2007 Doak Walker Watch List Announced

New Mexico's Rodney Ferguson, TCU's Aaron Brown among candidates for nation's top running back award

Aug. 28, 2007

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - New Mexico junior Rodney Ferguson and TCU junior Aaron Brown are among the 51 candidates listed on the watch list for the 2007 Doak Walker Award, announced today by the Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum. The award is presented annually to the nation's top college running back.

Ferguson was one of two 1,000-yard rushers in the Mountain West Conference last season, collecting a league-high 1,234 yards and seven touchdowns on 252 carries. The Albuquerque, N.M., native also ranked second in the conference in all-purpose yardage (1,525 yards) and eighth in total offense (1,234 yards).

Brown scored a conference-best nine rushing touchdowns in 2006 while ranking third in the league overall with 801 rushing yards on 154 attempts. A Katy, Texas, product, Brown was also third in the MWC in all-purpose yardage (1,401 yards) and seventh in scoring (60 points).

In addition to Brown and Ferguson, 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.

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.