Aug. 31, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Aug. 28, 2008
LANE & GOODSON AMONG 2008 DOAK WALKER CANDIDATES
DALLAS, Texas--The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum announced today candidates for the 2008 Doak Walker Award. The award is presented annually to the nation's top college running back.
Of the 43 players nominated by their respective universities, Texas A&M has two players on the list with senior Jorvorskie Lane from Lufkin, Texas, as well as junior Mike Goodson from Klein, Texas.
Lane needs one touchdown to set the career touchdown mark in Texas A&M history. The 6-0, 270-pound fullback has 45 total touchdowns with 44 coming on the ground. The 44 career rushing touchdowns ties Darren Lewis (1987-90) and Rodney Thomas (1991-94) and the 45 overall TDs also ties the running back duo of Lewis and Thomas.
Goodson, a 6-0, 196-pound tailback, has big play capability and has averaged 5.6 yards per carry and has caught 53 passes in two years with an average of 8.9 yards per play in the passing game.
The Guaranty Bank SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on Nov. 10 and the Doak Walker National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on Nov. 24. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on Dec. 1 to determine the recipient of the award. The committee is comprised of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.
The 2008 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 11. The Doak Walker Award presentation will be held at The Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Feb. 6, 2009.
The complete list of candidates follows:
| Tarrion Adams (Sr.), Tulsa | Ian Johnson (Sr.), Boise State |
| Reggie Arnold (Jr.), Arkansas State | Eric Kettani (Sr.), Naval Academy |
| Andre Brown (Sr.), North Carolina State | Jorvorskie Lane (Sr.,), Texas A&M |
| Donald Brown (Jr.), Connecticut | Luke Lippincott (Sr.), Nevada |
| Donald Buckram (So.), UTEP | Greg Little (So.), North Carolina |
| James Davis (Sr.), Clemson | Marlon Lucky (Sr.), Nebraska |
| Mike Davis (Sr.), South Carolina | Darrell Mack (Sr.), Utah |
| Marc Dellins (Sr.), UCLA | DeMyron Martin (Sr.), SMU |
| Andre Dixon (Jr.), Connecticut | LeSean McCoy (So.), Pittsburgh |
| Anthony Dixon (Jr.), Mississippi State | Knowshon Moreno (So.), Georgia |
| Jonathan Dwyer (So.), Georgia Tech | DeMarco Murray (So.), Oklahoma |
| Jamelle Eugene (Jr.), North Carolina State | Javon Ringer (Sr.), Michigan State |
| Tyrell Fenroy (Sr.), Louisiana Lafayette | Kory Sheets (Sr.), Purdue |
| Rodney Ferguson (Sr.), New Mexico | Michael Smith (Jr.), Arkansas |
| Damion Fletcher (Jr.), Southern Mississippi | C.J. Spiller (Jr.), Clemson |
| Arian Foster (Sr.), Tennessee | James Starks (Jr.), Buffalo |
| Mike Goodson (Jr.), Texas A&M | Frank Summers (Sr.), UNLV |
| Keegan Herring (Sr.), Arizona State | Tyrell Sutton (Sr.), Northwestern |
| P.J. Hill (Jr.), Wisconsin | Joseph Turner (Jr.), TCU |
| Deonte Jackson (So.), Idaho | Harvey Unga (So.), BYU |
| Terrell Jackson (Sr.), UTEP | Chris Wells (Jr.), Ohio State |
| Eugene Jarvis (Jr.), Kent State | Â |
Texas A&M opens the 2008 season on Saturday at Kyle Field against the Arkansas State Red Wolves with kick at 6 p.m. central.