Aug. 4, 2009

DALLAS--Arizona junior running back Nic Grigsby is among national stars named today by The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum as candidates for the 2009 Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation's top collegiate running back.

The field of candidates includes the nation's leading returning rusher, MiQuale Lewis from Ball State. Other candidates include Pac-10 players Jahvid Best of California, Jacquizz Rodgers of Oregon State, Toby Gerhart of Stanford and LeGarrette Blount of Oregon.

Arizona might have faced the 2008 winner this season, Shonn Green of Iowa, but he departed a year early to enter the NFL ranks. Other recent winners include Darren McFadden of Arkansas in 2007 and 2006, and Reggie Bush of USC in 2005.

Grigsby, an honorable mention all-Pac-10 back as a sophomore, rushed for 1,153 yards and 13 touchdowns a year ago. He started all 13 games but did share some spotlight with freshman Keola Antolin, who added 525 yards and 10 scores from the same position.

The award, established in 1990, is given to a player who not only makes exemplary contributions from the running back position, but also is on degree track and possessing characteristics of sportsmanship and fair play, traits associated with the former Southern Methodist star for which the honor is named. A panel of writers, television broadcasters, radio sports personalities and former All-America and NFL All-Pro players makes the selection.

Preseason Doak Walker Award Candidates:

Armando Allen (Jr.), Notre Dame
André Anderson (Sr.), Tulane
Reggie Arnold (Sr.), Arkansas State
Baron Batch (Jr.), Texas Tech
Jahvid Best (Jr.), California, Berkeley
LeGarrette Blount (Sr.), Oregon
Chris Brown (Sr.), Oklahoma
Donald Buckram (Jr.), UTEP
John Clay (So.), Wisconsin
DaJuane Collins (Sr.), Toledo
Jeff Demps (So.), Florida
Noel Devine (Jr.), West Virginia
Andre Dixon (Sr.), Connecticut
Shaun Draughn (Jr.), North Carolina
Jonathan Dwyer (Jr.), Georgia Tech
Jamelle Eugene (Sr.), North Carolina State
Darren Evans (So.), Virginia Tech
Damion Fletcher (Sr.), Southern Mississippi
Toby Gerhart (Sr.), Stanford
Cyrus Gray (So.), Texas A&M
Nicolas (Nic) Grigsby (Jr.), Arizona
DuJuan Harris (Jr.), Troy
Roy Helu, Jr. (Jr.), Nebraska
Dan Herron (So.), Ohio State
Kendall Hunter (Jr.), Oklahoma State
Mark Ingram (So.), Alabama
Eugene Jarvis (Sr.), Kent State
MiQuale Lewis (Sr.), Ball State
Darius Marshall (Jr.), Marshall
Brandon Minor (Sr.), Michigan
DeMarco Murray (Jr.), Oklahoma
Daniel Porter (Sr.), Louisiana Tech
Jacquizz Rodgers (So.), Oregon State
Charles Scott (Sr.), LSU
Da'Rel Scott (Jr.), Maryland
Jake Sharp (Sr.), Kansas
>Michael Smith (Sr.), Arkansas
C.J. Spiller (Sr.), Clemson
James Starks (Sr.), Buffalo
Curtis Steele (Sr.), Memphis
Phillip Tanner (Sr.), Middle Tennessee State
Vai Taua (Jr.), Nevada
Jordan Todman (So.), Connecticut
Joseph Turner (Sr.), TCU
Brandon West (Sr.), Western Michigan