Desmond Reid added to Doak Walker Award watch list
Pitt has had some excellent running backs over the years, but perhaps surprisingly, a Panther has never won the Doak Walker Award. Desmond Reid is looking to change that.
The Doak Walker Award is given annually to the top running back in college football, and Reid has been named to the watch list by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum. It’s no surprise coming off an All-American campaign for the Panthers.
Reid – a 5-foot-8, 175-pound running back from Miami Gardens, Fla. – did a lot of everything for Pitt last season, and he’s looking forward to doing it again this season. He’s said this offseason that he wants to do whatever he can to help the team win.
He was dynamic with the ball in his hands, racking up 966 yards (5.3 yards per carry) on the ground and 580 yards (11.1 yards per reception) through the air. And that’s with time missed due to injury and load management. If Reid was moving, Pitt was moving.
Reid did it all for Pitt. He was the first player since former Stanford star Christian McCaffery in 2015 to have three games of at least 50 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in a season. His 154.9 all-purpose yards per game ranked sixth in college football.
It’s hard to overstate just how good Reid was last season – and how impactful he was across all phases. His 52 receptions tied the team lead with Konata Mumpfield (he was one of the best receiving backs in all of college football), and if the Panthers needed a play, he was often there. Pitt will need him to be there once again this season.
The Doak Walker Award, named in honor of SMU legend and three-time All-American Doak Walker. Ten semifinalists will be named in November, followed by three finalists later that month. The winner will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12.
