DALLAS – Georgia Southern senior running backs Wesley Kennedy III and J.D. King have been named candidates for the 2020 Doak Walker Award, it was announced today by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum. The award is given to the nation's best running back, and Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin won it in 2019.

Kennedy III (Savannah, Ga.) led the squad with 824 rushing yards also led the team in all-purpose yards with 1,199 last year. He scored 12 total touchdowns, 11 via rush and one via punt return and also had 10 catches for 92 yards, earning honorable mention honors from the Sun Belt Conference. He enters his final season with 1,427 career rushing yards after starting his career as a slot receiver.

King (Fitzgerald, Ga.) also earned honorable mention honors from the Sun Belt last year. The Oklahoma State transfer carried the ball 185 times for 804 yards and eight touchdowns and also had two catches for 14 yards. He enters his senior year with 1,426 career rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
 
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.

The recipient of the 2020 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards.

The award 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.