Michigan State junior running back Kenneth Walker III made history Thursday night, becoming the first Spartan ever to win the prestigious Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. The nation's fourth-oldest college football honor, given by the Walter Camp Football Foundation dating back to 1967, was announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.
Walker was also named the first-ever Spartan recipient of the Doak Walker Award, which has been presented annually since 1990 to the nation's premier running back by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum.
"I'm extremely honored and grateful to be named the winner of these two prestigious awards," said Walker. "I wouldn't be here today without the love and support from my family – they have believed in me from day one. I want to thank Coach (Mel) Tucker, Coach (William) Peagler, and all of my coaches and teammates for welcoming me to Michigan State. I also want to thank all of the Spartan fans for their support. This has been a special year for me to be able to wear the Green and White and represent Michigan State."
Walker is only the ninth Big Ten player to be named the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the first since Troy Smith of Ohio State in 2006. He is also the first running back to win the award since Derrick Henry of Alabama in 2015. The Walter Camp Player of Year is voted on by the nation's 130 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors.
Walker is the ninth Big Ten running back to win the Doak Walker Award. The recipient of the Doak Walker Award is chosen by a national selection committee comprised of members of the media and former players.
Following the awards show, ESPN announced that Walker finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting, the highest finish for a Spartan since offensive tackle Tony Mandarich also placed sixth in 1988. Walker is one of nine Spartans to place in the top six of the Heisman Trophy balloting (QB Earl Morrall, fourth in 1955; HB Walt Kowalczyk, third in 1957; QB Dean Look, sixth in 1959; HB Sherman Lewis, third in 1963; QB Steve Juday, sixth in 1965; HB Clinton Jones, sixth in 1966; RB Lorenzo White, fourth in 1985 and 1987; OT Tony Mandarich, sixth in 1988).
Walker, who was also one of three finalists for the Maxwell Award and was named to the Walter Camp All-America First Team, currently ranks second in the FBS with 1,636 rushing yards (136.3 ypg). He leads the FBS in rushing yards after contact (1,168), 20-plus yard carries (21) and missed forced tackles (89), and also ranks among the nation's leaders in 10-plus yard carries (tied for second with 46), yards from scrimmage (sixth with 143.8 ypg), all-purpose yards (seventh with 143.8 ypg), total touchdowns (tied for seventh with 19), rushing touchdowns (eighth with 18) and yards per carry (14th with 6.2 avg.).
Walker was named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year last week by the conference and also became the first Spartan running back to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors since Le'Veon Bell in 2012. Walker is also the first Spartan RB to garner first-team All-America accolades since Bell (2012).
Through 12 games in the regular season, Walker has collected 1,636 rushing yards, the fourth most by a Spartan in a single season in school history. Walker was the fastest Spartan to reach 1,000 yards in a single season in terms of carries (153 carries). In addition, his 18 rushing TDs are tied for fifth most in an MSU season and his 19 overall TDs (one receiving score) are tied for fourth most.
Walker has eight 100-yard rushing games this season, including two 200-yard games (264 vs. Northwestern on Sept. 3; 172 at Miami on Sept. 18; 126 vs. Western Kentucky on Sept. 25; 233 at Rutgers on Oct. 9; 197 vs. Michigan on Oct. 30; 136 at Purdue on Nov. 6; 143 vs. Maryland on Nov. 13; 138 vs. Penn State on Nov. 27).
Following a record-breaking performance in the 37-33 win over No. 6 Michigan on Oct. 30, Walker III collected several honors, including National Offensive Player of the Week (Walter Camp Football Foundation, Maxwell Award, The Athletic) and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Walker rushed for five touchdowns, the most by any player ever against the Wolverines, and finished with a total of 197 yards on just 23 carries (8.6 avg.). His scores came on runs of 27 and 8 yards in the second quarter, 1 yard in the third quarter, and 58 and 23 yards in the fourth quarter. He also had 208 all-purpose yards (197 rushing, 11 receiving). The five TDs tied for the second most in school history (record: six by Blake Ezor vs. Northwestern in 1989; five by Javon Ringer vs. Eastern Michigan in 2008).
Walker's 94-yard touchdown run in the third quarter at Rutgers was the longest rush in the 125-year history of Michigan State football, bettering a 90-yard by Lynn Chandnois vs. Arizona in 1949. It was also the longest offensive play from scrimmage in school history, topping the 93-yard pass from Tony Banks to Nigea Carter vs. Indiana in 1994. Walker finished with 29 carries for 233 yards against the Scarlet Knights.
Walker had a record-setting debut as a Spartan, rushing for a career-high 264 yards – the seventh-highest total in school history – while scoring a career-high four touchdowns to lead the Spartans past Northwestern on Sept. 3. It marked the most rushing yards by a Spartan in a debut wearing the Green and White. Walker became just the second Spartan to record more than 250 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the same game (Eric Allen, school-record 350 yards and four TDs vs. Purdue on Oct. 30, 1971).
No. 10 Michigan State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) will play No. 12 Pittsburgh (11-2, 7-1 ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The game will be televised on ESPN as part of the New Year's Six.
