By John McCarthy–

The University of Louisville football team has received a good amount of production from the running back position. At the beginning of the season, junior running back Hassan Hall appeared to be the starting back for the Cardinals. But after U of L’s 48-16 win over Florida State at home, sophomore Javian Hawkins is Louisville’s running back.

Glimpses of Hawkins’ skill set for the 2020-2021 season appear against the University of Miami. Hawkins carried the ball for 164 yards in the Cardinals’ loss to the Hurricanes, but he showed he could be a factor in the outcomes of big games.

Then came Louisville’s bout with Florida State on Oct. 24. Florida State was coming off a monster win against No. 5 North Carolina and was looking to make further strides in the ACC conference standings. Louisville had different plans, the Cardinals’ offense exploded for 48 points in the runaway victory against the Seminoles.

Hawkins shined in the must-win game against Florida State, just like he showed out against Miami will all eyes on the Cardinals. Hawkins carried the ball for 174 yards on only 16 carries, including a breakaway run for 70 yards. He also had three touchdowns in the Cardinals’ win. That is the second 70+ yard rush for Hawkins this season.

U of L will look to build off of their victory against the Seminoles. They host Virginia Tech Oct. 31 at Cardinal Stadium. Hawkins plans to keep his hot streak going, opening avenues for the U of L offense.

File Photo // The Louisville Cardinal