As former Dallas Cowboys fullback Daryl “Moose” Johnston would tell you, coming back from a major neck injury is no easy thing. Ahemiated disc and subsequent surgery start- ced the downward spiral that eventually forced the former All-Pro to retire last month, Rehabilitating such an injury would seem to be event more difficult for an offensive lineman, con sidering that he's in the trenches every down, giv- ing and taking: his share of pounding hits. But i the frst two weeks of training camp are any indication, Saints’ guard/center Wally Williams may be an exception. Ater siting out the first few practices, Williams hhas endured the rigors of a Jim Haslett training ‘camp with no complications. His. surgicaly- repaired neck is holding up rather well, as is his 6 oot 2.nch, 320-pound frame. “It's (training: camp's) going good so far.” says Williams. "Everybody's waiting to see iim going to have any serious problems with my neck, but go a doing wel must happy to Be back out Williams had surgesy to repair the and C6 vertebrae in his neck after suffering a season-enc ing injury in 19981 A bone was taken from his hip and placed in the neck. The bone and the C5 and Cé vertebrae were fused together. “Ie was pretty much a simple procedare,” says iam. "They didn’t do it ke the old days when they went through the back of your neck and you had a big sear. “They cut me right here in my throat” he savs, pointing to a small scar slightiy to the eft of his Uhroa, “Nice lite bate sear to ell the grandis ‘Now in his eighth NFL season, Willams dis- plays the versatility commonly found in veterans. ‘The original plan was to move him to center, but when Chris Naeole injured his knee in he Black and Gold Scrimmage, Williams returned to guard But will he return to center once Naeole returns? “That's the million-dollar question,” he says. “I don't know what's going to happen. 1 guess we can just wait and see. Tm going to go out there and play hard no matter what the situation is. If Timin there. Tm giving 119 percent Williams and the rest of the Saints’ offensive line is considered by many to be the strongest part ofthe team, possessing a strong miz of expe rience and depth. These assets, combined with the versatility of an athlete lke Wiliams, make for an interesting scenario when the Saints open their season on Sept. 3. “Wall's 2 good athlete,” says Haslet. “Wally can probably play anything you want him (to). He can play tight end, guard. do every thing.” The decision to move Williams back to guard ‘centered on Haslet's desire to have his best five ‘offensive linemen on the feld atthe same time. “Tdon't take away anything from Wally starting at center, or starting at left guard,” savs Haslet. “hen Chris (Naeole) comes back, we're going to put the five best guys out there.” While it still may be an uphill limb for Wiliams and his neck, the hardest part of the journey is over. He's taken that first hit, the toughest one and moved on. And he, like many others, looks forward to the possiblities the 200) season may bring, “The sky’s the limit with this group.” says Willams, “We're going to challenge ourselves every week, We want to win, and everybody out here wants us to win - everybody in Thibodaux, everybody in this whole area. And we don't want to disappoint.