Bowling Green State University Athletics
Samuel Named to Doak Walker Candidate List
July 19, 2012 | Football
Anthon Samuel, a member of the Bowling Green State University football team, was named to the Doak Walker Candidate List, annually given to the nation's top running back. A total of 52 student-athletes were named to the list.
Samuel finished 2011 as the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year after recording 844 rushing yards and five touchdowns in nine games. His rushing total was the most-ever by a Falcon freshman and was third in the nation among first-year tailbacks. Samuel also earned Third-Team Freshman All-American honors by Phil Steele.
In his first game as a Falcon he ran for 141 yards and a touchdown in a 32-15 win at Idaho, becoming the first Falcon freshman to run for over 100 yards in his first career game since Freddie Barnes in 2006. The following week Samuel added 122 yards and a score versus Morgan State, becoming the first Falcon since 2004 to record back-to-back 100-yard games.
Samuel was not finished there. Two weeks later in the conference opener, Samuel broke open the contest at Miami with a 96-yard touchdown run, the longest rushing play in BGSU history, finishing the contest with 121 yards. The Opa Locka, Fla., native added 100-yard performances versus Toledo (25-105) and Temple (18-112), finishing the year with five 100-yard games.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name the semifinalists on November 9, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on November 19. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on November 26 to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The recipient of the 2012 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 6, on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in Dallas, Texas, in February 2013.
The award, in its 23nd year, 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.
Samuel finished 2011 as the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year after recording 844 rushing yards and five touchdowns in nine games. His rushing total was the most-ever by a Falcon freshman and was third in the nation among first-year tailbacks. Samuel also earned Third-Team Freshman All-American honors by Phil Steele.
In his first game as a Falcon he ran for 141 yards and a touchdown in a 32-15 win at Idaho, becoming the first Falcon freshman to run for over 100 yards in his first career game since Freddie Barnes in 2006. The following week Samuel added 122 yards and a score versus Morgan State, becoming the first Falcon since 2004 to record back-to-back 100-yard games.
Samuel was not finished there. Two weeks later in the conference opener, Samuel broke open the contest at Miami with a 96-yard touchdown run, the longest rushing play in BGSU history, finishing the contest with 121 yards. The Opa Locka, Fla., native added 100-yard performances versus Toledo (25-105) and Temple (18-112), finishing the year with five 100-yard games.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name the semifinalists on November 9, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on November 19. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on November 26 to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The recipient of the 2012 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 6, on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in Dallas, Texas, in February 2013.
The award, in its 23nd year, 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.
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