PROVO, Utah-Wednesday, BYU senior tailback Squally Canada was named to the 2018 Doak Walker Award presentation watch list by the PWC SMU Athletic Forum.
The award is named after former SMU and Detroit Lions star tailback Doak Walker and is annually presented to the top tailback in college football.
Canada, a Milpitas, Calif. product, was the Cougars’ leading rusher last season, amassing 710 yards and six touchdowns in 2017.
This included a 213-yard performance in a 31-10 win over UNLV November 10, 2017. His 213 yards are the 10th most in a game in program history.
Former BYU star tailback Luke Staley won this award in 2001 after running for 1,582 yards and amassing 28 total touchdowns.
Oddly enough, the Cougars’ defense will face seven different Walker award preseason candidates this season.
These include Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, J.J. Taylor of Arizona, Patrick Laird of California, Washington’s Myles Gaskin, Alexander Mattison of Boise State, UMASS’s Marquis Young and Zack Moss of Utah.
University athletic departments nominate candidates for the award and can continue to do so through October.
The PWC SMU’s Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November and three finalists will be announced November 20.
As of November 26, the committee will cast a second vote, determining the recipient.
This award is special as it is the only major one requiring all candidates to be in good academic standing and be on schedule to graduate within one year of students of the same classification.
