CARLS AUTO GROUP. WHILE CY-HAWK WEEK IS HERE IN, THE HAWKEYES ARE GOING TO BE WITHOUT THEIR TOP RUNNING BACK KAMARI MOULTON. SO THEY TURN TO A DEEP GROUP OF BACKS READY TO FILL HIS SHOES. FOR ONE PLAYER, IT’S A FAR STEP FROM WHERE HE WAS LAST YEAR. JEFF DUBROF HAS MORE FROM IOWA CITY. IOWA RUNNING BACK XAVIER WILLIAMS WAS THE BREAKOUT STAR IN THE TEAM’S 34 TO 7 WIN OVER ALBANY ON SATURDAY. A LOT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY FROM BACK HOME REACHING OUT, AND IT’S ALL LOVE AND I’M REALLY APPRECIATIVE. I HAVE A REALLY GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM, SO IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE. AND FOR THE REDSHIRT FRESHMAN, THE PERFORMANCE MEANS A LOT MORE THAN YOU COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE. LAST YEAR, HE WAS ON THE SCOUT TEAM. IT’S SUPER EXCITING. I’M SUPER BLESSED TO BE IN THIS POSITION THAT I AM TODAY, REALLY JUST BEING ABLE TO SHOWCASE MY TALENTS GOD GAVE ME. HE WORKS REALLY HARD. HE’S BEEN WORKING HARD IN PRACTICE SINCE HE GOT HERE. EVERYONE WAS SAYING IN ALL THE DEVO PRACTICES WHEN THEY WERE WHEN HE WAS GETTING REPS AGAINST THE DEVO DEVO SCRIMMAGES, I GUESS HE WAS KILLING IT AND HE WAS RUNNING THE BALL SUPER HARD, AND HE WAS GAINING YARDS HERE AND THERE AND AND NOW HEADING INTO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SATURDAYS OF THE YEAR, HE’S EXPECTED TO BE THE HAWKEYES PREMIER RUNNING BACK AGAINST IOWA STATE. LAST YEAR, I WAS ON THE SCOUT TEAM. SO IT’S IT’S A LOT DIFFERENT. BUT AT THE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S STILL PRACTICE. IT’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING. JUST EXECUTING THE GAME PLAN. SO CARROLL WALKING INTO BALL CARRIER KINNICK STADIUM IS NOT JUST THE ONLY HOME. WILLIAMS IS KNOWN DURING HIS COLLEGIATE CAREER. IT’S THE ONLY STADIUM HE’S BEEN IN DURING THE REGULAR SEASON. I’M SERIOUS. LAST YEAR, HE NEVER ONCE TRAVELED WITH THE TEAM DURING THE REGULAR SEASON. JACK TRICE STADIUM WILL BE THE FIRST HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT HE PLAYS IN AS A HAWKEYE. FIRST TIME OKAY? YEAH. FIRST TIME OUTSIDE OF IOWA CITY. FOR REAL? EVERYONE HERE TAKES IT SUPER SERIOUSLY. SO AS WILL I. SO IT’LL BE. IT’LL BE FUN. LAST YEAR, THE HAWKEYES RAN FOR 204 YARDS ON IOWA STATE. WILLIAMS AND CO WILL LOOK TO REPLICATE THAT. ANYONE READY TO GO AT ALL TIMES. SO WHEN THEY GET OUT THERE, NO DROP OFF AT ALL AS A LOT WILL BE RIDING ON THE RUNNING BACK ROOM THAT EVERYONE HAS NICKNAMED THE STABLE. REPORTING FROM IOW

From the scout team to the spotlight, Xavier Williams gets his big chance

Updated: 1:59 PM CDT Sep 5, 2025

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Last year, when Iowa State kicker Kyle Konrardy made a 54-yard field goal to win the Cy-Hawk game, Iowa running back Xavier Williams could only stand on the sideline and watch.”Definitely a bad taste in our mouth,” Williams said. “We want a better outcome this year.”Now, as the Hawkeyes prepare to make their way to Ames to try and get the Cy-Hawk trophy back to Iowa City, Williams will be one of the premier running backs on the team, something he never expected last year. That’s because he was on the scout team.”I’m super blessed to be in the position that I am in today,” Williams said. But his rise to playing time is not a surprise to his teammates, who have seen the redshirt first-year work since arriving on campus.”He works really hard,” offensive lineman Gennings Dunker said. “He’s been working hard ever since he got here.”When Williams steps on the field at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, it’ll be the first time he’s ever traveled on the road for a regular-season game. He didn’t leave Iowa City once last year, besides for the bowl game.”First time outside Iowa City,” he said.And now he gets to make that first-ever trip to one of the most hostile environments on their schedule.”Everyone takes it super seriously; it’ll be really fun.”After having 11 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown against Albany, what will he do for an encore?

IOWA CITY, Iowa —

Last year, when Iowa State kicker Kyle Konrardy made a 54-yard field goal to win the Cy-Hawk game, Iowa running back Xavier Williams could only stand on the sideline and watch.

“Definitely a bad taste in our mouth,” Williams said. “We want a better outcome this year.”

Now, as the Hawkeyes prepare to make their way to Ames to try and get the Cy-Hawk trophy back to Iowa City, Williams will be one of the premier running backs on the team, something he never expected last year. That’s because he was on the scout team.

“I’m super blessed to be in the position that I am in today,” Williams said.

But his rise to playing time is not a surprise to his teammates, who have seen the redshirt first-year work since arriving on campus.

“He works really hard,” offensive lineman Gennings Dunker said. “He’s been working hard ever since he got here.”

When Williams steps on the field at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, it’ll be the first time he’s ever traveled on the road for a regular-season game. He didn’t leave Iowa City once last year, besides for the bowl game.

“First time outside Iowa City,” he said.

And now he gets to make that first-ever trip to one of the most hostile environments on their schedule.

“Everyone takes it super seriously; it’ll be really fun.”

After having 11 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown against Albany, what will he do for an encore?

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