IOWA CITY, Iowa —

Last year, when Iowa State kicker Kyle Konrardy made a 54-yard field goal to win the Cy-Hawk game, Iowa running back Xavier Williams could only stand on the sideline and watch.

"Definitely a bad taste in our mouth," Williams said. "We want a better outcome this year."

Now, as the Hawkeyes prepare to make their way to Ames to try and get the Cy-Hawk trophy back to Iowa City, Williams will be one of the premier running backs on the team, something he never expected last year. That's because he was on the scout team.

"I'm super blessed to be in the position that I am in today," Williams said.

But his rise to playing time is not a surprise to his teammates, who have seen the redshirt first-year work since arriving on campus.

"He works really hard," offensive lineman Gen

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