Aug. 28, 2007
DALLAS (SMU) - SMU junior running back DeMyron Martin has been named a candidate for the 2007 Doak Walker Award, the Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum announced today. The award is presented annually to the nation's top college running back.
Martin led SMU in rushing during the 2006 season despite playing in just seven games. While foot, shoulder and hamstring injuries limited Martin, he still showed flashes of his 2005 freshman All-American form. He rushed for 101 yards in the 2006 season finale and now has five 100-yard games in his career.
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.
The complete list of candidates, who were nominated by their universities, follows:
Tarrion Adams (Jr.), TulsaReggie Arnold (So.), Arkansas StateToney Baker (Jr.), NC StateLance Ball (Sr.), MarylandYvenson Bernard (Sr.), Oregon StateCurtis Brinkley (Jr.), SyracuseAaron Brown (Jr.), TCUAndre Brown (Jr.), NC StateDonald Brown (So.), ConnecticutThomas Brown (Sr.), GeorgiaKenny Cattouse (Sr.), TroyHugh Charles (Sr.), ColoradoJamaal Charles (Sr.), TexasJames Davis (Jr.), ClemsonCalvin Dawson (Sr.), UL MonroeJoseph Doss (Sr.), MemphisRodney Ferguson (Jr.), New MexicoDamion Fletcher (So.), Southern Miss.Justin Forsett (Sr.), CaliforniaMatt Forté (Sr.), TulaneMike Goodson (So.), Texas A&MBenJarvus Green-Ellis (Sr.), MississippiMike Hart (Sr.), MichiganP.J. Hill (So.), WisconsinPatrick Jackson (Jr.), Louisiana TechJavarris James (So.), Miami (FL)Ian Johnson (Jr.), Boise StateFelix Jones (Jr.), ArkansasJorvorskie Lane (Jr.), Texas A&MRafael Little (Sr.), KentuckyMarlon Lucky (Jr.), NebraskaKregg Lumpkin (Sr.), GeorgiaChris Markey (Sr.), UCLADeMyron Martin (Jr.), SMUDarren McFadden (Jr.), ArkansasRashard Mendenhall (Jr.), IllinoisJalen Parmele (Sr.), ToledoAmir Pinnix (Sr.), MinnesotaRay Rice (Jr.), RutgersKory Sheets (Jr.), PurdueSteve Slaton (Jr.), West VirginiaKevin Smith (Jr.), Central FloridaOntario Sneed (Jr.), Central MichiganC.J. Spiller (So.), ClemsonTyrell Sutton (Jr.), NorthwesternCourtney Tennial (Sr.), TulsaMarcus Thomas (Sr.), UTEPRyan Torain (Sr.), Arizona StateChris Wells (So.), Ohio StateShannon Woods (Jr.), Texas TechAlbert 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.
