DALLAS -- The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum announced today candidates for the 2007 Doak Walker Award. The award is presented annually to the nation's top college running back.
The field of candidates includes 2006 Doak Walker Award recipient Arkansas junior Darren McFadden, as well as 2006 Doak Walker Award finalists Michigan senior Mike Hart and West Virginia junior Steve Slaton. Other candidates include Boise State junior Ian Johnson, who led the nation in touchdowns last season; and Rutgers junior Ray Rice who rushed for more yards than any returning player and set a Big East record with 1,794 yards in 2006.
Texas A&M has two running backs on the candidates list-- junior running back Jorvorskie Lane (6-0, 268, Jr-2L, Lufkin, TX) and sophomore running back Mike Goodson (6-0, 206, So-1L, Klein, TX (Collins).
Lane tied a 79-year old school record with 19 rushing touchdowns in 2006 and he produced a touchdown or first down on 26-of-29 carries on third or fourth down.
Goodson was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year by the Austin American-Statesman and his average of 6.7 yards per carry was the best in the league.
The Aggies open the 2007 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 1 against Montana State at Kyle Field.
The complete list of candidates, who were nominated by their universities, follows:
Tarrion Adams (Jr.), Tulsa
Reggie Arnold (So.), Arkansas State
Toney Baker (Jr.), NC State
Lance Ball (Sr.), Maryland
Yvenson Bernard (Sr.), Oregon State
Curtis Brinkley (Jr.), Syracuse
Aaron Brown (Jr.), TCU
Andre Brown (Jr.), NC State
Donald Brown (So.), Connecticut
Thomas Brown (Sr.), Georgia
Kenny Cattouse (Sr.), Troy
Hugh Charles (Sr.), Colorado
Jamaal Charles (Sr.), Texas
James Davis (Jr.), Clemson
Calvin Dawson (Sr.), UL Monroe
Joseph Doss (Sr.), Memphis
Rodney Ferguson (Jr.), New Mexico
Damion Fletcher (So.), Southern Miss.
Justin Forsett (Sr.), California
Matt Forté (Sr.), Tulane
Mike Goodson (So.), Texas A&M
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (Sr.), Mississippi Mike Hart (Sr.), Michigan P.J. Hill (So.), Wisconsin Patrick Jackson (Jr.), Louisiana Tech Javarris James (So.), Miami (FL) Ian Johnson (Jr.), Boise State Felix Jones (Jr.), Arkansas Jorvorskie Lane (Jr.), Texas A&M Rafael Little (Sr.), Kentucky Marlon Lucky (Jr.), Nebraska Kregg Lumpkin (Sr.), Georgia Chris Markey (Sr.), UCLA DeMyron Martin (Jr.), SMU Darren McFadden (Jr.), Arkansas Rashard Mendenhall (Jr.), Illinois Jalen Parmele (Sr.), Toledo Amir Pinnix (Sr.), Minnesota Ray Rice (Jr.), Rutgers Kory Sheets (Jr.), Purdue Steve Slaton (Jr.), West Virginia Kevin Smith (Jr.), Central Florida Ontario Sneed (Jr.), Central Michigan C.J. Spiller (So.), Clemson Tyrell Sutton (Jr.), Northwestern Courtney Tennial (Sr.), Tulsa Marcus Thomas (Sr.), UTEP Ryan Torain (Sr.), Arizona State Chris Wells (So.), Ohio State Shannon Woods (Jr.), Texas Tech Albert Young (Sr.), Iowa State
The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on November 12, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists to be announced on November 19. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on November 26 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 2007 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN along with other NCFAA member awards on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 6. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at The Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, February 15, 2008.
The award, in its 18th 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 19 years, the Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum celebrates outstanding success in athletics. Based in Dallas, the series features major figures from a variety of sports. The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum includes four luncheons and the prestigious Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet.
