Sneed Named Candidate for Doak Walker Award

MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University junior running back Ontario Sneed of Clinton (Ill.) High School has been named a preseason candidate for the Doak Walker Award.

Ontario Sneed is one of 51 players nationwide on the preseason watch list for the award, presented annually to the top running back in college football. The 2006 recipient was Darren McFadden, who returns to Arkansas for his junior season in 2007.

Sneed, who has led CMU in rushing each of the last two seasons, enters his junior campaign with 1,829 career rushing yards. His 103 career receptions already rank seventh in school history; he set a CMU running back record with 51 catches as a freshman, then broke that mark with 52 catches last season.

In 2006, Sneed posted team highs of 764 rushing yards and seven touchdown receptions. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry and scored on a 96-yard touchdown run in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game.

Semifinalists for the Walker Award will be announced Nov. 12, and finalists will be announced Nov. 19. The recipient of the 2007 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN along with other NCFAA member awards on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 6. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at The Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, February 15, 2008.

Central Michigan opens the 2007 season at Kansas on Saturday night.