Louisville RB Javian Hawkins had a tremendous 2019 season. The 5’9 RB broke the freshman record for rushing and the record for most yards by a RB by rushing for 1525 yards. Along with those records, he scored 9 rushing TDs and averaged 5.8 yards per carry. His efforts led to Hawkins being named All-ACC second team.
Hawkins 2019 performance has led many to hold great expectations for his 2020 season. This is evidenced by redshirt sophomore’s inclusion on the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award. The award is given to the nation’s top RB at the end of every season. Other RBs on the watch list include Clemson’s Travis Etienne, Alabama’s Najee Harris, Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard, and Mississippi State’s Kylin Hill.
To read more about Javian Hawkins and the Doak Walker Award, read the press release below.
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT:
Hawkins Named to the Doak Walker Watch List
Javian Hawkins set the school’s freshman single-season rushing record last season.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2020
LOUISVILLE, Ky.. – The PwC SMU Athletic Forum released today the preseason candidates for the 2020 Doak Walker Award. The Forum annually presents the award to the nation’s top college running back.
University of Louisville sophomore running back Javian Hawkins was named to the award watch list. The redshirt sophomore native is coming off a breakout 2019 season in which he was named a Freshman All-American and a second team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honoree.
Hawkins finished seventh nationally in rushing with 1,520 yards and nine touchdowns in guiding the Cardinals to an 8-5 record after a 38-28 win over Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.
The Titusville, Fla., native set the school record for most rushing yards by a running back, breaking Howard Stevens’ previous mark of 1,429 yards in 1971. It was the third-most yards in a season at Louisville, behind quarterback Lamar Jackson’s 1,601 yards in 2017 and 1,571 in 2016.
Hawkins finished third in the league in rushing and tying for the league lead with eight 100-yard rushing games – the most in school history by a running back and second behind Jackson’s school record of 10.
The 5-foot-9 running back started 12 games and grabbed ACC Rookie and Running Back of the Week honors twice during his first full season. He rushed for 233 yards – the second most in the ACC this season – in a win over Syracuse. It was the first 200-yard rushing game by a Cardinal since Lamar Jackson had 226 against Texas A&M on Dec. 30, 2015 and the most rushing yards by a Cardinal since Anthony Allen rushed for 275 against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 6, 2007.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The recipient of the 2020 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The award is named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.
