2005 DOAK WALKER AWARD CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED
| September 1, 2005 |
Contact: Jeff Lockhart (214)768-4314 lockhart@smu.edu |
DALLAS, TEXAS -
The SMU Athletic Forum today announced the candidates for the 2005 Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top college running back.
The field of candidates includes Memphis senior DeAngelo Williams, the nation’s leading returning rusher (1948 yds.). Other candidates include USC junior Reggie Bush, a semifinalist for the award in 2004; University of North Texas senior Patrick Cobbs and sophomore Jamario Thomas, who led the nation in rushing yards per game in 2003 and 2004, respectively; Michigan sophomore Mike Hart who led the Big Ten with 1,455 yards last season; and Oklahoma sophomore Adrian Peterson who led the Big 12 in rushing yards and was a finalist for the award in 2004 .
The complete list of candidates, who were nominated by their universities, follows:
| Joseph Addai (Sr.), LSU Chris Barclay (Sr.), Wake Forest Mike Bell (Sr.), Arizona Brett Biggs (Sr.), Akron Ahmad Bradshaw (So.), Marshall Cornell Brockington (Jr.), Connecticut Curtis Brown (Jr.), BYU Thomas Brown (So.), Georgia Michael Bush (Jr.), Louisville Reggie Bush (Jr.), USC Patrick Cobbs (Sr.), North Texas P.J. Daniels (Sr.), Georgia Tech Maurice Drew (Jr.), UCLA Tyler Ebell (Sr.), UTEP Anthony Evans (Sr.), Houston Quinton Ganther (Sr.), Utah Lynell Hamilton (So.), San Diego State Mike Hart (So.), Michigan Taurean Henderson (Sr.), Texas Tech Stevie Hicks (Jr.), Iowa State Peyton Hillis (So.), Arkansas Carlton Jones (Sr.), Army Brian Leonard (Sr.), Rutgers Courtney Lewis (Jr.), Texas A&M |
Rafael Little (So.), Kentucky Wali Lundy (Sr.), Virginia Marshawn Lynch (So.), UC Berkeley Lee Marks (Sr.), Boise State Reggie Merriweather (Jr.), Clemson DonTrell Moore (Sr.), New Mexico Tyrone Moss (Jr.), Miami Jerious Norwood (Sr.), Mississippi State Uril Parrish (Sr.), Tulsa Adrian Peterson (So.), Oklahoma P.J. Pope (Sr.), Bowling Green Damien Rhodes (Sr.), Syracuse Cory Ross (Sr.), Nebraska Jamario Thomas (So.), North Texas Pierre Thomas (Jr.), Illinois Lawrence Vickers (Sr.), Colorado Jerod Void (Sr.), Purdue Danny Ware (So.), Georgia Leon Washington (Sr.), Florida State LenDale White (Jr.), USC Terrence Whitehead (Sr.), Oregon DeAngelo Williams (Sr.), Memphis Garrett Wolfe (Jr.), Northern Illinois |
The SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on Nov. 17, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will vote to determine the finalists on Nov. 18. The committee will cast a second vote on Nov. 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 2005 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN along with other NCFAA member awards on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 8. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at The Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas , Texas , on Monday, Feb. 27, 2006 .
Former Texas running back Cedric Benson, first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears, won the 2004 Doak Walker Award.
The award, in its 16th 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.
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Honoring the legends of sports for 17 years, the SMU Athletic Forum celebrates outstanding success in athletics. Based in Dallas ,
the series features major figures from a variety of sports. The SMU Athletic Forum includes four luncheons and the prestigious
Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet.