TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil Football junior running backs Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage have been named preseason candidates for the Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Thursday.
The Doak Walker Award is presented annually to the nation's top college running back. ASU is one of three Pac-12 schools with two representatives for a total of 11 Pac-12 nominees.
Richard, who was also named to the 2016 Maxwell Award preseason list, amassed 1,407 yards from scrimmage with 648 of those coming after first contact in 2015. Known as one of the premier running backs in the West, the junior rushed for over 100 yards in seven of 11 regular season appearances, becoming the fourth-ever player in ASU history to accomplish that feat. In the Sun Devils' third game of the season, he became the first running back since North Texas' Lance Dunbar in 2011 to have over 150 receiving yards and over 100 rushing yards in a single game.
The two-headed monster in the backfield included Ballage in 2015, as the sophomore totaled 653 rushing yards with four touchdowns in 10 games. After getting his first touches in week four against USC, Ballage had his coming-out party in week eight against Oregon with 127 yards on the ground for a career best. Over the next two weeks against Washington State, Washington and Arizona, he totaled 286 rushing yards with three touchdowns.
Richard and Ballage are the fifth and sixth Sun Devils under Head Coach Todd Graham to earn preseason recognition for the Walker Award, joining current New England Patriots' running back D.J. Foster, who received the honor in 2013 and 2014, former running back Marion Grice, who made the list in 2013, and newly signed Seattle Seahawks' running back Cameron Marshall, a preseason candidate in 2011 and 2012.
Richard was also named to the Walker Award preseason list in 2015.
2016 Sun Devil Award Watch Lists
Maxwell Award (America's College Player of the Year) – Demario Richard
Chuck Bednarik Award (College Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
John Mackey Award (Most Outstanding Tight End) – Kody Kohl
Ray Guy Award (Nation's Best Collegiate Punter) – Matt Haack
Lou Groza Award (Nation's Top Placekicker) – Zane Gonzalez
Bronko Nagurski Award (Nation's Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
Outland Trophy (Nation's Most Outstanding Interior Lineman) – Tashon Smallwood
Butkus Award (Nation's Best Linebacker) – Salamo Fiso
Wuerffel Trophy (Exemplary Community Service) – Viliami Latu
Allstate AFCA Good Hands Award (Commitment to Service) – Viliami Latu
Doak Walker (Nation's Top College Running Back) – Demario Richard, Kalen Ballage
New Season Tickets for the 2016 Season
Secure your spot in Sun Devil Stadium. Season ticket deposits for the 2016 Sun Devil Football season are available now at www.sundeviltickets.com or by calling 480-965-5812. Deposits are applied to the cost of the season ticket and current season ticket holders do not have to place a deposit. Sun Devil Football's 2016 campaign begins with back-to-back games at the new and improved Sun Devil Stadium on Sept. 3 against Northern Arizona and Sept. 10 against Big 12 foe Texas Tech. ASU's six-game home schedule also includes defending Pac-12 South Co-Champion Utah and fellow conference opponents UCLA, Cal and Washington State.
Join the conversation all season
Twitter: @FootballASU | Facebook: Sun Devil Football | Instagram: sundevilathletics
About the Doak Walker Award
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists on Nov. 16, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the three finalists, who will be announced on Nov. 23. 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, Dec. 8, on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in February 2017.
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 presented annually to the nation's top college running back. ASU is one of three Pac-12 schools with two representatives for a total of 11 Pac-12 nominees.
Richard, who was also named to the 2016 Maxwell Award preseason list, amassed 1,407 yards from scrimmage with 648 of those coming after first contact in 2015. Known as one of the premier running backs in the West, the junior rushed for over 100 yards in seven of 11 regular season appearances, becoming the fourth-ever player in ASU history to accomplish that feat. In the Sun Devils' third game of the season, he became the first running back since North Texas' Lance Dunbar in 2011 to have over 150 receiving yards and over 100 rushing yards in a single game.
The two-headed monster in the backfield included Ballage in 2015, as the sophomore totaled 653 rushing yards with four touchdowns in 10 games. After getting his first touches in week four against USC, Ballage had his coming-out party in week eight against Oregon with 127 yards on the ground for a career best. Over the next two weeks against Washington State, Washington and Arizona, he totaled 286 rushing yards with three touchdowns.
Richard and Ballage are the fifth and sixth Sun Devils under Head Coach Todd Graham to earn preseason recognition for the Walker Award, joining current New England Patriots' running back D.J. Foster, who received the honor in 2013 and 2014, former running back Marion Grice, who made the list in 2013, and newly signed Seattle Seahawks' running back Cameron Marshall, a preseason candidate in 2011 and 2012.
Richard was also named to the Walker Award preseason list in 2015.
2016 Sun Devil Award Watch Lists
Maxwell Award (America's College Player of the Year) – Demario Richard
Chuck Bednarik Award (College Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
John Mackey Award (Most Outstanding Tight End) – Kody Kohl
Ray Guy Award (Nation's Best Collegiate Punter) – Matt Haack
Lou Groza Award (Nation's Top Placekicker) – Zane Gonzalez
Bronko Nagurski Award (Nation's Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
Outland Trophy (Nation's Most Outstanding Interior Lineman) – Tashon Smallwood
Butkus Award (Nation's Best Linebacker) – Salamo Fiso
Wuerffel Trophy (Exemplary Community Service) – Viliami Latu
Allstate AFCA Good Hands Award (Commitment to Service) – Viliami Latu
Doak Walker (Nation's Top College Running Back) – Demario Richard, Kalen Ballage
New Season Tickets for the 2016 Season
Secure your spot in Sun Devil Stadium. Season ticket deposits for the 2016 Sun Devil Football season are available now at www.sundeviltickets.com or by calling 480-965-5812. Deposits are applied to the cost of the season ticket and current season ticket holders do not have to place a deposit. Sun Devil Football's 2016 campaign begins with back-to-back games at the new and improved Sun Devil Stadium on Sept. 3 against Northern Arizona and Sept. 10 against Big 12 foe Texas Tech. ASU's six-game home schedule also includes defending Pac-12 South Co-Champion Utah and fellow conference opponents UCLA, Cal and Washington State.
Join the conversation all season
Twitter: @FootballASU | Facebook: Sun Devil Football | Instagram: sundevilathletics
About the Doak Walker Award
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists on Nov. 16, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the three finalists, who will be announced on Nov. 23. 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, Dec. 8, on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in February 2017.
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.