COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) Buzz Williams valued his time as an assistant under coach Billy Gillispie at Texas A&M more than a decade ago so much that as he was heading to the airport to fly to Texas to be introduced as the school's new coach he made sure the last call he made was to his former boss.

"I said: `thanks and I'm coming home,'" Williams said choking back tears.

Williams, who was born and grew up in Texas, was introduced as Texas A&M's coach on Thursday, returning to the school where he spent 2004-06 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.