing BYU football,” Williams said.

“I’m going to do these two years right,” he added. “The first two years were a whole bunch of rebel stages and not knowing the right way of coming in here and enjoying BYU life. But these next two years are going to be pretty exciting for me.”

BYU deserves praise for giving Williams repeated chances without coming down too harsh. Where mercy can be extended, it should. The football team and university is well served by keeping violators in school whenever possible. For being only 19 years old, Williams has a great perspective.

“It’s life, mistakes happen,” he said. “You go through some bumps in the road; you’ve just got to overcome them. You can’t let it get you down.”

As documented here last winter, BYU was right to change its policy of acknowledging if any athlete was being subject to an Honor Code investigation. In most cases, there’s no need to embarrass a college student any more than necessary.

But Mendenhall needs to consider an exception. If the penalty includes any game suspensions, then Mendenhall ought to announce it ahead of time without getting into details of the infraction or even if it is Honor Code-related.

Mendenhall admitted he had no intention of revealing Williams’ suspension, noting he went into reactionary mode after the player brought it to the media’s attention. It’s better to briefly address a situation that will become public at game time rather than keep it quiet and make it subject to undue attention.

“I would much prefer these matters when possible — and I know it’s not always possible — to be handled internally and then we keep it that way,” Mendenhall said. “Sometimes it happens that way at BYU and sometimes it doesn’t.”

In this case, Williams is the teacher. Learn from the way he handled it.

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