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Clay Named Doak Walker Award Candidate
Photo – RB John Clay - Wisconsin
Wisconsin junior running back John Clay has been named one of 49 candidates for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top college running back, the SMU Athletic Forum announced Wednesday.
Clay is the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and led the Big Ten and ranked eighth in the country with 1,517 rushing yards in 2009. His 18 rushing TDs also led the Big Ten and tied for seventh in the nation. It has been a busy offseason for Clay who has also been named to the preseason Watch Lists for the Walter Camp Award and Maxwell Awards. He was also selected as a Playboy All-American.
This is the second straight season Clay has been named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List. Ron Dayne is the only Wisconsin player to win the Doak Walker Award, bringing home the trophy in 1999. Dayne was also a finalist for the award in 1998 while Anthony Davis (2001), Brian Calhoun (2005) and P.J. Hill (2006) have all been semifinalists.
In addition to Clay, the field of candidates is highlighted by the nation’s leading returning rusher, Dion Lewis from Pittsburgh; 2009 Doak Walker Award finalist and Heisman Trophy recipient, Mark Ingram from Alabama; and Ryan Williams from Virginia Tech, who ranked third nationally and led the ACC in rushing last season.
The recipient of the 2010 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec.9. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, in Feb. 2011.
Complete List of Doak Walker Candidates
Anthony Allen (Sr.), Georgia Tech
Armando Allen (Sr.), Notre Dame
Victor Anderson (Jr.), Louisville
Jeremy Avery (Sr.), Boise State
Baron Batch (Sr.), Texas Tech
Donald Buckram (Sr.), UTEP
John Clay (Jr.), Wisconsin
Lennon Creer (Jr.), Louisiana Tech
Jeff Demps (Jr.), Florida
Noel Devine (Sr.), West Virginia
Lance Dunbar (Jr.), North Texas
Darren Evans (Jr.), Virginia Tech
Mario Fannin (Sr.), Auburn
Jay Finley (Sr.), Baylor
Frank Goodin (Sr.), Louisiana Monroe
Cyrus Gray (Jr.), Texas A&M
Montel Harris (Jr.), Boston College
Dan Herron (Jr.), Ohio State
Kendall Hunter (Sr.), Oklahoma State
Mark Ingram (Jr.), Alabama
Eugene Jarvis (Sr.), Kent State
Dennis Johnson (Jr.), Arkansas
Mikel Leshoure (Jr.), Illinois
Dion Lewis (So.), Pittsburgh
MiQuale Lewis (Sr.), Ball State
Derrick Locke (Sr.), Kentucky
Christine Michael (So.), Texas A&M
Alfred Morris (Jr.), Florida Atlantic
Richard Murphy (Sr.), LSU
Vince Murray (Sr.), Navy
DeMarco Murray (Sr.), Oklahoma
Bernard Pierce (So.), Temple
Bilal Powell (Sr.), Louisville
Alexander Robinson (Sr.), Iowa State
Jacquizz Rodgers (Jr.), Oregon State
Evan Royster (Sr.), Penn State
Brandon Saine (Sr.), Ohio State
Da’Rel Scott (Sr.), Maryland
Chad Spann (Sr.), Northern Illinois
Rodney Stewart (Jr.), Colorado
Phillip Tanner (Sr.), Middle Tennessee
Vai Taua (Sr.), Nevada
Daniel Thomas (Sr.), Kansas State
Jordan Todman (Jr.), Connecticut
Matthew Tucker (So.), TCU
Derrick Washington (Sr.), Missouri
Ed Wesley (So.), TCU
Eddie Wide (Sr.), Utah
Ryan Williams (So.), Virginia Tech