Allgeier named Doak Walker Award semifinalist

DALLAS — BYU running back Tyler Allgeier was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2021 Doak Walker Award, announced today by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum.

The Doak Walker Award is presented annually to the top running back in college football. The 2021 recipient will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 9 on ESPN.

Allgeier, a sophomore from Fontana, California, is tied for the nation's lead in rushing touchdowns with 17 and is seventh in rushing yards with 1,162 and points scored at 102. In week nine of the season, he was named Capital One Orange Bowl Player of the Week and honorable mention College Football Performance Awards National Performer of the Week for his 266-yard, five touchdown performance, leading No. 14 ranked BYU to a 66-49 win over Virginia.

During the 2021 season, Allgeier has also been named the Independent Offensive Player of the Week by College Sports Madness three times and earned a helmet sticker from ESPN College Football Final host Matt Barrie following the Virginia game.

Allgeier is currently No. 9 all-time at BYU in career rushing with 2,465 yards, just 29-yards shy of passing 2001 Doak Walker Award winner Luke Staley (1999-2001). He is No. 8 in single season rushing yards at 1,162, needing 65 yards to pass current BYU running back coach Harvey Unga's 2007 mark (1,227). 

In addition to being named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, Allgeier has been on the watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award and the CFPA National Performer of the Year. In 2020, he finished No. 8 nationally with 1,130 rushing yards and was No. 4 in yards per carry at 7.53 for the No. 10 ranked Cougars.

Doak Walker Award semifinalists in alphabetical order
Tyler Allgeier (So.)                BYU
Tyler Badie (Jr.)                    Missouri
Breece Hall (Jr.)                    Iowa State
TreVeyon Henderson (Fr.)    Ohio State
Sincere McCormick (Jr.)       UTSA
Bijan Robinson (So.)            Texas
Abram Smith (Sr.)                 Baylor
Sean Tucker (So.)                 Syracuse
Deuce Vaughn (So.)              Kansas State
Kenneth Walker, III (Jr.)         Michigan State

The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which includes college football's most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards boast 800 recipients, dating to 1935.