Johnson Named to Doak Walker Award Watch List
DALLAS – Miami Hurricanes sophomore RB Duke Johnson has been named to the 2013 Doak Walker Award Watch List, announced Thursday by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top college running back.
Johnson is one of four ACC running backs on the list, joining David Sims (Georgia Tech), Jerome Smith (Syracuse) and Andre Williams (Boston College).
The Miami product has also been named to the watch lists for the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player in college football) and the Maxwell Award (college player of the year). Johnson enjoyed one of the greatest freshman seasons in Hurricanes history in 2012, amassing 2,060 all-purpose yards and 13 TDs, while breaking Clinton Portis’ 13-year-old school freshman rushing record with 947 yards. His 892 kick return yards were a single-season record, while also tying the school single-season mark with two kick returns for touchdowns.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name the semifinalists on Nov. 14, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on Nov. 25. The committee will cast a second vote beginning Dec. 2 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 2013 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thu., Dec. 12, on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in Dallas in February 2013.
The award, in its 24th 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.
Season tickets for the 2013 football season are on sale now for as low as $98. To purchase season tickets, call the UM Athletic Ticket Office at 305-284-2263 or buy online at www.CanesTix.com.
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