ORLANDO, Fla. – UCF Knights running back Jawon Hamilton is transferring to James Madison University after two seasons in Orlando, according to a post from his Twitter account.
“It’s been an amazing two years at the University of Central Florida,” Hamilton’s tweet reads. “I’ve built very special bonds with brothers who are even better men. I can’t tell you how proud and lucky of a persona I am to have had the opportunity to be apart (sic) of something special, and that’s something that I’ll never forget.”
Hamilton joined the Knights as a true freshman in 2016, the same year former head coach Scott Frost took over. The Miami native rushed for 495 yards and four touchdowns on 139 carries in his first season.
Then, in Week 4 and Game 2 of UCF’s undefeated 2017 season, Hamilton was sidelined with a leg injury against the Maryland Terrapins. Hamilton took only 14 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown last season.
God’s Plan ☝🏾 #GoDukes🐶💛💜 pic.twitter.com/DncurZ5Q7W
— Jawon Hamilton (@jawonhamilton) May 22, 2018
After his injury against Maryland, Hamilton received a medical redshirt. He will be eligible to play three seasons at James Madison.
As for the Knights’, their depth at running back has been reduced during new head coach Josh Heupel’s first preseason with the team. In addition to Hamilton transferring, running back Cordarrian Richardson, a four-star recruit who joined the Knights at the start of the 2017 season, will join the Texas A&M Aggies next season.
Richardson ran for 161 yards and two touchdowns on 45 attempts (3.6 yards per carry) in 2017.
Despite the two losses, UCF will still have the core of its running attack, as the Knights’ top-four rushers from 2017 will all return.
Rising junior Adrian Killins led UCF with 790 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns on 122 carries (9.4 yards per carry). Quarterback McKenzie Milton will also return after rushing for 613 yards and eight scores on 106 attempts (8.2 yards per carry). Athlete Otis Anderson and senior Taj McGowan combined for 729 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Rising sophomore Greg McCrae will look to contribute in 2018, too. The Miami native rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns last season.
The Knights open their season on the road with an American Athletic Conference game at the University of Connecticut on Aug. 30 at noon.
For more on the Knights, as they head into their first season with Heupel, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com.
