Coffee In Running For Doak Walker

Alabama running back Glen Coffee was named a semifinalist for the 2008 Doak Walker Award as announced by the Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors on Tuesday.

One of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker, which goes to the nation’s top running back, Alabama junior Glen Coffee has rushed for 1,020 yards in the first 10 games of the 2008 season to lead the top-ranked Crimson Tide. It marks only the 13th time - by nine players - in Bama football history that a running back has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a season.

Coffee said. “I would not have been able to accomplish any of this without the best offensive line in the country. Andre Smith, Antoine Caldwell, all of those guys, just open huge holes to run through.

"This team still has a lot of goals left to accomplish and needs to stay focused, but I am very appreciative of the people at the Doak Walker for recognizing my efforts this season.”

The Fort Walton Beach, Fla., native ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference and 23rd nationally at 102.0 yards per game. He leads the SEC in yards per rush at 6.3 and has three 100-yard rushing games this season. Coffee’s 218-yard effort against Kentucky was the sixth-best single-game rushing performance in Alabama history.

Coffee has the SEC’s two longest runs in 2008 with an 87-yard burst at Arkansas and a 78-yard sprint against Kentucky. He also set the Alabama single-game record with a 16.2-yards per carry average (minimum 10 attempts) at Arkansas on Sept. 20. Coffee ran 10 times for 162 yards and scored on runs of 87 and 31 yards.

The other finalists include: Donald Brown, Connecticut; Tyrell Fenroy, Louisiana-Lafayette; Shonn Greene, Iowa; Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State; LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh; Knowshon Moreno, Georgia; Javon Ringer, Michigan State; Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State; Evan Royster, Penn State.

The 162 members of the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast their votes to determine the 2008 finalists. On Monday, Nov. 24, three finalists will be named, and a second vote by the Doak Walker Award national Selection Committee will determine the recipient. The 2008 Doak Walker Award recipient will be announced live on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 11, in Orlando, Fla.

The Award is named after three-time SMU All-American running back and 1948 Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker. Walker, who also punted, returned kicks and kicked extra points, led the Mustangs to two Southwest Conference Championships. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions and led the league in scoring his rookie year. During his six years with the Lions, he led the team to two NFL Championships and was chosen All-Pro four times. Walker is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.