Thomas Jones Named Finalist For 1999 Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award
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Dec. 1, 1999
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — University of Virginia tailback Thomas Jones is one ofthree finalists announced by the Southwestern BellSMU Athletic Forum Boardof Directors today for the 1999 Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award. Jones isjoined by Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne and Shaun Alexander from Alabama.
“Not only are Shaun Alexander, Ron Dayne and Thomas Jones excellent runningbacks, they are outstanding young men,” said Jim Turner, chief executiveofficer of the Dr Pepper Bottling Company of Texas. “All three of ourfinalists have represented their schools well both on and off the field andembody the spirit of the Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award.”
As the three finalists, Jones, Dayne and Alexander will be flown toOrlando, Fla., next week for ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards Showon Dec. 9. The winner of the 1999 Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award will beannounced live on the show, which will air on ESPN at 5:00 p.m. (EST) andwill be rebroadcast on ESPN2 at 8:30 p.m. (EST).
“Over the years, some things about the game have changed, but the award isstill presented to people who are in the same mold as Doak,” said GregLewis, the inaugural winner of the Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award in 1990 andmember of the National Selection Committee.
The award will officially be presented at the 10th anniversary Dr PepperDoak Walker Award Presentation Banquet on Monday, January 24, 2000 inDallas.
This continues what has been a very rewarding postseason for Jones. UVa’sall-time leading rusher has been named first-team All-American by theFootball Writers Association of America, Football News magazine, the WalterCamp Foundation.
Jones is third nationally this season in both rushing and all-purposeyards. He set ACC and school records with 1798 yards rushing (163.5 ypg)and 2054 all-purpose yards (186.7 ypg). Jones if Virginia’s all-timeleading rusher and ranks fourth in ACC history. This season he became thefirst player in more than a decade to lead the ACC in rushing two seasonsin a row.
The Cavaliers, 7-4 overall this season, are set to face Illinois (7-4) inthe Micronpc.com Bowl at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Fla., on Dec. 30 at7:00 p.m.