For the 2nd straight season Montee Ball has been named a Doak Walker Award semifinalist, according to a press release from the athletic department. He was one of three finalists for the award last season that went to Trent Richardson.
Ball joins Ron Dayne as the only Badgers to be named semifinalists for more than one season. Dayne won the award in 1999 after being named a semifinalist in 1998. So far this season Ball has 1,028 yards rushing and 13 rushing TD's while averaging 133.6 yards a game in Big Ten conference play. He is 4th in the Big Ten in total rushing yards behind Le'Veon Bell of Michigan State, Braxton Miller of Ohio State, and Venric Mark of Northwestern. However, he ranks 2nd in total TD's in the conference and is just 1TD shy of the league lead.
If Ball reaches the 18 touchdown mark he will own the all-time TD record in FBS history.
The Doak Walker Award is given out annually to the best running back in the country and today the list was narrowed down to the 10 semifinalists. Joining Ball on the list from the Big Ten is Le'Veon Bell of Michigan State and Venric Mark of Northwestern.
Here is the full list:
Montee Ball (Sr.) Wisconsin
Kenjon Barner (Sr.) Oregon
Le’Veon Bell (Jr.) Michigan State
Giovani Bernard (So.) North Carolina
David Fluellen (Jr.) Toledo
Johnathan Franklin (Sr.) UCLA
Stefphon Jefferson (Jr.) Nevada
Venric Mark (Jr.) Northwestern
Joseph Randle (Jr.) Oklahoma State
Stepfan Taylor (Sr.) Stanford
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