Aug. 29, 2008
DALLAS, Texas – Georgia Tech sophomore B-back Jonathan Dwyer has been named a candidate for the 2008 Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back. The field of candidates includes the nation’s leading returning rusher, Eugene Jarvis, from Kent State.
In Georgia Tech’s 41-14 season-opening win over Jacksonville State last night, Dwyer rushed 11 times for a game-high 112 yards. He had two touchdowns on runs of 21 and 29 yards while averaging 10.2 yards per carry.
Last season, the Marietta, Ga., native was a member of the ACC All-Freshman Team and was Tech’s second-leading rusher as a true freshman averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He was second on the team with nine touchdowns, all by rushing, and ranked third on the team in scoring (54 points). Dwyer averaged one touchdown every 9.1 carries while his 21.9 yards per kick-off return ranked among the ACC leaders for much of the season.
The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on November 10, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on November 24. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on December 1 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. Dwyer is one of 43 preseason candidates.
The recipient of the 2008 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on Thursday, December 11. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at The Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, February 6, 2009. The award, in its 19th 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.
