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IRVINE, Calif. -- Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Dhaquille Williams is ready for his first preseason game Saturday, an opportunity he wasnt sure would be available after a tumultuous final year in college.Its been a long time since I have been on the field, like in a game, so I am ready to really explode, Williams said.Williams was regarded by draft analysts as one of the top prospects at the position entering his senior season at Auburn but he was dismissed in early October for what Tigers coach Gus Malzahn described as a failure to meet the teams expectations.Williams had previously been suspended for the Outback Bowl at the end of the 2014 season and again during fall camp last August. His production before getting kicked off the team disappointed, with 12 receptions for 147 yards and one touchdown in five games.Williams went undrafted, signing with the Rams in May only after participating in their rookie minicamp.Coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead warned Williams that any incidents on or off the field would result in him being cut immediately.Duke came in and knew he had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity based on some of the things that happened in his history, and we gave him that opportunity, Fisher said. He took advantage of it.Williams attitude and work ethic have not been issues in training camp. He has lost seven pounds this summer and aims to slim down to a playing weight of 220 by the start of the regular season.Now, it looks as if Williams future will come down to football considerations. Williams has the athletic attributes comparable to top receivers around the NFL, using his build and leaping ability to position himself against defenders.Cornerback Trumaine Johnson was ready to go head-to-head with Williams and test that physicality as he watched the Rams first special teams practice in pads last week.I like Duke, I like Duke a lot, Johnson said. I was about to go out there one time and (special teams coordinator John Fassel) got me back.However, Williams is still raw running routes after playing in Auburns spread-option offense that created favorable matchups. More troubling is Williams inconsistency catching the ball.Williams has showed steady improvement after struggling with drops during the first week of camp. But Williams dropped a pass at the goal line during a two-minute drill at the Coliseum on Saturday, nearly resulting in an interception.Quarterback Jared Goff went right back to Williams on the next play for a touchdown.I feel like Im progressing, Williams said. I can do better, you know, learn from the mistakes I made and make sure they dont happen twice.Whether that development will be enough for Williams to secure a roster spot isnt clear. The Rams drafted Pharoh Cooper from South Carolina in the fourth round and Southern Mississippi product Michael Thomas in the sixth, while fellow undrafted free agent Nelson Spruce has been steady.Williams is simply glad for another chance to play.Its a blessing to be right here, Williams said. I wasnt supposed to be here from the issues I went through last year. Worked my way up, stayed humble, continue to stay humble and Ill take none of that for granted anymore.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLAir Force 1 Nz . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Outlet .Y. -- Syracuse has turned up the defence at the right time all season, and when High Point threatened to pull off a monumental upset the second-ranked Orange did what they do best with their quick hands and savvy play. http://www.discountnikeairforce1nz.com/ . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Nike Air Force 1 Nz Cheap . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. Wholesale Air Force Ones . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in.As part of a series looking at the mind, body and soul of an athlete, ESPNs Prim Siripipat will speak to various tennis players throughout the US Open.NEW YORK -- A year ago, Roberta Vinci pulled off one of the most epic upsets in US Open history.The No. 43-ranked Italian stunned No. 1 Serena Williams in the semifinals, ending Williams 33-match winning streak in majors -- and her quest for the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Grafs feat in 1988.After the match, Vinci was emotional, calling it the best moment of her life. Beforehand, it was a much different story. Did she really believe she could beat Williams heading into it?No. Really! No ... Vinci said in her on-court interview. When I woke up, I said OK, I have the semifinals today. Try to enjoy it. Dont think about Serena. Play.Although it was a painful defeat, Serena acknowledged the 12-1 underdog played her heart out.I thought she played the best tennis in her career, Serena said. Actually, I guess its inspiring. But, yeah, I think she played literally out of her mind.Added Vinci: The power of the mind and the mental game is important for this kind of sport.This past Wednesday, that positivity was evident again when Vinci, 33, was down a break in the second set of her second-round match.With American Christina McHale, 24, leading 3-2, the now No. 7 seed maintained her focus and turned a difficult moment into an opportunity. Vinci won four straight games on her way to a 6-1, 6-3 victory.Vinci faced another test of will Friday in her three-set win over Carina Witthoeft, 21, of Germany. Despite dropping the second set, the Italian kept her concentration and made only five unforced errors in the third set, winning 6-0, 5-7, 6-3.Up next in the fourth round, she will face Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.Indeed, it was the fiery Italians mind that enabled her to take down the most intimidating player on the WTA Tour in Serena Williams last year.She offered espnW these mental tips on how to handle a daunting opponent:1. Forget your opponent.Dont think about whos on the other sside of the net.dddddddddddd Forget their name. Forget their ranking. Forget their résumé and who theyve beaten. Shift your focus from your opponent to you. Think about your game, Vinci said. Dont think about the opponent. Just play your game and be aggressive.2. Focus on your breath.As in yoga teaching, breathing helps a player stay in the present moment, which prevents them from thinking about past mistakes or looking too far ahead into the match. Slow, deep breaths also help with nerves and pressure, which happens to all players.When asked how often she gets nervous, Vinci said, Always. I always feel the pressure. Im always nervous ... every single match and especially at the beginning. Then, step by step, I try to calm down, focus and the pressure gets low, and then I get back into the match.3. Forget about the future.This means dont worry about winning or losing. Yes, as a competitor, of course you want to win. However, getting too wrapped up in results can cause more stress and cause an athlete to lose focus on the things that will help them earn a victory.Stay focused every single point and dont think about the results, Vinci said. Just play your game.4. Think positive.Her belief may have fluctuated, but Vinci stayed positive throughout the entire match regardless of what was happening.With that said, it begged the question to ask Vinci one more time about the trust in herself. Did she really not believe she could beat Williams? Not even a little bit?OK, a little bit. A little bit ... yes, Vinci said.Just a little bit of belief. Thats all it takes.Prim Siripipat joined ESPN as an anchor in 2011 after spending three years in Miami covering the Dolphins, Heat and Marlins. She has appeared on SportsCenter, First Take, NBA Tonight and ESPN Radio. She played tennis at Duke University and, shortly after, began a career in broadcasting in Raleigh, North Carolina. Follow her on Twitter @ESPNPrim. ' ' '