Jamaal Williams announced as Doak Walker Award candidate

DALLAS - The PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced BYU running back Jamaal Williams as one of its preseason candidates for the 2015 Doak Walker Award Thursday. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top college running back.

Williams, a senior, led BYU in rushing in 2014 with 109 carries, 518 yards and four touchdowns, despite missing six games with injury. In 2013, the 6-foot, 206-pounder ran for 1,233 yards and seven more scores. He broke BYU's true freshman rushing records in 2012 with 166 carries, 775 yards and 12 touchdowns. With 2,526 career rushing yards, he needs 929 yards to become BYU's career rushing leader.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists on November 18, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the three finalists, who will be announced on November 24. The committee will cast a second vote beginning November 30 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 2015 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 10, on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in Dallas in early 2016.

The award, which will name its 26th recipient in 2015, 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 26 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). The NCFAA encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boast more than 700 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more.