A total of 10 running backs were unveiled as semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, the award’s board of directors announced Thursday.
Included in the group is Boston College’s Andre Williams, who currently leads the nation in rushing yards (1,471) and rushing yards per game (163.4). Six of the current Top 10 in rushing are represented: Western Kentucky’s Antonio Andrews (No. 2), Washington’s Bishop Sankey (No. 3), Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey (No. 6), Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah (No. 7) and Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon (No. 9).
The only ones from the Top 10 who are not a part of the 2013 Walker semifinalists Buffalo’s Branden Oliver (No. 5), Bowling Green Travis Greene (No. 8) and Colorado State’s Kapri Bibbs (No. 10), who has rushed for the most yards by a running back in a single game this season and leads the country with 19 rushing touchdowns. The No. 4 rusher in the country, Northern Illinois’ Jordan Lynch, is a quarterback.
No semifinalists from a year ago were included in this year’s group as well.
Wisconsin’s Montee Ball was the 2012 Doak Walker Award winner.
Ameer Abdullah, Junior, Nebraska
Antonio Andrews, Senior, Western Kentucky
Ka’Deem Carey, Junior, Arizona
Mike Davis, Sophomore, South Carolina
Tyler Gaffney, Senior, Stanford
Melvin Gordon, Sophomore, Wisconsin
Tre Mason, Junior, Auburn
Bishop Sankey, Junior, Washington
Lache Seastrunk, Junior, Baylor
Andre Williams, Senior Boston College