Perry Headlines List of Doak Walker Award Semifinalists
11/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
DALLAS, Texas -- The SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors has announced that senior tailback Chris Perry (Advance, N.C./Fork Union Military, Va.) of the University of Michigan football team headlines a list of eight semifinalists for the 2003 Doak Walker Award. The prestigious honor is presented annually to the "nation's premier running back for his accomplishments on the field, achievement in the classroom and citizenship in the community."
| | Perry |
Through 11 games, Perry ranks third nationally with a Big Ten Conference-leading 130.45 rushing yards per game. He has rushed 284 times for 1,435 yards and scored 15 touchdowns this season. Perry heads into Saturday's (Nov. 22) regular-season finale against Ohio State needing 65 rushing yards to become the fourth U-M tailback to reach the 1,500-yard mark in a season. Perry's 284 rushing attempts place him fourth in the nation and he ranks tied for fifth in rushing TDs.
Perry is also third on the team in receiving with 37 catches for 311 yards and two scores. He tops the Big Ten and lists seventh nationally in all-purpose yards (158.7 per game), and he leads the Wolverines and the conference in scoring at 9.3 points per game, good for 12th nationally.
Perry has been named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week a conference-leading three times this season. He has topped the 100-yard mark seven times in 2003, five at home and the past two on the road, and on 11 occasions during his career. Perry is third on Michigan's career rushing lists in attempts (757) and touchdowns, and ranks fifth on the yardage chart (3,457).
Three finalists for the Doak Walker Award will be announced on Monday, Dec. 1. The recipient of the 2003 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN's The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 11.
Media Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
