Pooka Williams Jr. facts for kids
| No. 7 – Massachusetts Pirates | |||
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| Position: | Running back | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | June 19, 1999 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Weight: | 170 lb (77 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Hahnville (Boutte, Louisiana) | ||
| College: | Kansas | ||
| Undrafted: | 2021 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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Anthony "Pooka" Williams Jr. was born on June 19, 1999. He is an American professional football player. Pooka plays as a running back for the Massachusetts Pirates in the Indoor Football League (IFL). Before turning pro, he played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks. He was recognized as a top player in his college conference, earning "First Team All-Big 12" honors twice.
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Early Life and High School Football
Pooka Williams Jr. got his unique nickname "Pooka" from his grandmother when he was a child. He grew up in Boutte, Louisiana, and went to Hahnville High School.
During his senior year of high school, Pooka was an amazing football player. He ran for over 3,100 yards and scored 37 touchdowns. His team, Hahnville, made it all the way to the Louisiana 5A State Championship game that year. For his outstanding performance, Pooka was named "Louisiana Mr. Football."
Many colleges wanted Pooka to play for them because he was a highly-rated recruit. He received offers from big schools like LSU and Kansas. In February 2017, he decided to commit to the University of Kansas.
College Football Career
Pooka Williams Jr. joined the Kansas Jayhawks in 2018. He quickly became a star player for the team.
Freshman Season Success
Pooka played his first college game against Central Michigan. He ran for 125 yards and scored two touchdowns, helping Kansas win their first road game since 2009. The next week, he rushed for 161 yards and another touchdown. He had two more games where he ran for over 100 yards, including an incredible 252 rushing yards against Oklahoma.
By the end of his freshman year, Pooka had rushed for 1,125 yards and scored 7 touchdowns. Because of his great performance, he was named "1st Team All-Big 12" and "Offensive Freshman of the Year."
Sophomore Season Highlights
Before his sophomore season, Pooka faced a suspension for the first game. Despite this, he was still named a "Preseason 1st Team All-Big 12" player. In his first game back, he rushed for 99 yards. The following week, he helped the Jayhawks win their first "Power Five" conference road game in a long time by rushing for 121 yards and a touchdown against Boston College.
Pooka continued to play well, rushing for over 100 yards three more times. He had a season-high of 190 yards in a close game against Texas. He finished his sophomore season with 1,042 rushing yards. This made him only the second Kansas player to rush for over 1,000 yards in two seasons in a row. He also broke a record held by College Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers for the most rushing yards in a player's first two seasons. For the second year in a row, he was named "1st Team All-Big 12."
Junior Season and Professional Decision
In July 2020, Pooka was again named "Pre-season 1st Team All-Big 12." He was also on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which goes to the nation's best overall player.
During his junior season, Pooka continued to make big plays. He returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown against West Virginia, earning him "Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week." Soon after, he decided to leave the team for the rest of the season to be with his mother and family in Louisiana. He explained that family and health were most important to him.
On December 6, 2020, Pooka announced he would enter the 2021 NFL draft. He finished his college career with 2,363 rushing yards, which is the 9th most in Kansas history. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry and scored 12 rushing touchdowns.
College Statistics Overview
Here's a look at Pooka Williams Jr.'s college football stats:
| Pooka Williams Jr. | Rushing | Receiving | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | GP | Att | Yards | Avg | TDs | Rec | Yards | TDs |
| 2018 | Kansas | 11 | 161 | 1,125 | 7.0 | 7 | 33 | 289 | 2 |
| 2019 | Kansas | 11 | 203 | 1,042 | 5.1 | 3 | 27 | 214 | 2 |
| 2020 | Kansas | 4 | 51 | 196 | 3.8 | 2 | 6 | 31 | 0 |
| Total | 26 | 425 | 2,363 | 5.7 | 12 | 66 | 534 | 4 | |
Professional Football Career
Pooka Williams Jr. was considered a talented player for the 2021 NFL Draft. He was ranked among the top running backs.
Time in the NFL
Even though he was not drafted by an NFL team, Pooka signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent on May 14, 2021. He joined his former Kansas teammate, Hakeem Adeniji, there. With the Bengals, Pooka started playing as a wide receiver. He was released by the Bengals in August 2021 but then signed to their practice squad. He made his NFL debut on December 4, 2021, playing mainly as a kick returner against the Los Angeles Chargers. He signed another contract with the Bengals in February 2022 but was later waived in August 2022.
Playing in the XFL and UFL
After his time in the NFL, Pooka was drafted by the DC Defenders in the 2023 XFL Draft. He later played for the St. Louis BattleHawks for a short time before rejoining the DC Defenders. In January 2024, he was selected by the DC Defenders again. He was released in April 2024. In May 2024, Pooka signed with the San Antonio Brahmas in the United Football League (UFL). He was waived by the Brahmas in August 2024.
Joining the IFL
On January 16, 2025, Pooka Williams Jr. signed with the Massachusetts Pirates. This team plays in the Indoor Football League (IFL), where he continues his professional football career.
Personal Life
Pooka Williams Jr. shared on his social media in July 2021 that he was going to be a father to a baby girl.
