Temple University Athletics
Thomas Named to Doak Walker Award Watch List
7.16.15 | Football, Jahad Thomas - All-American Candidate
PHILADELPHIA – The PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced the preseason candidates for the 2015 Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation's top college running back, and Temple junior Jahad Thomas is on that list.
Thomas was one of the most explosive players in college football in 2014 despite moving to his current position just weeks prior to the season. The former defensive back was moved to running back after summer workouts began in August. In just four starts however, he led the team in rushing and was second in receiving yards. He finished the year with 1,080 all-purpose yards – 384 rushing, 364 receiving, and 332 on kickoff returns – including 11 plays of 30-or-more yards.
Thus far in 2015, Thomas has been named to the Paul Hornung Award and Doak Walker Award Watch Lists. Temple senior center Kyle Friend (Rimington Award), redshirt-junior defensive lineman Praise Martin-Oguike (Rotary Lombardi Award), senior linebacker Tyler Matakevich (Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and Rotary Lombardi Award), and redshirt-senior defensive lineman Hershey Walton (AFCA Good Works Team) have also earned recognition on preseason Watch Lists.
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.
Thomas was one of the most explosive players in college football in 2014 despite moving to his current position just weeks prior to the season. The former defensive back was moved to running back after summer workouts began in August. In just four starts however, he led the team in rushing and was second in receiving yards. He finished the year with 1,080 all-purpose yards – 384 rushing, 364 receiving, and 332 on kickoff returns – including 11 plays of 30-or-more yards.
Thus far in 2015, Thomas has been named to the Paul Hornung Award and Doak Walker Award Watch Lists. Temple senior center Kyle Friend (Rimington Award), redshirt-junior defensive lineman Praise Martin-Oguike (Rotary Lombardi Award), senior linebacker Tyler Matakevich (Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and Rotary Lombardi Award), and redshirt-senior defensive lineman Hershey Walton (AFCA Good Works Team) have also earned recognition on preseason Watch Lists.
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.
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 about our story.
Beginning in 2015, The Home Depot College Football Awards will have a new home at the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in downtown Atlanta. Airing live on ESPN on December 10, 2015, college football's brightest stars will be honored for their performance on and off the field.
The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Fifteen of the association's 21 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. The Walter Camp Award will release the final NCFAA 2015 preseason watch list on July 17.
Beginning in 2015, The Home Depot College Football Awards will have a new home at the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in downtown Atlanta. Airing live on ESPN on December 10, 2015, college football's brightest stars will be honored for their performance on and off the field.
The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Fifteen of the association's 21 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. The Walter Camp Award will release the final NCFAA 2015 preseason watch list on July 17.
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