One of the top running backs returning in the ACC this season is Louisville’s Javian Hawkins, who blew up largely out of nowhere in 2019. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Hawkins’ Heisman Trophy chances and Louisville’s 2020 college football season – assuming there is one – and an overview.

Javian Hawkins Heisman Trophy Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season

• Heisman Trophy odds: Hawkins is +3000 to become second Louisville winner
• Odds to win national title: Louisville is a +25000 long shot

Hawkins played prep football at Cocoa High in Titusville, Fla. He finished his career with over 4,000 yards rushing and 40-plus touchdowns and was timed running a 4.37-second 40-yard dash.

As a recruit, 247Sports.com ranked him 1330th nationally, 28th as an all-purpose back, and the 198th best football prospect in Florida for the class of 2018. The site also gave him a composite score of 0.8378. Hawkins chose Louisville over Missouri, Syracuse, Temple, Central Florida, Boston College and Cincinnati, among others.

Sophomore Hassan Hall was Louisville’s top returning rusher from 2018, but was slowed by an injury in fall camp of last year. Enter Hawkins. He would become a Freshman All-American and second-team All-ACC for the vastly improved Cardinals. Hawkins ranked seventh in the nation in rushing with 1,525 yards and broke the school mark for rushing yards by a running back. He also set a new Louisville mark for the most rushing yards in a season by a freshman, surpassing Victor Anderson. Hawkins had the third-most yards by a freshman in ACC history.

There were two notable games especially for Hawkins. He rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown on a career-high 26 carries against Clemson, snapping the Tigers’ 27-game streak without allowing a 100-yard rusher. And Hawkins rushed for a career-best 233 yards and a touchdown against Syracuse, breaking Lamar Jackson’s record for must rushing yards in a game by a Louisville freshman. That earned him ACC running back and rookie of the week honors.

UofL closed the season at 8-5 with a 38-28 win over Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl and Hawkins had 23 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown. He helped clinch the win on Louisville’s final offensive drive, ripping off a 24-yard gain as well as punching in a five-yard touchdown.

In his first season as the program’s head coach, Scott Satterfield’s offense had plenty of success at Louisville. With quarterbacks taking snaps in the pistol, Louisville emphasized the rushing game with outside zone and stretch running plays. The Cardinals averaged 213.2 rushing yards per game, finishing with 200 or more in eight games.

Satterfield says Louisville’s offense is unique in its ability to emphasize a running game while maintaining spread principles.

“I feel like we are a little bit on the front end of the curve with what we are doing. We are not just an offset back running a zone read, we have a lot of different things we are doing with that,” Satterfield said. “I think that helped us.”

With QB Micale Cunningham and WR Tutu Atwell, another Heisman candidate we recently previewed here at Mybookie, Louisville has a stellar offensive trio returning for 2020. The Cards open the season at home on Sept. 3 vs. NC State. Louisville won at the Wolfpack last year 34-20. Hawkins had 67 yards on 16 carries.

The Cardinals are 7-3 all-time against NC State, including a 4-1 mark at home. Since joining the ACC, UofL is 3-2 against the Pack. The ESPN Football Power Index gives Louisville an 89.1 percent chance of winning.