Football: Cobourne Doak Walker Semifinalist
November 20, 2002 03:46 PM | General
November 20, 2002
DALLAS -- West Virginia University running back Avon Cobourne is one of eight semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award given to the nation's top collegiate running back, it was announced Tuesday.
The 135 members of the Doak Walker Award national selection committee will cast their votes this week to determine the 2002 recipient of the award that goes to the nation's best upperclassman running back.
Three finalists will be named Dec. 2, and the award winner will be announced during the Doak Walker presentation banquet to be telecast live as part of ESPN's Home Depot college football awards show Dec. 12.
In addition to Cobourne, the other seven semifinalists are Colorado's Chris Brown, Colorado State's Cecil Sapp, Oklahoma's Quentin Griffin, Penn State's Larry Johnson, Miami's Willis McGahee, Kentucky's Artose Pinner and Northern Illinois' Michael Turner.
Cobourne ranks fourth in the nation in rushing this week with an average of 140.9 yards per game. The Cherry Hill, N.J., native is the nation's leading active career rusher with 4,738 yards and ranks 16th all-time in NCAA history.
Cobourne needs 43 yards in tonight's game against Virginia Tech to move into 15th place on the NCAA all-time rushing list, passing Nebraska's Mike Rozier with 4,780 yards from 1981-83.
He is also one of just five backs in NCAA history to have rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his four college seasons.
West Virginia battles the Hokies tonight in Blacksburg, Va., on ESPN2. Game time is 7 p.m.
