Kene Nwangwu

Photo by: KL6PHOTO LLC.

Iowa State running back Kene Nwangwu (3) runs for a touchdown past Kansas safety Kenny Logan Jr. (1) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Photo by: AP

Photo by: KL6PHOTO LLC.

Scene from Iowa State vs Oklahoma State football game at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa on October 26, 2019. Photo © Wesley Winterink.

Scene from NCAA Football game between Northern Iowa and Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa on August 31, 2019. Photo © Wesley Winterink.

WVU, West Virginia, FB, Football, 2018-19

Photo by: Athletics Communications

Position:
Running Back
Height:
6-1
Weight:
205
Class:
Redshirt Junior
Hometown:
Frisco, Texas
High School:
Heritage

Awards and Honors
NFF Hampshire Society (2021)
Fourth Team All-American – Phil Steele (2020)
Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2020)
Second Team All-Big 12 – Coaches (2018)
First Team Academic All-Big 12 (2018, 2019, 2020)
First Team Freshman All-American – PFF (2016)
HM All-Big 12 – Coaches (2016, 2020)
Second Team All-Big 12 – ESPN, Athlon Sports (2016)
Big 12 Academic All-Rookie Team (2016)

2020
Fourth Team All-American by Phil Steele as a kickoff returner … Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year … Honorable Mention All-Big 12 … First Team Academic All-Big 12 … one of the top kickoff returners in the nation and ISU’s backup running back … played in all 12 games with one start … third on the team in rushing yards (339) and rushing touchdowns (4) … averaged 5.6 yards per carry … also had three catches for 22 yards … third in the Big 12 and seventh nationally (minimum 10 returns) in kickoff return average at 28.9, ranking second on ISU’s season record list … had five returns of 30+ yards, including two of 65 yards or longer … tallied first career rushing touchdown vs. Louisiana … his lone rush vs. TCU went for 49 yards and a touchdown, the longest rush of his career … against Oklahoma, returned a kickoff 85 yards in the fourth quarter to ignite ISU’s comeback win … had five carries for 57 yards and a touchdown vs. Kansas … had a key 65-yard kickoff return vs. Baylor … tallied nine carries for a career-high 77 yards and a touchdown vs. West Virginia … posted 11 carries for 55 yards vs. Oregon in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl … ended career with a school-record 26.8 kickoff return average, ranking seventh in Big 12 history … his 2,470 career kickoff yards is the most in school history and third all-time in Big 12 history … tallied 143 rushes for 774 yards and four touchdowns in career.

2019
Played in all 13 games, earning one start … a key reserve at running back and primary kickoff returner … ranked second in the Big 12 in kickoff returns, averaging 25.4 yards on 15 returns … tallied 115 yards on 16 rushes, averaging 7.2 yards per carry … tallied six rushes for a career-high 54 yards with a long rush of 18 yards vs. Iowa … had a season-long rush of 19 yards vs. ULM … had a season-long 41-yard return vs. TCU.

2018
Second Team All-Big 12 as a kickoff returner by the Coaches … First Team Academic All-Big 12 … played in all 13 games, earning first career start at running back vs. Texas … led the Big 12 and ranked 12^th nationally in kickoff returns, averaging 26.8 yards on 24 returns en route to the third-best season average in school history … posted three returns of 40 or more yards … had a 47-yard return vs. Akron, a 45-yarder vs. TCU and a season-long 58-yard return vs. Texas Tech … also rushed for 157 yards on 39 carries … had 10 rushes and 49 yards at Oklahoma State … tallied 31 yards, including a 24-yard rush, in his first career start vs. Texas … had a 14-yard rush in his only carry vs. Washington State in the Alamo.

2017
Sat out the season with a medical redshirt.

2016
First Team Freshman All-American as a kickoff returner by Pro Football Focus … Second Team All-Big 12 by ESPN and Honorable Mention All-Big 12 by the Coaches as a kickoff returner … Big 12 Academic All-Rookie Team ... one of six true freshmen to see action … established himself as one of the best kickoff returners in the nation, averaging 26.4 yards per return to rank second in the Big 12 and 15th nationally … his 26.4 season clip ranks fifth in ISU history … tallied five returns of 40+ yards, tying for second nationally … also rushed for 133 yards on 27 carries and caught one pass for 16 yards … ran back a kickoff return 97 yards for a TD vs. West Virginia, the third-longest return in school history … had 40+ yard returns vs. TCU (44), Baylor (40, 45) and Texas (47) … led the team in rushing vs. Iowa with 31 yards … rushed for 44 yards on six carries vs. Texas Tech, including a season-long 14-yard rush.

High School
Chose Iowa State over Iowa, Indiana, Kansas and Northwestern …three-star recruit by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports … ranked as the 59th-best RB nationally by 247Sports and No. 99 by ESPN …two-time all-District 9-5A selection … two-time team MVP … as a senior, rushed for 1,439 yards, averaging 8.2 ypc … tallied 17 TDs, including a career-long 94-yard scoring dash … also caught 15 passes for 150 yards … rushed for 1,364 yards on 8.6 ypc as a junior … rushed for 15 TDs and had 16 receptions for 91 yards … had a 300-yard, 7-TD game in the first round of the 2014 playoffs … clocked at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash … coached by Che Hendrix … also a standout in track and field, winning the 2016 Class 5A state title in the high jump at 6-10 … was third in the long jump … placed second in the high jump at the 2015 state meet with a leap of 6-8 … also finished second at the state meet in the high jump as a sophomore with a 6-8 bound … also owns school records in the high jump (6-10), long jump (24-2.75), 100 meters (10.71) and 200 meters (22.0).

Personal
Born Feb. 9, 1998 … son of Jerome and Ogonna Nwangwu … mechanical engineering major … brother, Emeka, ran track and field at Texas-Arlington.