How Texas Tech football's J'Koby Williams made final 6 for Paul Hornung Award
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Texas Tech football player J’Koby Williams was asked this week how challenging it’s been to handle all his responsibilities.
He’s a running back, he’s made his mark as a receiver coming out of the backfield, and Tech coach Joey McGuire would let Williams return all the kicks and punts if circumstances allowed. Plus, as a 5-foot-10, 185-pound true sophomore, he’s not the biggest or the most experienced guy.
All that aside, Williams is the Big 12 leader in all-purpose yards, and on Thursday, Nov. 6, he was named among six finalists for the Paul Hornung Award, which is presented annually to “the most versatile player in major college football.”
Williams has carried the football 92 times for 525 yards and 5 touchdowns; caught 21 passes for 300 yards and 2 TDs; and returned four kickoffs for 207 yards, a 51.8-yard average.
How challenging is it to prepare for all that?
“I just believe in myself, and I know the coaches believe in me, too,” Williams said, “so they put me where I need to be, and I just go execute what they tell me.”
Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1 in the Big 12) hosts Brigham Young (8-0, 5-0) at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8. In the first College Football Playoff rankings released this week, BYU is No. 7 and Tech No. 8. In the US LBM Coaches Poll and The Associated Press Top 25, BYU is No. 8 and Tech No. 9.
Williams’ 1,032 all-purpose yards rank ninth in the FBS. His total probably could be higher. Tech coaches planned to use Williams as both the primary kickoff-return and punt-return man, but when running back Quinten Joyner suffered a season-ending knee injury in August, McGuire’s staff decided not to risk the added wear and tear on Williams, given the depleted depth at running back.
Then, around midseason, Williams was limited by an ankle injury.
Williams has yet to return a punt, and it was only three games ago that he started returning kickoffs after the Red Raiders moved safety Oliver Miles III to running back.
Williams and fellow sophomore Cameron Dickey have formed a season-long tag team at running back. Dickey is the Big 12’s third-leading rusher with 746 yards and the conference leader in touchdowns (11) and rushing touchdowns (10).
“I think those guys complement each other,” offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich said. “When they’re both healthy, I think we have a really, really good one-two punch, and they both have their own kind of unique skill set.”
In the first three minutes of a 42-0 victory against Oklahoma State, Williams returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and caught a touchdown. In a 43-20 victory last week at Kansas State, Williams rushed for a career-high 135 yards and a touchdown.
“You’ve got Dickey, who can get the dirty four (yards) when you need it,” Tech quarterback Behren Morton said, “and J’Koby’s so explosive we can line him up out wide and he can be lethal outside being a receiver. To have that versatility of two backs, it’s hard to defend for sure.”
Paul Hornung Award history, this year’s other finalists
The Louisville Sports Commission originated the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor a native son.
The other finalists are running backs Jonah Coleman from Washington, Wayne Knight from James Madison, and Jadarian Price from Notre Dame, and receivers K.C. Concepcion from Texas A&M and Caullin Lacy from Louisville.
“These guys are true gamers, just like Paul Hornung,” Louisville Sports Commission president and CEO Greg Fante said in the announcement of the finalists.” “When he played for Notre Dame, Paul excelled on offense, defense, and special teams, always doing whatever it took to help his team win. He would be proud of this year’s finalists.”
Colorado wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter won the award each of the past two years.
Charting J’Koby Williams’ explosive plays
Texas Tech football running back J’Koby Williams leads the Red Raiders in plays from scrimmage of 20-plus yards this season with 11. Here’s the rundown of those plays, plus his longest returns.
Pass receptions
∎ 73 yards at Utah
∎ 39 yards vs. Oregon State
∎ 37 yards vs. Oklahoma State
∎ 30 yards vs. Kent State
∎ 30 yards vs. Oregon State (TD)
∎ 26 yards vs. Oklahoma State (TD)
Runs
∎ 41 yards at Kansas State (TD)
∎ 34 yards at Kansas State
∎ 23 yards at Houston
∎ 20 yards vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
∎ 20 yards vs. Kent State
Kickoff returns
∎ 99 yards vs. Oklahoma State (TD)
∎ 56 yards at Arizona State
∎ 31 yards at Arizona State
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech football’s J’Koby Williams makes final 6 for Hornung Award
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