Last season we saw Montee Ball set all sorts of crazy records and rush for nearly 2,000 yards yet he couldn't win the big awards – the Doak Walker award (Nation's best Running Back) and the Heisman Trophy. Ball surprised a lot of people and returned to the Badgers for what turned out to be one interesting season.
On Thursday night he was rewarded for that decision as he was named the 2012 Doak Walker Award winner in a ceremony aired live on the four letter network. He beat out Kenjon Barner of Oregon and Jonathan Franklin of UCLA for the award.
He joins Ron Dayne as the only Badger running backs to win the Doak Walker award.
Ball has rushed for 1,730 yards, averaged 5.2 yards a carry and has 21 rushing touchdowns on the year so far. Those numbers aren't quite like last seasons, but pretty dang close in yards and average, just not TD's.
Perhaps there is a part of this award that's a career honor for Ball, but his season accomplishments can't be ignored as well. Ball owns the all-time NCAA touchdown record with 82 career TD's. He is currently tied for 4th all-time in Big Ten rushing history with 5,040 yards and should take sole possession of 4th in the Rose Bowl.
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