July 19, 2012
DALLAS (SMU) - SMU senior Zach Line has been named to the Watch List for the 2012 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced today. The award is presented annually to the nation's top college running back. Line was one of 10 Doak Walker Award semifinalists a year ago.
Line was named first-team All-C-USA in both 2010 and 2011 and led the league in rushing both years. Last season, Line suffered a foot injury and missed the last three games of the season but still ranked seventh in the nation in rushing at 122.4 yards a game. He posted eight 100-yard rushing games in 10 games played. Line has also been named to the 2012 Watch List for the Maxwell Award, which is given to America's outstanding collegiate football player.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name the semifinalists on Nov. 9, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on Nov. 19. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on Nov. 26 to determine the recipient. The recipient of the 2012 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 6 on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in Dallas in Feb. 2013. The National Selection Committee consists of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The award, in its 23nd 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.
Nominations for the award will be accepted through October. The complete list of 52 candidates, who were nominated by their universities, follows:
2012 Doak Walker Award CandidatesMichael Alisa (Jr.), BYUMontee Ball (Sr.), WisconsinKenjon Barner (Sr.), OregonLeÂÂ?OeVeon Bell (Jr.), Michigan StateGiovani Bernard (So.), North CarolinaRex Burkhead (Sr.), NebraskaJesse Callier (Jr.), WashingtonBenny Cunningham (Sr.), Middle TennesseeOrleans Darkwa (Jr.), TulaneKnile Davis (Jr.), ArkansasAndre Ellington (Sr.), ClemsonJohnathan Franklin (Sr.), UCLARay Graham (Sr.), PittsburghGee Gee Greene (Sr.), NavyJordan Hall (Sr.), Ohio StateD.J. Harper (Sr.), Boise StateJohn Hubert (Jr.), Kansas StateMichael James (Sr.), MiamiWaymon James (Jr.), TCUNathan Jeffery (So.), UTEPWalter Kazee (Sr.), San Diego StateEddie Lacy (Jr.), AlabamaMarcus Lattimore (Jr.), South CarolinaHunter Lee (So.), Louisiana TechZach Line (Sr.), SMURaymond Maples (Jr.), ArmyCameron Marshall (Sr.), Arizona StateOnterio McCalebb (Sr.), AuburnLyle McCombs (So.), ConnecticutCurtis McNeal (Sr.), USCChristine Michael (Sr.), Texas A&MLatavius Murray (Sr.), UCFBranden Oliver (Jr.), BuffaloJoseph Randle (Jr.), Oklahoma StateSilas Redd (Jr.), Penn StateKedrick Rhodes (Jr.), Florida InternationalRobbie Rouse (Sr.), Fresno StateJarred Salubi (Sr.), BaylorAnthon Samuel (So.), Bowling GreenOrwin Smith (Sr.), Georgia TechIsi Sofele (Sr.), CaliforniaShawn Southward (Sr.), TroyZac Stacy (Sr.), VanderbiltEric Stephens (Sr.), Texas TechStepfan Taylor (Sr.), StanfordFitzgerald Toussaint (Jr.), MichiganMatthew Tucker (Sr.), TCUJames White (Jr.), Iowa StateJames White (Jr.), WisconsinJohn White (Sr.), UtahKerwynn Williams (Sr.), Utah StateCierre Wood (Sr.), Notre Dame
On the heels of its third straight bowl appearance, SMU will host Texas A&M, TCU, Memphis, C-USA West rivals Houston and Tulsa and 2011 C-USA Champion Southern Miss at Ford Stadium in 2012. Ticket sales have been brisk, as SMU has already surpassed its season ticket sales totals for the rest of the June Jones era. For Mustang ticket information, call the Athletics Department Ticket Office at (214) SMU-GAME (768-4263).
