BATON ROUGE – LSU senior Richard Murphy is one of 49 candidates up for the 2010 Doak Walker Award, which goes to college football’s top running back, the PricewaterhouseCoopers SMU Athletic Forum announced on Thursday.
The field of candidates features six Southeastern Conference players, including Murphy, Alabama’s Mark Ingram, Florida’s Jeff Demps, Auburn’s Mario Fannin, Arkansas’ Dennis Johnson and Kentucky’s Derrick Locke.
Murphy, a native of Rayville, La., is returning from a knee injury that sidelined him during the second game of the 2009 season. He has enjoyed an outstanding spring and fall camp and provides the Tigers with veteran presence and leadership in the backfield heading into the 2010 season.
Murphy has rushed for 442 yards and two touchdowns in 29 games during his career. He served as a backup at the position in 2007 and 2008 while earning a redshirt as a true freshman in 2006.
The PricewaterhouseCoopers SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on Nov. 10, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on Nov. 22.
The Committee will cast a second vote beginning on Nov. 29 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 2010 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 9. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, in February 2011.
The award, in its 21th 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.
2010 Doak Walker Award Watch List
Anthony Allen (Sr.), Georgia Tech
Armando Allen (Sr.), Notre Dame
Victor Anderson (Jr.), Louisville
Jeremy Avery (Sr.), Boise State
Baron Batch (Sr.), Texas Tech
Donald Buckram (Sr.), UTEP
John Clay (Jr.), Wisconsin
Lennon Creer (Jr.), Louisiana Tech
Jeff Demps (Jr.), Florida
Noel Devine (Sr.), West Virginia
Lance Dunbar (Jr.), UNT
Darren Evans (Jr.), Virginia Tech
Mario Fannin (Sr.), Auburn
Jay Finley (Sr.), Baylor
Frank Goodin (Sr.), Louisiana Monroe
Cyrus Gray (Jr.), Texas A&M
Montel Harris (Jr.), Boston College
Dan Herron (Jr.), Ohio State
Kendall Hunter (Sr.), Oklahoma State
Mark Ingram (Jr.), Alabama
Eugene Jarvis (Sr.), Kent State
Dennis Johnson (Jr.), Arkansas
Mikel Leshoure (Jr.), Illinois
Dion Lewis (So.), Pittsburgh
MiQuale Lewis (Sr.), Ball State
Derrick Locke (Sr.), Kentucky
Christine Michael (So.), Texas A&M
Alfred Morris (Jr.), Florida Atlantic
Richard Murphy (Sr.), LSU
Vince Murray (Sr.), Navy
DeMarco Murray (Sr.), Oklahoma
Bernard Pierce (So.), Temple
Bilal Powell (Sr.), Louisville
Alexander Robinson (Sr.), Iowa State
Jacquizz Rodgers (Jr.), Oregon State
Evan Royster (Sr.), Penn State
Brandon Saine (Sr.), Ohio State
Da’Rel Scott (Sr.), Maryland
Chad Spann (Sr.), Northern Illinois
Rodney Stewart (Jr.), Colorado
Phillip Tanner (Sr.), Middle Tennessee
Vai Taua (Sr.), Nevada
Daniel Thomas (Sr.), Kansas State
Jordan Todman (Jr.), Connecticut
Matthew Tucker (So.), TCU
Derrick Washington (Sr.), Missouri
Ed Wesley (So.), TCU
Eddie Wide (Sr.), Utah
Ryan Williams (So.), Virginia Tech
Other Watch Lists:
Lott Trophy, April 21 (CB Patrick Peterson, LB Kelvin Sheppard)
Bronko Nagurski Trophy, June 21 (CB Patrick Peterson, LB Kelvin Sheppard)
Outland Trophy, June 21 (DT Drake Nevis)
Davey O’Brien Award, July 14
Jim Thorpe Award, Aug. 2 (CB Patrick Peterson)
Walter Camp Award, Aug. 9 (CB Patrick Peterson)
Bednarik Award, Aug. 9 (CB Patrick Peterson, LB Kelvin Sheppard)
Maxwell Award, Aug. 9
Biletnikoff Award, Aug. 10
Ray Guy Award, Aug. 11
Manning Award, Aug 16 (QB Jordan Jefferson)
Butkus Award, Aug. 16 (LB Kelvin Sheppard)
Mackey Award, Aug. 16
Hornung Award, Aug. 17
Lou Groza Award, Aug. 20 (PK Josh Jasper)
Rotary Lombardi Award, Aug. 20 (LB Kelvin Sheppard)
Doak Walker Award, Aug. 23 (RB Richard Murphy)
Rimington Trophy, Aug. 27