Eastern Michigan Athletics
Evans Named Doak Walker Award Preseason Candidate
8/9/2023 12:00:00 PM | Football
The Doak Walker is awarded to college football's top running back
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DALLAS, Texas (EMUEagles.com) — For the second consecutive season, Eastern Michigan University senior running back Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge/Iowa) has been named a Doak Walker Award preseason candidate, presented to the top college running back, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Wednesday, Aug. 9.
Evans is one of three Mid-American Conference running backs named to the 75-man list.
Evans earned his first all-conference honors in 2022 after a historic season in the backfield for EMU. The Crystal Lake, Ill., native scored his 27th career rushing touchdown against Central Michigan, Nov. 25, to move into first place in Eastern Michigan program history in the category during a 2022 season which saw him rush for 100+ yards in four contests, a career-best mark. His 29 scores put him in second on EMU's all-time touchdowns list (rushing and receiving). With 1,166 yards on the ground last season, Evans is the 14th EMU player to rush for a total of 1,000 yards or more in a single season. The senior's total was good for eighth all-time in single-season laurels at EMU. His 15 touchdowns in 2022 ranked first in the MAC and 15th nationally.
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 2023 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN.
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2023 preseason watch list calendar:
Mon., July 31: Maxwell Award > Samson Evans
Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award > Jesús Gómez / Mitchell Tomasek
Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award > Samson Evans
Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award/Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award
Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award
For more information about the NCFAA and its college football awards, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter @NCFAA.
DALLAS, Texas (EMUEagles.com) — For the second consecutive season, Eastern Michigan University senior running back Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge/Iowa) has been named a Doak Walker Award preseason candidate, presented to the top college running back, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Wednesday, Aug. 9.
Evans is one of three Mid-American Conference running backs named to the 75-man list.
Evans earned his first all-conference honors in 2022 after a historic season in the backfield for EMU. The Crystal Lake, Ill., native scored his 27th career rushing touchdown against Central Michigan, Nov. 25, to move into first place in Eastern Michigan program history in the category during a 2022 season which saw him rush for 100+ yards in four contests, a career-best mark. His 29 scores put him in second on EMU's all-time touchdowns list (rushing and receiving). With 1,166 yards on the ground last season, Evans is the 14th EMU player to rush for a total of 1,000 yards or more in a single season. The senior's total was good for eighth all-time in single-season laurels at EMU. His 15 touchdowns in 2022 ranked first in the MAC and 15th nationally.
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 2023 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN.
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2023 preseason watch list calendar:
Mon., July 31: Maxwell Award > Samson Evans
Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award > Jesús Gómez / Mitchell Tomasek
Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award > Samson Evans
Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award/Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award
Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award
For more information about the NCFAA and its college football awards, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter @NCFAA.
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