Tony Jones Jr. And Jafar Armstrong Named To Doak Walker Watch List
Notre Dame had a pair of veteran runners named to the preseason Doak Walker Award Watch List. Senior Tony Jones Jr. and junior Jafar Armstrong were both named to the watch list for the award that goes annually to the nation's top running back.
Jones returns for his senior season with 624 career rushing yards and six touchdowns to go with 12 career receptions for 169 yards and a score. He has been a key reserve the last two seasons, but Jones is expected to take on a bigger role this fall.
With Dexter Williams suspended for the first four games, Jones stepped into the spotlight and performed admirably, rushing for 263 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and three touchdowns while catching four passes for 88 yards. Jones rushed for 117 yards in Notre Dame's victory over Vanderbilt.
That production had Jones on pace for 1,141 yards of offense.
Armstrong moved to running back prior to last season after beginning his career at wide receiver. Despite missing time with a knee injury, Armstrong rushed for 383 yards and seven touchdowns while hauling in 14 passes for 159 yards in the pass game.
Armstrong was on pace for 1,079 yards of offense and 16 touchdowns after the first four games, which was prior to the return of Williams and before his knee infection that cost him three games.
Notre Dame is one of eight teams with two running backs on the list, which contains 72 players.
The award began in 1990, and no Notre Dame back has ever won it.
Six Notre Dame opponents were also put on the watch list: Duke running backs Deon Jackson and Brittain Brown, Boston College's AJ Dillon, USC's Vavae Malepeai, Stanford's Cameron Scarlett and Georgia's D'Andre Swift.
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