Longtime broadcaster Verne Lundquist presents All-America running back Kenneth Walker III with the 2021 Doak Walker Award.
Kenneth Walker III Honored at Doak Walker Award Banquet
2/21/2022 4:17:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State All-America running back Kenneth Walker III was honored at the Doak Walker Award Banquet on Friday, Feb. 18 on the campus of SMU in Dallas, Texas.
The event, which was attended by approximately 800 guests, was run by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum and hosted by ESPN's Lee Corso, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit. The award is named after Doak Walker, a three-time All-American at SMU who won the Heisman Trophy in 1948.
Walker III was named the winner of the 2021 Doak Walker Award following the regular season, becoming the first Spartan to earn the prestigious honor, which has been given annually since 1990 to the nation's premier running back by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum. He was presented with the trophy by longtime broadcaster Verne Lundquist.
"It's a dream come true," said Walker after receiving his trophy at the ceremony. "When I was in high school, I didn't have many offers at the time. It was kind of hard, but you start getting down on yourself, not knowing if you have a college to go to. When I got to Wake Forest, I just grinded. And then when I entered the transfer portal, Coach Tuck took a chance on me. After the Northwestern game, I talked to him and I said 'thanks for taking a chance on me coach.' And I mean that. A lot of coaches overlooked me. But he was the one who took a chance on me, and that means a lot.
"When I got to (East Lansing), coach Mel Tucker and his staff made it much easier for me to get acclimated with the team. A lot of my teammates made it so much easier as well because they didn't see me as just someone who was competition, they saw me as a brother with open arms. I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates, because they made everything so much easier."
A unanimous first-team All-American who was named the Walter Camp National Player of the Year, Walker ranked second in the FBS in rushing in 2021 with 1,636 yards (136.3 ypg). Walker, who was also named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year and the AP Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Year, ranked eighth in the FBS with 18 rushing touchdowns. His 1,636 rushing yards were the fourth most by a Spartan in a single season in school history; he was the fastest Spartan to reach 1,000 yards in a single season in terms of carries (153 carries). In addition, his 18 rushing TDs tied for fifth most in an MSU season and his 19 overall TDs (one receiving score) tied for fourth most.
According to Pro Football Focus, Walker led the FBS in rushing yards after contact (1,168) and ranked second with 89 missed forced tackles; he also ranked among the FBS leaders in 20-plus yard carries (first with 21), 10-plus yard carries (tied for third with 46), yards from scrimmage (sixth with 143.8 ypg), rushing TDs (eighth with 18), carries (eighth with 263), scoring (11th with 9.5 ppg), total TDs (ninth with 19) and rushing yards per carry (15th with 6.2 avg.).
A Maxwell Award finalist who finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting, Walker had eight 100-yard rushing games, including two 200-yard games (264 vs. Northwestern on Sept. 3; 172 at Miami on Sept. 18; 126 vs. Western Kentucky on Sept. 25; 233 at Rutgers on Oct. 9; 197 vs. Michigan on Oct. 30; 136 at Purdue on Nov. 6; 143 vs. Maryland on Nov. 13; 138 vs. Penn State on Nov. 27).
Following a record-breaking performance in the 37-33 win over No. 6 Michigan on Oct. 30, Walker collected several honors, including National Offensive Player of the Week (Walter Camp Football Foundation, Maxwell Award, The Athletic) and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Walker rushed for five touchdowns, the most by any player ever against the Wolverines, and finished with a total of 197 yards on just 23 carries (8.6 avg.). His scores came on runs of 27 and 8 yards in the second quarter, 1 yard in the third quarter, and 58 and 23 yards in the fourth quarter. He also had 208 all-purpose yards (197 rushing, 11 receiving). The five TDs tied for the second most in school history (record: six by Blake Ezor vs. Northwestern in 1989; five by Javon Ringer vs. Eastern Michigan in 2008).
Walker's 94-yard touchdown run in the third quarter at Rutgers on Oct. 9 was the longest rush in the 125-year history of Michigan State football, bettering a 90-yard by Lynn Chandnois vs. Arizona in 1949. It was also the longest offensive play from scrimmage in school history, topping the 93-yard pass from Tony Banks to Nigea Carter vs. Indiana in 1994. Walker finished with 29 carries for 233 yards against the Scarlet Knights.
Walker had a record-setting debut as a Spartan, rushing for a career-high 264 yards – the seventh-highest total in school history – while scoring a career-high four touchdowns to lead the Spartans past Northwestern on Sept. 3. It marked the most rushing yards by a Spartan in a debut wearing the Green and White. Walker became just the second Spartan to record more than 250 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the same game (Eric Allen, school-record 350 yards and four TDs vs. Purdue on Oct. 30, 1971).
