All-Big Ten Nebraska transfer return specialist and running back Kenneth Williams commits to Michigan State

Michigan State football has upgraded its special teams units and running back room with the program's latest addition in return specialist Kenneth Williams. He committed to MSU on Saturday, following his official visit during the weekend of Jan. 10.

Williams, a Detroit native, is a transfer from Nebraska. He will have two years of eligibility remaining after completing his redshirt sophomore season with the Cornhuskers in 2025. He originally joined Nebraska as a walk-on and played under head coach Matt Rhule.

He will now play for head coach Pat Fitzgerald, assistant head coach/special teams coordinator LeVar Woods, running backs coach Devon Spalding and the rest of the MSU staff.

After a productive offseason in development, Williams was utilized heavily in Nebraska's special teams attack in 2025. As Nebraska's primary kickoff returner, he played in 12 total games last season. He led the team with 395 total kickoff return yards and one touchdown on 12 returns (32.9 yards per return). He also added five carries for 22 yards (4.4 yards per carry), with one catch for 20 yards, as a running back.

Williams returned the opening kickoff of the second half 95 yards for a touchdown in a 28-21 win over Northwestern on Oct. 25, 2025. He was the first Cornhusker to return a kickoff for a touchdown since 2017.

Williams went on to receive honors as a second-team All-Big Ten selection by the media and third-team All-Big Ten selection by coaches as a return specialist at the end of the 2025 season. He notably ranked fifth nationally at the position overall, and with his lone kickoff return touchdown and 395 kickoff return yards this past season, he registered the most productivity as a return specialist by a Cornhusker since 2017.

According to Pro Football Focus, Williams played 104 snaps on special teams and nine snaps on offense in 2025.

In a special moment In early October of 2025, Rhule and Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen acknowledged Williams' efforts and work ethic, offering him a scholarship that gained national attention for the former walk-on player.

In 2024, Williams saw his first college career football action as a redshirt sophomore. He appeared in two games and registered one rush for five yards and one kick return for 23 yards in his debut against University of Texas-El Paso that season.

After graduating from Lincoln High School in Nebraska in 2023 and receiving interest from Nebraska, Williams walked on to the Cornhusker football team the following season. He redshirted that year and did not see any playing time as a freshman.

Originally from Detroit, Williams spent his first three years of high school at Eastpointe High School in Michigan where he excelled in both football and track and field. He moved to Lincoln, Nebraska for his senior year in 2022 and, as mentioned, graduated from Lincoln High School. While at Lincoln, Williams gained local attention from Rhule and the Nebraska program for his speed and athleticism.

During Williams' senior year at LHS, he competed in the Nebraska State Athletic Association (NSAA) state championship Class A 100-meter dash with an impressive time of 10.52 seconds, taking third overall. He also contributed in the 4x100 meter relay, achieving a fourth-place finish in the spring of 2023.

Career Total Stats and Honors:

• 14 games played

• 418 kickoff return yards

• One kickoff return touchdown (tying a Nebraska record)

• Six rushes for 27 total yards

• One reception for 20 yards

• All-Big Ten second-team return specialist (2025, media)

• All-Big Ten third-team return specialist (2025, coaches)

• Big Ten Co-Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 27, 2025)

• Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (fall 2024)

• Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2025)

Under Fitzgerald, Woods and Spalding, Williams will look to make a big impact on special teams in his redshirt junior season.

While his role will likely be primarily on special teams, Williams will also compete as a running back and try to earn playing time on offense. Williams is the fourth new running back addition for the Spartans in 2026, joining Cam Edwards (UConn), Marvis Parrish (Western Kentucky) and Jaziun Patterson (Iowa).

In total, Michigan State now has 27 transfer portal commitments. Track all of MSU's transfer portal movement here.