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2014 Doak Walker Award watch list released

By Andrew Coppens

Oct 19, 2013; Champaign, IL, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Melvin Gordon (25) runs against Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Mason Monheim (43) during the game at Memorial Stadium. Wisconsin wins 56-32 over Illinois. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowksi-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2013; Champaign, IL, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Melvin Gordon (25) runs against Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Mason Monheim (43) during the game at Memorial Stadium. Wisconsin wins 56-32 over Illinois. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowksi-USA TODAY Sports /
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Another day, another preseason award watch list is released. On Thursday it was the Doak Walker Award’s turn to release its preseason watch list and 53 players are on the radar entering the 2014 college football season.

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The award has been handed out annually since 1989 and honors the best running back in the country. Last season it was senior Andre Williams and his near 2,000-yard season that won him the award.

None of the three finalists from last season return for 2014, as Ka’Deem Carey, Bishop Sankey and Williams are all off to the NFL.

This season, semifinalists like Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska), Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin) and Mike Davis (South Carolina) return. So do big names like Todd Gurley (Georgia), Duke Johnson (Miami) and T.J. Yeldon.

Needless to say, this could be the most loaded and difficult award to hand out come the end of the season, given the talent and depth at running back around college football.

The award watch list will be cut down on Nov. 18 (Semifinalists) and Nov. 24 (Finalists) before the award is announced at the Home Depot College Football Award show on Dec. 11 on ESPN. 

Full Doak Walker Award Watch List:

Ameer Abdullah (Sr.), Nebraska

Jay Ajayi (Jr.), Boise State

Javorius “Buck” Allen (Jr.), USC

Leon Allen (Jr.), Western Kentucky

Terry Baggett (Sr.), Army

Bill Belton (Sr.), Penn State

Malcolm Brown (Sr.), Texas

Tra Carson (Jr.), Texas A&M

B.J. Catalon (Jr.), TCU

David Cobb (Sr.), Minnesota

Tevin Coleman (Jr.), Indiana

Alex Collins (So.), Arkansas

James Conner (So.), Pittsburgh

Marcus Cox (So.), Appalachian State

Mike Davis (Jr.), South Carolina

Kenneth Dixon (Jr.), Louisiana Tech

Jahwan Edwards (Sr.), Ball State

Kenneth Farrow (Jr.), Houston

Josh Ferguson (Jr.), Illinois

D.J. Foster (Jr.), Arizona State

Melvin Gordon (Jr.), Wisconsin

Michael Gordon (Jr.), Arkansas State

Johnathan Gray (Jr.), Texas

Todd Gurley (Jr.), Georgia

Kenneth Harper (Sr.), Temple

Alonzo Harris (Sr.), Louisiana-Lafayette

Derrick Henry (So.), Alabama

Bronson Hill (Sr.), Eastern Michigan

Joe Hill (Sr.), Utah State

Duke Johnson (Jr.), Miami

Jeremy Langford (Sr.), Michigan State

Daniel Lasco (Jr.), California

Shock Linwood (So.), Baylor

Robert Lowe (Jr.), Texas State

Tre Madden (Jr.), USC

Terrence Magee (Sr.), LSU

Raymond Maples (Sr.), Army

Byron Marshall (Jr.), Oregon

Kevin Parks (Sr.), Virginia

Christian Powell (Jr.), Colorado

Donnel Pumphrey (So.), San Diego State

Josh Robinson (Jr.), Mississippi State

William Stanback (So.), UCF

Cameron Stingily (Sr.), Northern Illinois

Kelvin Taylor (So.), Florida

Thomas Tyner (So.), Oregon

Jamaal Williams (Jr.), BYU

Jonathan Williams (Jr.), Arkansas

Trey Williams (Jr.), Texas A&M

Aaron Wimberly (Sr.), Iowa State

T.J. Yeldon (Jr.), Alabama

Kelsey Young (Sr.), Stanford

Zach Zwinak (Sr.), Penn State

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