Walker is currently preparing for the 2022 NFL Draft and will attend the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in early March.
The event, which was attended by approximately 800 guests, was run by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum and hosted by ESPN's Lee Corso, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit. The award is named after Doak Walker, a three-time All-American at SMU who won the Heisman Trophy in 1948.
Walker III was named the winner of the 2021 Doak Walker Award following the regular season, becoming the first Spartan to earn the prestigious honor, which has been given annually since 1990 to the nation's premier running back by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum. He was presented with the trophy by longtime broadcaster Verne Lundquist.
"It's a dream come true," said Walker after receiving his trophy at the ceremony. "When I was in high school, I didn't have many offers at the time. It was kind of hard, but you start getting down on yourself, not knowing if you have a college to go to. When I got to Wake Forest, I just grinded. And then when I entered the transfer portal, Coach Tuck took a chance on me. After the Northwestern game, I talked to him and I said 'thanks for taking a chance on me coach.' And I mean that. A lot of coaches overlooked me. But he was the one who took a chance on me, and that means a lot.
"When I got to (East Lansing), coach Mel Tucker and his staff made it much easier for me to get acclimated with the team. A lot of my teammates made it so much easier as well because they didn't see me as just someone who was competition, they saw me as a brother with open arms. I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates, because they made everything so much easier."
A unanimous first-team All-American who was named the Walter Camp National Player of the Year, Walker ranked second in the FBS in rushing in 2021 with 1,636 yards (136.3 ypg). Walker, who was also named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year and the AP Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Year, ranked eighth in the FBS with 18 rushing touchdowns. His 1,636 rushing yards were the fourth most by a Spartan in a single season in school history; he was the fastest Spartan to reach 1,000 yards in a single season in terms of carries (153 carries). In addition, his 18 rushing TDs tied for fifth most in an MSU season and his 19 overall TDs (one receiving score) tied for fourth most.
According to Pro Football Focus, Walker led the FBS in rushing yards after contact (1,168) and ranked second with 89 missed forced tackles; he also ranked among the FBS leaders in 20-plus yard carries (first with 21), 10-plus yard carries (tied for third with 46), yards from scrimmage (sixth with 143.8 ypg), rushing TDs (eighth with 18), carries (eighth with 263), scoring (11th with 9.5 ppg), total TDs (ninth with 19) and rushing yards per carry (15th with 6.2 avg.).
A Maxwell Award finalist who finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting, Walker had eight 100-yard rushing games, including two 200-yard games (264 vs. Northwestern on Sept. 3; 172 at Miami on Sept. 18; 126 vs. Western Kentucky on Sept. 25; 233 at Rutgers on Oct. 9; 197 vs. Michigan on Oct. 30; 136 at Purdue on Nov. 6; 143 vs. Maryland on Nov. 13; 138 vs. Penn State on Nov. 27).
Following a record-breaking performance in the 37-33 win over No. 6 Michigan on Oct. 30, Walker collected several honors, including National Offensive Player of the Week (Walter Camp Football Foundation, Maxwell Award, The Athletic) and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Walker rushed for five touchdowns, the most by any player ever against the Wolverines, and finished with a total of 197 yards on just 23 carries (8.6 avg.). His scores came on runs of 27 and 8 yards in the second quarter, 1 yard in the third quarter, and 58 and 23 yards in the fourth quarter. He also had 208 all-purpose yards (197 rushing, 11 receiving). The five TDs tied for the second most in school history (record: six by Blake Ezor vs. Northwestern in 1989; five by Javon Ringer vs. Eastern Michigan in 2008).
Walker's 94-yard touchdown run in the third quarter at Rutgers on Oct. 9 was the longest rush in the 125-year history of Michigan State football, bettering a 90-yard by Lynn Chandnois vs. Arizona in 1949. It was also the longest offensive play from scrimmage in school history, topping the 93-yard pass from Tony Banks to Nigea Carter vs. Indiana in 1994. Walker finished with 29 carries for 233 yards against the Scarlet Knights.
Walker had a record-setting debut as a Spartan, rushing for a career-high 264 yards – the seventh-highest total in school history – while scoring a career-high four touchdowns to lead the Spartans past Northwestern on Sept. 3. It marked the most rushing yards by a Spartan in a debut wearing the Green and White. Walker became just the second Spartan to record more than 250 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the same game (Eric Allen, school-record 350 yards and four TDs vs. Purdue on Oct. 30, 1971).
Walker is currently preparing for the 2022 NFL Draft and will attend the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in early March.
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