Stanford Two Sport Star Continues Impressive Haul
ORLANDO, Fla.– Stanford running back Toby Gerhart was named the 2009 Doak Walker Award winner following a record-breaking senior season.
Gerhart was presented the award by 1976 Heisman Trophy candidate Tony Dorsett as a part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show, beating out fellow finalists Mark Ingram of Alabama and C.J. Spiller of Clemson. He is
Doak Walker Award winner Toby Gerhart
the first award winner for the Doak Walker Award from Stanford.
Gerhart is also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, which will be announced Saturday night in New York.
“It’s been remarkable, going from being 1-11 and football not being fun to now,” said Gerhart to ESPN’s Chris Fowler after receiving the award. “I give credit to Coach Harbaugh and the Stanford football players for turning it around.”
Gerhart enters the New Year’s Eve Brut Sun Bowl against Oklahoma as the nation’s leader in touchdowns (26) and total net rushing yards (1,736). His 144.7 yards per game average ranks second in the nation. Gerhart has broken the school record for rushing yards in back-to-back years, and has set a new standard for rushing touchdowns both at Stanford and in the Pac-10, with 26. His 41 career touchdowns are also a school record, while his 3,387 yards are second all-time.
Gerhart was also recently named a Walter Camp Foundation First Team All-American and the 2009 Pac 10 conference Player of the Year.
The Doak Walker Award was created in 1989 to recognize the nation’s premier running back for his accomplishments on the field, achievement in the classroom and citizenship in the community. It is the only major collegiate football 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.
The award is named after Doak Walker, a versatile three-time All-American, who also punted, returned punts and kickoffs, and kicked extra points at Southern Methodist. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1949 and went onto a six-year career with the Detroit Lions. He is also a member of the College and NFL Halls of Fame.
Gerhart has also been a member of the Stanford baseball team for the past three seasons. He helped the Cardinal earn a berth in the 2008 College World Series. Collegebaseball360.com has followed Gerhart and other two sport athletes throughout the fall in the Two Sport Reports.
(Release)