Stanford Two Sport Star Continues Impressive Haul

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)

Gerhart

The winner of the award will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 10 as part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show, which will originate from the Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney’s Boardwalk at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. and televised live nationally on ESPN beginning at 4:00 p.m. PT.

Gerhart continues to lead the Pac-10 and is ranked third nationally in rushing, averaging 139.2 yards per game. He has gone over the 100-yard mark in nine of Stanford’s 11 games this season, including each of the last five contests.

He has rushed for 200 yards twice this season, including a 200-yard effort vs. No. 24 Washington and a school-record 223-yard game vs. No. 7 Oregon.

Gerhart has hit 16 home runs with 69 RBIs in his three year career with the Cardinal baseball team.  He hit .310 with two home runs in the 2008 NCAA Tournament while helping Stanford reach the College World Series.  Gerhart has been featured in the Collegebaseball360.com Two Sport Reports this fall.

Gerhart On The Diamond

The senior from Norco, Calif. has rushed for a single-season record 23 touchdowns this season and his 39 career touchdowns rank second on Stanford’s all-time career list, one behind leader Darrin Nelson, who tallied 40 TDs during his illustrious career. Last Saturday against Cal, Gerhart tied a single-game school record by rushing for four touchdowns.

He currently ranks second in the nation this week in scoring, averaging 12.91 points a game.

The Doak Walker Award, in its 20th year, is named for SMU’s 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.

(Release & Staff Report)

STANFORD, Calif. – Toby Gerhart has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2009 Doak Walker Award, which honors the nation’s top collegiate running back.

Gerhart

He has gone over the 100-yard mark in seven of nine games this season, including a pair of 200-yard games. Last Saturday, the senior from Norco, Calif. rushed for 223 yards in Stanford’s 52-41 win over previously seventh-ranked Oregon, breaking the school’s single game rushing record.

Gerhart joins (in alphabetical order) Donald Buckram of UTEP, Jonathan Dwyer of Georgia Tech, Mark Ingram of Alabama, Dion Lewis of Pitt, Ryan Mathews of Fresno State, Jacquizz Rodgers of Oregon State, C.J. Spiller of Clemson, Ben Tate of Auburn and Ryan Williams of Virginia Tech among the semifinalists for this prestigious award.

The three finalists for the award will be named on Nov. 23 and a second vote by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will determine the recipient. The 2009 Doak Walker Award recipient will be announced live on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on Thursday, December 10.

The Award is named after three-time SMU All-American running back and 1948 Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker.

Gerhart has also started 105 games in his first three seasons for the Cardinal baseball team.  His efforts during the 2009 football season have been chronicaled in the Collegebaseball360.com “Two Sport Reports“.  We will have a new Report with updated stats for Gerhart and other two sport athletes this week.

(Press Release & Staff Reports)