Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Football's Tony Fisher Named 2000 Doak Walker Award Candidate

Aug. 22, 2000

Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame junior tailback Tony Fisher (Euclid, Ohio) is one of 35 candidates for the 2000 Doak Walker Award presented by Vectrix. The award is given annually to the nation’s top college running back by the Southwestern Bell-SMU Athletic Forum in Dallas.

The 6-2, 225 pounder finished the 1999 season as Notre Dame’s leading rusher, running up 783 yards on 156 carries, an average of 5.0 yards a carry. Fisher also was fourth on the team in receiving, averaging 16.4 yards a reception. Fisher was a member of Football News’ all-Independent team in ’99 and was named NBC Sports/Chevrolet Notre Dame MVP for his efforts against Kansas.

The Southwestern Bell Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select eight semifinalists on November 8, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will vote on the winner in late November. The National Selection Committee consists of former All-Pro and All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.

The winner will be announced live on ESPN’s College Football Awards Show Thursday, Dec. 7. The presentation banquet will be January 31, 2001, at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas.

Last season, former Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne won the award after becoming the NCAA’s career rushing leader with 6,397 yards.

Fisher joins an impressive list of candidates from around the country including Maryland senior LaMont Jones, the nation’s leading returning rusher with 3,227 career yards, TCU senior LaDainian Tomlinson, who was tops among Division I-A runners in 1999 with 1,850 yards and Texas senior Hodges Mitchell, a 1999 Doak Walker Award finalist.

2000 Doak Walker Award Candidates

Jonathan Adams, Jr., Arkansas StateDan Alexander, Sr., NebraskaDavid Allen, Sr., Kansas StateDamien Anderson, Sr., NorthwesternLadell Betts, Sr., IowaDeon Burnett, So., Washington StateCedric Cobbs, So., ArkansasAvon Coburne, So., Iowa StateTony Fisher, Jr., Notre DameDelvon Flowers, Sr., Arizona StateTravis Henry, Sr., TennesseeJoe Igber, So., Cal-BerkeleyJames Jackson, Sr., MiamiCortlen Johnson, Jr., ColoradoLaMont Jordan, Sr., MarylandMontrell Lowe, So., PurdueDeuce McAllister, Jr., MississippiScotty McKay, Sr., Air ForceTravis Minor, Sr., Florida StateHodges Mitchell, Sr., TexasLarry Ned, Sr., San Diego StateDerrick Nix, So., Southern MississippiBrandon Payne, So., AkronRay Robinson, Jr., North Carolina StateRobert Sanford, Sr., Western MichiganKen Simonton, Jr., Oregon StateChester Taylor, Sr., ToledoAnthony Thomas, Sr., MichiganLaDainian Tomlinson, Sr., TCUCedric Washington, Boston CollegeAvion Weaver, Sr., HawaiiDeonce Whitaker, Sr., San Jose StateJa'Quay Wilburn, Sr., North TexasRicky Williams, Sr., Texas TechJamie Wilson, Sr., East Carolina