Owens named to Doak Walker watch list
7/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Air Force senior Jacobi Owens was named to the preseason watch list for the 2016 Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation's top collegiate running back. This is the second major award Owens has been selected for this season, as he is also on the Maxwell Award watch list for collegiate player of the year honors.
Owens, from Las Vegas, Nev., led team in rushing last season with 1,096 yards on 205 carries for an average of 78.0 yards per game. He started the first six games last season at tailback, before starting the last eight at fullback due to injuries in the backfield. At the fullback position, he averaged 99.0 yards rushing per game. Owens had a season-best 156 yards on 17 carries with a career-long run of 65 yards at San Diego State in the Mountain West championship game, his fourth 100-plus yard effort of season. In a road win at Hawai'i, Owens had a career-high 30 carries for 137 yards and matched his career high with two rushing touchdowns. He enters the 2016 season ranked 11th in AF history in career rushing with 2,146 yards. Dee Dowis (1986-89) holds the career record with 3,612. Owens rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each his sophomore and junior seasons and his nine career 100-yard rushing games are the most among active Falcons.
Ten semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award will be announced on November 16, and the selection committee will cast votes to determine the three finalists, who will be announced on November 22. The committee will cast a second vote beginning November 28 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 2016 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 8, on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in Dallas in early 2017.
The award, which will name its 27th recipient in 2016, 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.
