Ricky Recognizes by Alma Mater

The University of Texas will rename its stadium after its two Heisman Trophy winners, including former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams

Before he set a Dolphins single-season franchise record that stands to this day, Ricky Williams won the Heisman Trophy during a brilliant career at the University of Texas.

Williams now will have his name immortalized at the stadium where he starred, with UT announcing Monday they were going to rename Joe Jamail Field in honor of their two Heisman winners — Williams and NFL Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell.

The late Jamail was a major donor to the university and his family requested the change.

“Earl and myself are honored to be part of the momentum of change sweeping our alma mater,” Williams said in a statement.

The renaming of the stadium was part of a set of initiatives by the University of Texas designed to "promote diversity, inclusion and equity and fully support our Black students."

Williams put up gaudy numbers at Texas before he entered the NFL as a first-round pick in 1999, three years before the Dolphins acquired him in a trade with the New Orleans Saints.

Williams rushed for 6,279 and 72 touchdowns in his four years at Texas, including 2,124 yards and 27 touchdowns in 1998 when he won the Heisman Trophy.

In his seven seasons with the Dolphins, Williams rushed for 6,436 yards, which stands second in franchise history behind Larry Csonka's 6,737 yards. The two are the only Dolphins players with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Williams set a franchise record with 1,853 yards in 2002, his first season with the Dolphins, and his 1,372 yards the next season is the second-highest total.


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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.