NOTRE DAME, Indiana — Notre Dame redshirt freshman running back Kyren Williams has been named a semifinalist for the 2020 Doak Walker Award, honoring the nation’s top running back and accomplishments on the field, achievement in the classroom and citizenship in the community.
Williams is the only redshirt or true freshman on the list, and has taken the college football scene by storm, totaling six 100-yard rushing performances. Through 10 games, Williams has totaled 1,011 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, adding 24 receptions for 268 yards and a touchdown in the air. He leads the Irish in rushing, and his total receptions rank third on the team.
Williams leads all FBS freshmen in rushing touchdowns (12), total touchdowns (13), and total rushing yards (1,011). Among all FBS players, he is eighth in rushing TDs, ninth in total TDs and fifth in rushing yards. In the ACC, Williams ranks third in rushing yards per game (101.1), fourth in scoring – TDs (7.8 points/game) and fourth in all-purpose yards per game (127.9).
Of the Top 10 rushers in the ACC, which includes Williams, the Irish have faced five: Louisville’s Javian Hawkins, North Carolina’s Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, Clemson’s Travis Etienne and Syracuse’s Sean Tucker. Notre Dame’s defense has limited those five Top-10 running backs to an average of 55.4 yards (277 yards total on 76 carries) and just two total touchdowns among the five. Hawkins, who leads the ACC with 102.8 rushing yards per game, was held to just 51 at Notre Dame. By comparison, against those four teams, Williams has averaged 125.3 yards (501 yards total on 91 carries), with a total of six touchdowns.
A five-time ACC weekly award winner in 2020, Williams has earned a weekly honor in half of the games in which he has played. His five awards are the most by any ACC player this season.