University of Louisville sophomore running back Javian Hawkins has been named to the Doak Walker Award watch list.
Hawkins is coming off a breakout 2019 season in which he was named a freshman All-American and All-Atlantic Coast Conference honoree. He finished seventh nationally in rushing with 1,520 yards while guiding the Cardinals to an 8-5 record.
Louisville capped the season by posting a 38-28 win over Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.
The Florida native set the school record for most rushing yards by a running back, breaking Howard Stevens’ previous mark of 1,429 yards in 1971. It was the third-most yards in a season at Louisville, behind quarterback Lamar Jackson’s 1,601 yards in 2017 and 1,571 in 2016.
Louisville’s Javian Hawkins finished seventh nationally in rushing last year with 1,520 yards. (UofL photo)
Hawkins finished third in the league in rushing and tied for the ACC lead with eight 100-yard rushing games – the most in school history by a running back and second behind Jackson’s school record of 10.
The 5-foot-9 Hawkins started 12 games and grabbed ACC Rookie and Running Back of the Week honors twice during his first full season. He rushed for 233 yards – the second most in the ACC last season – in a win over Syracuse. It was the first 200-yard rushing game by a Cardinal since Lamar Jackson gained 226 against Texas A&M on Dec. 30, 2015, and the most rushing yards by a Cardinal since Anthony Allen ran for 275 against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 6, 2007.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December 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 2020 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The award 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.
From University of Louisville
