Javian Hawkins Using Preseason Accolades as Motivation for 2020 Season

Louisville running back Javian Hawkins has generated a fair amount of preseason hype since his breakout freshman year, and he's using it as motivation heading into the 2020 season.

This time last season, very few knew about Javian Hawkins outside of Jefferson Co. or his hometown of Titusville, Fla.

He appeared in just three games during his first season as a Louisville Cardinal in 2018, carrying the ball only two times for eight yards before taking a redshirt.

It's safe to say that many more know about the man known as "PlayStation" heading into his redshirt sophomore year.

Hawkins was one of the main contributors to Louisville's offensive explosion under year one of head coach Scott Satterfield. His rushing mark of 1,525 yards not only led the ACC, but broke a 48-year-old school record of rushing yards by a running back in a single season.

As a result of his breakout season, the college football world has officially been put on notice. Hawkins has been named to the watch lists for both the Doak Walker & Maxwell Awards, and was also named a Preseason All-ACC team selection.

Even with all the extra buzz surrounding the all-purpose back, Hawkins has tried to remain the same humble kid he has always been.

"I see it, but I don't really pay attention to it," Hawkins said in a teleconference after practice Thursday. "My parents or friends, they might congratulate me on it and boost my head a little, but I take it and run with it."

As you can imagine, Hawkins has done far from rest on his laurels after being firmly landing on college football's national radar. If anything, he has used it as motivation to be better than he was a year ago.

"He and I talk a lot about the preseason accolades and what not," running backs coach Norv McKenzie said during fall camp. "That's a compliment to what he did last season, but as you guys know he has to kind of hit the reset button and wipe his slate clean."

Even with being a high-caliber Power Five running back, Hawkins has kept the expectations of himself relatively simple: just be the best he can be day in and day out, and try not to make the same mistake twice. It's mindset he can't wait to apply against an actual opponent.

"I'm ready to run out of my cleats," he said.

Louisville is set to kickoff the season against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at home on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 8:00pm on the ACC Network.

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