Iowa football’s Leshon Williams has entered the transfer portal, the senior running back announced Monday.
“Hawkeye nation, I appreciate the love and support throughout my time in the black and gold, and with the countless moments of excitement on the field, you’ve made every game unforgettable,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “To my teammates, I’m beyond grateful for the sacrifices you’ve made for me as well as the program. The bond we’ve built will last a lifetime.”
“This was not an easy decision, but I believe it’s the best path forward for my personal as well as athletic growth,” he continued.
Williams has been with the Hawkeyes since his redshirt season in 2020 and worked his way up to be the team’s leading rusher last season, posting 821 yards and a touchdown – an 82-yard dash that proved to be the difference in Iowa’s road upset of Wisconsin. He earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention from league coaches and media and heading into 2024 was featured on the Doak Walker Award watch list for the nation’s best running back.
Despite the preseason hype, Williams fell on the depth chart as teammate Kaleb Johnson earned almost half of the team’s rushing attempts in 2024. Williams is tied for fifth on the team in rushing yards with 21 on 11 carries, coupled with four receptions for 26 yards. He missed Iowa’s Week 4 contest against Minnesota due to injury and did not see action on Saturday against Ohio State.
For his career, Williams amassed 319 carries for 1,324 yards and three scores, averaging 4.2 yards per attempt. The 5-foot-10, 214-pounder also collected 27 receptions for 172 yards.
Although Williams already burned his redshirt, the fact that he did so during the COVID-19 pandemic grants him another opportunity to use another redshirt and one year of eligibility at his new school.
Without Williams, Iowa will rely more on Johnson as well as junior Jaziun Patterson, who ranks second on the team with 30 carries for 144 yards. Head coach Kirk Ferentz and Iowa football have not offered a comment on Williams or teammate Kaleb Brown’s decision to use his redshirt this season.
Ferentz will speak to the media at 12:45 p.m. tomorrow.