Spiller One of 10 Semifinalists for Doak Walker Award

Nov. 12, 2009

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson running back C.J. Spiller is one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award. The announcement was made Thursday morning by the Guaranty Banks SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors of Dallas, TX. The award goes each year to the top running back in the nation and is selected by a national committee of 130 members.

The three finalists will be announced on Monday, November 23 and the recipient will be announced December 10 at the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards show in Orlando, FL.

Spiller is the first Clemson running back to make the semifinal list for the Doak Walker Award since James Davis in 2006.

Spiller is one of three ACC players on the list. He is joined by Jonathan Dwyer of Georgia Tech and Ryan Williams of Virginia Tech. Other semifinalists include Donald Buckram of UTEP, Toby Gerhart of Stanford, Dion Lewis of Pittsburgh, Ryan Mathews of Fresno State, Jacquizz Rodgers of Oregon State, and Ben Tate of Auburn.

Spiller ranks fourth in the nation in all-purpose running this year with an average of 199.3 yards per game. He is the only player in the nation (FBS Division) with two 300-yard all-purpose running games. He had a Clemson record 310 all-purpose yards in Clemson’s win at 8th ranked Miami and was named the National Offensive Player of the Week by the Walter Camp Foundation. Two weeks later he broke that record with 312 yards in the win over Florida State.

Spiller has 20 career touchdowns of 50 yards or more, including eight this season. He has had a play of at least 58 yards in eight of the nine games this season. The native of Lake Butler, FL owns 24 Clemson records, including the ACC mark for career all-purpose running with 6702 yards. He needs just 298 yards to become the fifth player in NCAA history to reach 7000 yards for a career.

2009 Doak Walker Award Semifinalists Donald Buckram – Jr., UTEP Jonathan Dwyer – Jr., Georgia Tech Toby Gerhart – Sr., Stanford Mark Ingram – So., Alabama Dion Lewis – Fr., Pittsburgh Ryan Mathews – Jr., Fresno State Jacquizz Rodgers – So., Oregon StateC.J. Spiller – Sr., Clemson Ben Tate – Sr., Auburn Ryan Williams – Fr., Virginia Tech