Eastern Michigan Athletics
Boone Named Doak Walker Award Preseason Candidate
7/21/2021 10:00:00 AM | Football
The Doak Walker is awarded to college football’s top running back
DALLAS, Texas (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University redshirt freshman Darius Boone Jr. (Tulsa, Okla.-Union) has been named a Doak Walker Award preseason candidate, presented to the top college running back, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Wednesday, July 21.
Boone is one of six Mid-American Conference running backs named to the 82-man list.
An Academic All-MAC selection in 2020, Boone appeared in and started three games for Eastern during its COVID-shortened campaign. Despite battling injury and different points in the season, he quickly established himself as one of the most explosive players in the Green and White, finishing the season with 44 carries for 254 yards and two touchdowns.
Boone saw his first action in EMU's season-opener at Kent State, Nov. 4. There, he hauled in a 13-yard grab, his lone of the season, while rushing for 68 yards on nine attempts. His breakout game came against EMU's in-state rival, Western Michigan, Dec. 5, where he rushed for a career-high 148 yards. His best run of the Broncos went for 44 yards, which is also a career-best. Boone's efforts helped him lead all Eagles in rushing yards in 2020.
Overall, the list features 2020 Doak Walker Award finalist Breece Hall from Iowa State. Last season as a sophomore, Hall led the nation in total rushing yards with 1,572 and was a first-team All-America selection. 2019 Doak Walker Award semifinalists Mohammed Ibrahim (Minnesota), Sincere McCormick (UTSA), Isaiah Spiller (Texas A&M) and Kyren Williams (Notre Dame) are all among the list of preseason candidates.
University athletic departments nominate candidates for the award and can continue to do so through October.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The recipient of the 2020 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The award 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.
Honoring the legends of sports for 32 years, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum celebrates outstanding success in athletics. Based in Dallas, the series features major figures from a variety of sports. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum includes four luncheons and the prestigious Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet.
The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association.
The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Fourteen of the association's 25 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates.
Following is the complete 2021 preseason watch list calendar:
Monday July 19: Bednarik Award. Maxwell Award
Tuesday July 20: Davey O'Brien Award
Wednesday July 21: Doak Walker Award
Thursday July 22: Biletnikoff Award
Friday July 23: John Mackey Award, Rimington Trophy
Monday July 26: Butkus Award & Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Tuesday July 27: Bronko Nagurski Trophy & Outland Trophy
Wednesday July 28: Lou Groza Award & Ray Guy Award
Thursday July 29: Paul Hornung Award & Wuerffel Trophy
Friday July 30: Walter Camp Award
Boone is one of six Mid-American Conference running backs named to the 82-man list.
An Academic All-MAC selection in 2020, Boone appeared in and started three games for Eastern during its COVID-shortened campaign. Despite battling injury and different points in the season, he quickly established himself as one of the most explosive players in the Green and White, finishing the season with 44 carries for 254 yards and two touchdowns.
Boone saw his first action in EMU's season-opener at Kent State, Nov. 4. There, he hauled in a 13-yard grab, his lone of the season, while rushing for 68 yards on nine attempts. His breakout game came against EMU's in-state rival, Western Michigan, Dec. 5, where he rushed for a career-high 148 yards. His best run of the Broncos went for 44 yards, which is also a career-best. Boone's efforts helped him lead all Eagles in rushing yards in 2020.
Overall, the list features 2020 Doak Walker Award finalist Breece Hall from Iowa State. Last season as a sophomore, Hall led the nation in total rushing yards with 1,572 and was a first-team All-America selection. 2019 Doak Walker Award semifinalists Mohammed Ibrahim (Minnesota), Sincere McCormick (UTSA), Isaiah Spiller (Texas A&M) and Kyren Williams (Notre Dame) are all among the list of preseason candidates.
University athletic departments nominate candidates for the award and can continue to do so through October.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The recipient of the 2020 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The award 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.
Honoring the legends of sports for 32 years, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum celebrates outstanding success in athletics. Based in Dallas, the series features major figures from a variety of sports. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum includes four luncheons and the prestigious Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet.
The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association.
The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Fourteen of the association's 25 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates.
Following is the complete 2021 preseason watch list calendar:
Monday July 19: Bednarik Award. Maxwell Award
Tuesday July 20: Davey O'Brien Award
Wednesday July 21: Doak Walker Award
Thursday July 22: Biletnikoff Award
Friday July 23: John Mackey Award, Rimington Trophy
Monday July 26: Butkus Award & Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Tuesday July 27: Bronko Nagurski Trophy & Outland Trophy
Wednesday July 28: Lou Groza Award & Ray Guy Award
Thursday July 29: Paul Hornung Award & Wuerffel Trophy
Friday July 30: Walter Camp Award
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