EVANSTON, Ill. -- He felt the final hit, that last man falling on top of him and driving a head into his injured ribs, and he gave it up.
With a mixture of pain and frustration and helplessness, Northwestern quaterback Len Williams ambled to the sidelines, his career -- a four year-long struggle for glory -- was simply a memory.
"That guy landed on me the last time and I couldn't take it anymore," Williams said.
The result was a 43-21 loss to Penn State, ending yet another chapter of adversity in the history of Northwestern football. A 2-9 season, an 0-8 conference slate.
The motto on the wall behind him read, "Expect Victory." But all that the quaterback's aching ribs felt were the lingering pain of defeat.
"I think this was the most disappointing of my four years," said Williams, who finished his career in the top 10 in passing yardage in Big Ten history. "I'll remember this season for a long time."
This was the season that got away. The Wildcats' 2-1 non-conference start had vanished under the pressure of a murderous Big Ten slate. A bevy of injuries on the offensive line had left Williams scrambling out of the pocket on every play.
Despite that, Williams had started 42 consecutive games before missing last week's loss to Iowa.
"A lot of fans who watch him play admire his toughness," Northwestern Coach Gary Barnett said. "He's a smaller quaterback out there. He's a guy that's gutty, and people like that."
Williams' final performance, in front of a typically sparse Dysche Stadium crowd, was dazzling at times. He finished 14 for 27 for 264 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception.
"Their quaterback played a great game today," Penn State Coach Joe Paterno said, "considering the pressure he was under."
Penn State defenders sacked Williams five times, but the quarterback often used his mobility to slip away. He found favorite target Lee Gissendaner, and wideout Chris Gamble, six times apiece.
Afterward, Williams and Gissendaner, two of the Big Ten's best-kept secrets, speculated on the future.
"As long as I'm playing football somewhere," Williams said, "I'm not ready to give it up."
Neither is Gissendaner, the 5-foot-9 wide receiver who caught 58 passes this season.
They are both undersized for their position -- at 6-foot, Williams is short in comparison to most pro signal-callers. But it is their determination that has led them through four tough years, and kept them joking until the end.
"I'd go anywhere for the money, you know," the gregarious quarterback snipped.
They joked as if a weight had been lifted. No longer are these two stars carrying the burden of a program on their shoulders. It is time to pass on that responsibility.
"We've been here and we've played four years, and we never got better," Williams said. "I think I'm ready to move on."
