Walton Selected to Walter Camp POTY Watch List
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Junior Mark Walton picked up his fourth major honor of the preseason Friday, earning a spot on the watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
Walton was also named to watch lists for the Maxwell Award (nation’s top collegiate player) and Doak Walker Award (top collegiate running back), and was selected to the All-ACC Preseason Football Team in a vote of media members at ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C.
Walton is among eight Hurricanes to pick up accolades this preseason; senior kicker Michael Badgley (Groza Award), senior wide receiver / punt returner Braxton Berrios (Hornung Award), senior tight end Christopher Herndon IV (Mackey Award), junior defensive lineman Kendrick Norton (Bednarik Award, Nagurski Award, Outland Trophy), sophomore linebacker Shaquille Quarterman (Bednarik, Butkus, Nagurski), sophomore wide receiver Ahmmon Richards (Biletnikoff Award) and senior defensive lineman Chad Thomas (Nagurski) have also been recognized.
The Miami native shined in his first season as the Hurricanes’ starting running back in 2016. Walton finished with 1,117 rushing yards and totaled 14 rushing touchdowns. His 1,117 yards were the seventh-most in a single season in Miami history. In two seasons with the Hurricanes, Walton has compiled over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 25 total touchdowns in just 26 career games.
In all, 30 schools and 10 conferences are represented on the list with national runner-up Alabama having four players, and Ohio State having three. The ACC featured eight players on the 2017 preseason watch list.
“We are proud to continue the great work of Walter Camp and recognize the best college football players in the nation,” Foundation president Michael Madera said. “This watch list is a great start to what is shaping up to be another exciting year of college football.”
The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in mid-November. The 2017 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 130 NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 7. The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation’s 51st annual national awards banquet on Jan. 13, 2018 in New Haven, Conn.
The ACC has had the most players nominated on preseason watch lists for the Bednarik Award (top defensive player), the Outland (top interior lineman) and Nagurski (top defensive player) Trophies, the Mackey (top tight end), Groza (top placekicker) and Hornung (most versatile) Awards and tied for the most players chosen for the preseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back), the Wuerffel Trophy (service) and the Walter Camp.
In all, 92 ACC players have totaled 165 appearances on preseason watch lists.
