Williams averages 95.8 yards a game for the 8-0 third-ranked Tigers. Last Saturday against Kentucky, he ran for 149 yards. Entering Saturday's game against Mississippi in Oxford, he has 3,432 career yards.

Last season Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and Auburn were supposed to dominate the Southeastern Conference and challenge for a Bowl Championship Series title. The Tigers didn't come close, losing their first two games and finishing 8-5. So no one expected much this year, but Cadillac is cruising, and so is the rest of the team to an 8-0 start and No. 3 Associated Press ranking. Williams slowed down to go through the 2-minute drill with the Enquirer's Dustin Dow.

Question: Why the nickname Cadillac?

Answer: That name came from my junior year of high school. A guy was doing a high school report, where he reported on players and the high school football scene and all that. He just kept saying that I run real smooth, like a Cadillac. After that, people just started calling me Cadillac.

Q: So do friends at Auburn call you Carnell or Cadillac?

A: They just call me 'Lac for short.

Q: You outran the entire Kentucky offense last week. What kind of boost did that give you considering you had gone six straight games without reaching 100 yards?

A: That, I believe, got me on track to finish up the second half of the season real strong. I had been slowed down in earlier games, and it was frustrating. It's good to get back.

Q: How do you like sharing the spotlight with quarterback Jason Campbell after being the focal point last year?

A: It's something I had to get used to, but I'm loving it. Last year when I was the premier guy, it was great for me individually but not the team. This year, other guys have picked it up.

Q: How much does this season make up for last season?

A: This season is so much better. It's the opposite of last year when we came in No. 1 in a lot of rankings and were supposed to do all these great things. This season, we weren't supposed to be too good. We just worked to be good. We're proving it on the field.

Q: Do you feel like you'll be able to enter the Heisman race this late in the season?

A: A lot of people are speaking to me about the Heisman. It would be a great honor. And it's great just to be mentioned. But for me to win a championship is the most important thing.

Q: It would be cool if you actually drove a Cadillac.

A: You know, I actually used to. I don't anymore. But maybe this year (after the NFL draft), in the offseason, I might be able to drive one.

Williams' career rushing statistics

	G	Att	Yds	TD	Lg	Avg/C	Avg/G
2001	9	120	614	6	55	5.1	68.2
2002	7	141	745	10	65	5.3	106.4
2003	13	241	1307	17	80	5.4	100.5
2004	8	151	766	8	36	5.1	95.8
TOTAL	37	653	3432	41	80	5.3	92.8