Here's your chance to help pick the nation's top collegiate running back for 1999. Until 1 p.m. ET on Dec. 1, you can cast your vote here from among a list of eight semifinal candidates for the Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award. Just make your selection in the poll on this page. Officials of the Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award will use the ESPN.com user poll results in the award balloting on Dec. 1, when the three finalists will be announced. The award will be presented at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show, to be televised live by ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. ET. Here are the semifinalists and their credentials:
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Shaun Alexander, Alabama, Senior
The all-time leading rusher in Alabama history, Alexander is the NCAA
scoring leader at 13.8 points per contest. A versatile star, he leads the
SEC in rushing yards per game (128.6) and all-purpose yards (169.8).
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Trung Canidate, Arizona, Senior
Canidate has rushed for at least 100 yards in nine straight games, a school
record. Going into Saturday's game at Arizona State, he leads the Pac-10
in rushing and ranks eighth on the conference's career rushing list.
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Ron Dayne, Wisconsin, Senior
Dayne broke the NCAA Division I-A record for career rushing yards (6,397)
while leading the Big Ten in rushing with 166.7 yards per game. He also
became one of four players in NCAA history to have four 1,000-yard seasons. |
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Thomas Jones, Virginia, Senior
Buoyed by four 200-yard rushing efforts, Jones set an ACC season record with
1,798 yards in 1999. Jones, who earned his undergraduate degree in just
three years, also became the Cavaliers' career leader with 3,998 rushing
yards.
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LaMont Jordan, Maryland, Junior
Only 90 yards shy of becoming the Terrapins' all-time leading rusher, Jordan
ran for a school-record 306 yards in the season finale. His 1,632 yards in
1999 is also a Maryland record.
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Hodges Mitchell, Texas, Junior
Mitchell has played a key role for No. 5 Texas, rushing for 1,227 yards in
1999 after playing behind Ricky Williams the last two years. His 31 catches
for 331 yards lead all Big 12 running backs.
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Travis Prentice, Miami (Ohio), Senior
The NCAA career leader with 78 touchdowns, "Touchdown" Travis lived up to
his nickname in 1999. Prentice is the all-time leading rusher in the MAC,
and his 5,599 career rushing yards represent the fifth-best total in NCAA
history.
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LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU, Junior
His 406-yard effort against Texas-El Paso set a NCAA Division I-A record and
thrust him into the national spotlight. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in
just his sixth game in 1999, reaching the number faster than any player in
TCU history. He finished the year as the NCAA rushing champion with 1,850 yards.
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