Arizona Cardinals running back Ryan Williams is back -- and he's smiling again.

The 22-year-old impressed in the Cardinals' preseason game against the Oakland Raiders Friday. It was the first action he's seen since tearing the patellar tendon in his knee last August.

"I wasn't even thinking about what happened 365 days from that point," Williams told Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf Show Monday. "It was just one of those things where I was just so happy that I was out there, being able to score again, being able to put points on the board, being able to help the team win."

Williams ran for 25 yards on five carries and scored a touchdown, exceeding expectations in his preseason debut.

The promising young back has the potential to be a dynamic force for the Cardinals in the backfield this season, and Williams is ready to make his presence known.

With the Cardinals expected to rely more heavily on their running game in 2012, Williams is likely to get plenty of touches. After losing an entire season to injury, the Cardinals' running back is more determined than ever to maximize his immense talent.

"I set everything up in life to the point where I could be in the NFL and succeed and with that being taken away from me for a year, it was just like I don't ever want to experience that again," Williams stated. "So now the work ethic that I had before is ten times better."

Williams admits he still feels lingering pain and soreness and isn't quite back to his old self. Still he couldn't be more grateful to be back with his teammates, playing the game he holds so dear.

"I really feel like I was meant to play because the feeling that I get every time I am out there, it doesn't amount to anything else," Williams said.