Whaley, Hayden on preseason list for Doak Walker Award

DALLAS — The PwC SMU Athletic Forum released Wednesday the preseason candidates for the 2018 Doak Walker Award.

The Forum annually presents the award to the nation’s top college running back.

Arkansas running backs Devwah Whaley and Chase Hayden are among 62 running backs on this year’s preseason list, making the Razorbacks one of just three programs with a pair of players featured on the list.

Whaley, a junior, started 11 of 12 games played last season. He finished as the team’s second leading rusher with 559 yards and seven touchdowns on 127 carries and caught eight passes for 56 yards and a score.

A native of Beaumont, Texas, Whaley scored a touchdown rushing or receiving in each of the last six regular season games.

Hayden will enter his sophomore season after rushing for 326 yards and four touchdowns on 61 attempts in seven games played in 2017.

He became one of only three Arkansas true freshmen to rush for 100 yards or more in his Razorback debut when he tallied a game-high 120 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries in last year’s season opener.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced on Nov. 20.

The committee will cast a second vote beginning Nov. 26 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 2018 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 6 on ESPN.

The award, which will name its 29th recipient in 2018, is named for 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.