Boston College Athletics
Hilliman Named to Doak Walker Award Watch List
July 16, 2015 | Football
Chestnut Hill, Mass. – Boston College sophomore running back Jon Hilliman was named to the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced on Thursday. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top running back.
Hilliman returns as the Eagles’ top scorer, notching 13 rushing touchdowns in his freshman campaign. He earned all-Atlantic Coast Conference third-team honors and was named the ECAC Co-Rookie of the Year. The Plainfield, N.J., native broke BC’s rookie record for rushing attempts with 210 and tied for ninth in BC single-season record books for rushing touchdowns. He ranked third in the conference for rush attempts, tied for fourth with 6.0 points per game and was eighth with 860 total rushing yards.
Hilliman was an integral part of the BC rushing unit that ranked 14th in the nation and second in the ACC with 254.7 yards per game and put up the most rushing yards in BC history with 3,311 total yards. He was the first BC true freshman to record two rushing touchdowns in a game since 2008, notching two in five games – including three in a row – and he scored at least one TD in eight games of his 13 games played. He also recorded three 100-yard games and seven games of 70 yards or more.
Hilliam was also named to the Maxwell Award preseason watch list earlier in the month. The Maxwell Award is given to the College Player of the Year.
Andre Williams won the award in 2013 becoming the first play from the Atlantic Coast Conference to take home the prestigious honors.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists on Nov. 18, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the three finalists, who will be announced on Nov. 24. The committee will cast a second vote beginning Nov. 30 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 2015 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 10 on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held in Dallas in early 2016. The award, which will name its 26th recipient in 2015, 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.
Hilliman is one five ACC football players named to the watch list.
