Stanford's Toby Gerhart is the winner of the 2009 Doak Walker Award, which given annually to the nation's top running back. As such, it casts a pall over the chances of Alabama's RB Mark Ingram, who is a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, just as Gerhart is.
In winning the Doak Walker Award, Toby Gerhart led the nation with 1,736 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns. He had more yards rushing (1,736) and touchdowns (26) than any other player in the country. His team, the Stanford Cardinal, finished in 2nd place in the Pac-10 and its first bowl bid in eight years, at 8-4.
The other Doak Walker Awards finalists were Alabama's Mark Ingram and Clemson's C.J. Spiller. As noted above, Ingram and Gerhart are both Heisman finalists, along with QBs Colt McCoy (Texas), Tim Tebow (Florida), and nose tackle Ndamukong Suh.
The Doak Walker award was first awarded in 1990. It is named after the SMU and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker. Walker won the Heisman Trophy in 1948.
The Doak Walker Award honors the nation's top college football running back. Among college football awards, the Doak Walker award is unique in that it requires all candidates to be both in good academic standing, and on schedule to graduate within one year of students in their eligibility classification.
While there are Doak Walker Award winners who have gone on to win the Heisman, it would be unheard of to have a Doak Walker award finalist and runner-up win the Heisman over the Doak Walker award winner. We are, of course, speaking again of Ingram.
Examples of Doak Walker award winners who also won the Heisman include, but are not limited to, Rashaan Salaam, Ricky Williams, and Eddie George.
Written by Michael Santo
HULIQ.com
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