FSU Athletic Communications
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State running backs Cam Akers and Jacques Patrick were both included on the Doak Walker Award Watch List Wednesday, given to the nation’s top running back. Akers was previously named to the Maxwell Award Watch List given to the nation’s top player.
On Tuesday, defensive lineman Fredrick Jones was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Watch List, given to the players across the country that exhibit a strong drive toward community service.
Akers rushed for 1,024 yards in 2017 to break Florida State’s freshman rushing record previously held by Dalvin Cook and post the ninth-best single-season rushing total in program history. Akers was named third-team All-ACC after his true freshman campaign, which saw him average 5.3 yards per carry with seven touchdowns and grab 16 receptions for 116 yards and one score. The Clinton, Mississippi, native posted four 100-yard rushing games, including a 199-yard, two-touchdown performance in a victory over Syracuse. His 199 yards were the second-highest single-game rushing total by an FSU freshman and ranked 14th on the program’s all-time single-game performance list.
Patrick is on the preseason Doak Walker Award Watch List for the second straight season. Last year he appeared in 11 games, missing two contests due to injury, with nine starts and rushed for 748 yards and seven touchdowns on 134 carries. The Orlando native’s average of 5.6 yards per rush ranked sixth in the ACC among rushers with at least 100 carries. In Florida State’s home finale, he rushed for a season-high 155 yards and two touchdowns to help the Seminoles defeat ULM and earn bowl eligibility for the 36th straight season. He added another 100-yard rushing effort at Wake Forest, totaling 120 yards, including a career-long 69-yard rush, and one touchdown in FSU’s 26-19 victory.
The Doak Walker Award is presented by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum in honor of former SMU running back Doak Walker. Ten semifinalists will be trimmed to three finalists in late November, and the award will be presented on December 6 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.
Jones, a redshirt senior defensive tackle from Miami, notched 18 tackles (2.0 for loss) and half a sack over 13 games in 2017. Senior center Alec Eberle (2016) and former tight end Mavin Saunders (2017) were named to the Good Works Team each of the past two seasons.
2018 Watch Lists
Bednarik Award (Defensive POY) – Brian Burns
Maxwell Award (Player of the Year) – Cam Akers & Deondre Francois
Doak Walker (Running Back) – Cam Akers & Jacques Patrick
Good Works Team – Fredrick Jones
July 19 – Biletnikoff (Wide Receiver)
July 20 – Mackey (Tight End) & Rimington (Center)
July 23 – Thorpe (Defensive Back) & Butkus (Linebacker)
July 24 – Outland (Lineman) & Nagurski (Defensive POY)
July 25 – Groza (Kicker) & Ray Guy (Punter)
July 26 – Hornung (Versatile) & Wuerffel (Community Service)
July 27 – Walter Camp (Player of the Year)
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