KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas State’s Deuce Vaughn and Missouri’s Tyler Badie are among 10 semifinalists for the 2021 Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to the top running back in college football.
Vaughn, a sophomore from Round Rock, Texas, is one of four Big 12 running backs to make the semifinalist cut, while Badie, a senior from New Orleans, is the only Southeastern Conference running back on the list.
Vaughn is the first semifinalist for the Wildcats since Daniel Thomas in 2010, according to K-State athletics.
Olathe North legend Darren Sproles was a finalist for the 2003 Doak Walker Award.
Henry Josey was a semifinalist for the Tigers in 2011.
Iowa State’s Breece Hall, Texas’ Bijan Robinson, Baylor’s Abram Smith, BYU’s Tyler Allgeier, Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, Texas-San Antonio’s Sincere McCormick, Syracuse’s Sean Tucker and Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III are the other semifinalists, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Wednesday.
Vaughn leads K-State with 975 yards and 13 touchdowns on 179 carries this season. He’s also recorded 40 catches for 427 yards and three touchdowns receiving for the Wildcats, who are 7-3 and have won four straight games since starting Big 12 play 0-3.
Vaughn is the only player in the country with more than 900 yards rushing and 400 yards receiving this season. He ranks eighth nationally with 141 yards from scrimmage per game.
Kansas State hosts No. 11 Baylor at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, hoping to keep slim hopes for a Big 12 Championship Game berth alive.
Badie leads the SEC and ranks fourth in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 1,297 yards rushing this season. He has 12 touchdowns and has added 50 catches for 337 yards with four more touchdowns receiving.
Three finalists for the award will be announced Tuesday, Nov. 23, with the award to be presented during the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 9, on ESPN.
