Velton Gardner, Southern Methodist Football News: Draft Scout Player News

10/23/20 - RB Velton Gardner, rSr/2024, Southern Methodist

Gardner might not be associated with the types of game-changing plays Williams delivered at times, but McAnderson thought Gardner was more productive than Williams during KU's 0-4 start. What's more, McAnderson told the Journal-World there may even be some unforeseen positives that come for KU with Gardner becoming the new primary back. "I think what will help everyone," McAnderson said, "is that Velton Gardner is not going to be the first name on the scouting report. Pooka Williams was. Pooka Williams might have been the only name on the scouting report outside of (receiver Andrew) Parchment." Williams garnered that type of attention almost immediately upon making his KU debut. In his first college game, Williams rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns at Central Michigan in 2018, as KU captured its first road win since 2009. When the electric running back from Louisiana announced this week he was heading back home to be with his sick mother, Williams had rushed for 2,382 yards and 12 touchdowns in 26 career games, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

Gardner's debut came with much less fan fare, in 2019. But he finished his freshman season averaging 5.3 yards per carry in his limited opportunities. And Gardner already was KU's leading rusher this year, with 225 yards and 4.8 yards per carry - better than Williams' 196 rushing yards and 3.8 per attempt. "Velton has also been good from the moment he got here," McAnderson said. "But he won't have that kind of 'save us' pressure that the program kind of put on Pooka. I think he'll be a little bit more free, and I think there will be less pressure for him to produce each time he touches the football." - Lawrence Journal World

rSr/2024