Michigan State University Athletics
Kenneth Walker III, joined alongside Spartan greats Flozell Adams and Brian Hoyer, received his Walter Camp Player of the Year trophy on Saturday night in New Haven, Connecticut.
Kenneth Walker III Receives Player of the Year Trophy at Walter Camp Football Foundation Awards Gala
3/12/2022 7:41:00 PM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State All-America running back Kenneth Walker III was honored with the Walter Camp Player of the Year trophy at the annual Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) Awards Gala on Saturday night on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
Walker, who won the award in December following the completion of the regular season, became the first Spartan ever to be named the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
The award has been given by the Walter Camp Football Foundation since 1967 and is the nation's fourth-oldest college football honor.
"I want to thank God and my family, they believed in me when no one else did," said Walker upon receiving the award from host Kevin Negandhi of ESPN.
Walker posed with the trophy on stage with former Spartan greats Flozell Adams and Brian Hoyer, who were also in attendance at the WCFF Awards Gala.
Walker is only the ninth Big Ten player to be named the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the first since Troy Smith of Ohio State in 2006. He is also the first running back to win the award since Derrick Henry of Alabama in 2015. The Walter Camp Player of Year is voted on by the nation's 130 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors.
A unanimous first-team All-American who also won the Doak Walker Award, 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, who tested at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last weekend, is currently preparing for the 2022 NFL Draft.
Walker, who won the award in December following the completion of the regular season, became the first Spartan ever to be named the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
The award has been given by the Walter Camp Football Foundation since 1967 and is the nation's fourth-oldest college football honor.
"I want to thank God and my family, they believed in me when no one else did," said Walker upon receiving the award from host Kevin Negandhi of ESPN.
Walker posed with the trophy on stage with former Spartan greats Flozell Adams and Brian Hoyer, who were also in attendance at the WCFF Awards Gala.
Walker is only the ninth Big Ten player to be named the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the first since Troy Smith of Ohio State in 2006. He is also the first running back to win the award since Derrick Henry of Alabama in 2015. The Walter Camp Player of Year is voted on by the nation's 130 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors.
K9 is stylin' at the @WalterCampFF ceremony 🔥 #GoGreen https://t.co/P1o7nujfz7 pic.twitter.com/SZjJ8vCSok
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) March 12, 2022
A unanimous first-team All-American who also won the Doak Walker Award, 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, who tested at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last weekend, is currently preparing for the 2022 NFL Draft.
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