The Doak Walker award is college football’s award for the nation’s premier running back as Wales and Ferby helped to lead WKU in rushing yards last season. It marks the fourth straight year Arkansas has had multiple candidates on the preseason list.
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On Wednesday, Holloway was chosen to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and was also picked an Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominee. As a sophomore, Newsome started in 10 of 13 games and enters his junior year with 25 career games with 12 starts. Kamara rushed for 698 yards and seven touchdowns, caught 34 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns and returned eight punts for 100 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 72.9 yards per game, the eighth best average in the Big Ten. He also set the ISU freshman record with 245 rushing yards against Texas Tech.
Wales became WKU’s sixth-consecutive 1,000-yard rusher last season.
Smith is one of nine Big Ten running backs on the list, joining Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, Minnesota’s Shannon Brooks, Wisconsin’s Corey Clement, Iowa’s LeShun Daniels Jr., Purdue’s Markell Jones, Nebraska’s Terrell Newby, Indiana’s Devine Redding and Illinois’ Ke’Shawn Vaughn. The committee will cast a second vote beginning November 28 to determine the recipient.
The Doak Walker Award is named after running back Doak Walker, a three-time All-American at SMU. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
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The award watch list will be trimmed to 10 semifinalists on November 16, three finalists on November 22 and the victor will be announced on December 8 during the Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in Dallas in early 2017.
