As Sunflower Showdown nears, KU Jayhawks’ Pooka Williams opts out of rest of season
Kansas junior running back Pooka Williams has decided to opt out of the rest of the season, he reported Monday afternoon via Twitter.
Williams, a first-team all-Big 12 pick the past two seasons, has gained just 196 yards on 51 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns in four games this season. He sat out parts of two of the Jayhawks’ four games because of undisclosed injuries.
“Today I made the very difficult decision to opt out of the rest of the season to be closer to my mother and family in Louisiana,” said Williams, a 5-10, 170-pound junior from New Orleans. “Family and health are the most important things to me. Right now I need to be with my mother, who is battling health issues.
“I want to thank coach (Les) Miles and everyone with the Kansas football program for their commitment and understanding. I believe in the direction of Kansas football and what coach Miles is building. Rock Chalk Jayhawk.”
Williams gained 1,042 yards on 203 carries with three touchdowns in 2019 and 1,125 yards on 161 carries and seven TDs as a freshman.
He was named the Big 12’s special teams player of the week Monday for returning a kickoff 92 yards for a score late in Saturday’s loss at West Virginia.
“We fully support Pooka’s decision to opt out of the season to be able to support his mother in person during this difficult time as she fights this battle,” Miles tweeted. “I’m proud of him for making this tremendous sacrifice to support his family and do what he believes is right. We will be there for Pooka and his family in every way possible moving forward.”
Miles also wrote: “We are praying for Pooka Williams and his family during this difficult time. Fight like a Jayhawk!”
KU’s leading rusher this season is Velton Gardner, a 5-9, 190-pound sophomore from Dallas who has run for 225 yards on 47 carries with two TDs.
Before the start of the season, Williams was asked by The Star’s Jesse Newell if he considered opting out during the season because of COVID-19 concerns.
“Nah. I want to play football,” he said.
Williams, who surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in back-to-back seasons, joined James Sims (2012-13) as the only other Jayhawk to rush for 1,000 or more yards in consecutive seasons. He’s also the fourth Jayhawk to eclipse 1,000 yards more than once in a KU career.
Williams did not say Monday if he’d return next season. KU is scheduled to play Kansas State at 11 a.m. Saturday in Manhattan.
Miles returns to sidelines
KU coach Les Miles has resumed in-person coaching duties this week in preparation for Saturday’s game at K-State. Miles 66, did not make the trip to West Virginia Saturday after testing positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 8. “Glad to be back,” he said during Monday’s Big 12 coaches teleconference.
This story was originally published October 19, 2020 at 4:52 PM.
