RW3 Named Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Semifinalist

TYLER, Texas – Just a few hours after earning his third SEC Offensive Player of the Week honor this season, Arkansas sophomore running back Rawleigh Williams III was named a semifinalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, the organization announced Tuesday.

The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award is presented annually to the nation’s outstanding Division I college offensive player who either was born in Texas, has graduated from a Texas high school, or played at a Texas-based junior college or four-year college. The player must also exhibit the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell, including integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, community, and tenacity – specifically tenacity to persist, drive, determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals.

After missing the final six games of his freshman campaign in 2015 due to a neck injury, Williams has returned to lead the SEC in rushing with 1,209 yards and is tied for third in rushing touchdowns with 11. He also leads the SEC in total first downs (52) and is tied for the most 100-yard rushing games with six.

Williams turned in a career performance at Mississippi State last Saturday night, rushing for 205 yards and four touchdowns and throwing his first career touchdown pass. The Dallas native had touchdown runs of 72, 42, 7 and 33 yards in the first half before his 1-yard scoring toss in the third quarter.

Williams is the only non-QB in college football this season to rush for four touchdowns and pass for a TD in the same game. He also became just the fourth running back in program history to run for 200 yards in an SEC game while Arkansas improved to 7-0 all-time when he goes over the century mark. Williams is also just the sixth SEC player to run for 200 yards and score four rushing touchdowns since 2000.

The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose selection committee will announce up to five finalists on Dec. 7. The award recipient will be announced on Jan. 11, 2017.

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