Courtesy of the Doak Walker Award
DALLAS, Texas - The PwC SMU Athletic Forum has announced the preseason candidates for the 2011 Doak Walker Award. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top college running back.
The field of 51 candidates is highlighted by the 2010 Doak Walker Award recipient, LaMichael James from Oregon. James, a junior from Texarkana, TX, led the nation in rushing and scoring last season. Ten semifinalists will be announced on November 11 and the recipient will be named live on ESPN on December 8.
Nominations for the award will be accepted through October. The complete list of candidates, who were nominated by their universities, follows:
Alvester Alexander (Jr.), Wyoming
Victor Anderson (Sr.), Louisville
Keola Antolin (Sr.), Arizona
Edwin Baker (Jr.), Michigan State
Montee Ball (Jr.), Wisconsin
Vick Ballard (Sr.), Mississippi State
Bryce Beall (Sr.), Houston
Duane Bennett (Sr.), Minnesota
Brandon Bolden (Sr.), Ole Miss
Rex Burkhead (Jr.), Nebraska
Asher Clark (Sr.), Air Force
Marcus Coker (So.), Iowa
Lennon Creer (Sr.), Louisiana Tech
Orleans Darkwa (So.), Tulane
Knile Davis (Jr.), Arkansas
Jeff Demps (Sr.), Florida
JJ Di Luigi (Sr.), BYU
Lance Dunbar (Sr.), North Texas
Michael Dyer (So.), Auburn
Andre Ellington (Jr.), Clemson
Jason Ford (Sr.), Illinois
Johnathan Franklin (Jr.), UCLA
Ray Graham (Jr.), Pittsburgh
Cyrus Gray (Sr.), Texas A&M
Montel Harris (Sr.), Boston College
Ronnie Hillman (So.), San Diego State
LaMichael James (Jr.), Oregon
Marcus Lattimore (So.), South Carolina
Zach Line (Jr.), SMU
Doug Martin (Sr.), Boise State
Sam McGuffie (Jr.), Rice
Davin Meggett (Sr.), Maryland
Christine Michael (Jr.), Texas A&M
Lamar Miller (So.), Miami
Alfred Morris (Sr.), Florida Atlantic
Isaiah Pead (Sr.), Cincinnati
Chris Polk (Jr.), Washington
Tauren Poole (Sr.), Tennessee
Bobby Rainey (Sr.), Western Kentucky
Trent Richardson (Jr.), Alabama
Pat Shed (Sr.), UAB
Rodney Stewart (Sr.), Colorado
Stepfan Taylor (Jr.), Stanford
Alexander Teich (Sr.), Navy
Adonis Thomas (Sr.), Toledo
Matthew Tucker (Jr.), TCU
Robert Turbin (Jr.), Utah State
Ed Wesley (Jr.), TCU
James White (So.), Wisconsin
David Wilson (Jr.), Virginia Tech
Cierre Wood (Jr.), Notre Dame
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name the semifinalists on November 11, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on November 21. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on November 28 to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The recipient of the 2011 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 8 on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, in February 2012.
The award, in its 22nd year, is named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.