Wake Forest Athletics
Demond Claiborne Named 2024 Doak Walker Award Candidate
8/6/2024 11:53:00 AM | Football
Claiborne joins Justin Cody and Ivan Mora as Demon Deacons to make 2024 preseason watch list thus far.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest football junior running back Demond Claiborne was named as a 2024 Doak Walker Award Candidate, as announced by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum this afternoon.
Claiborne appeared in 11 games and started two during the 2023 season for the Demon Deacons. The Aylett, Virginia product finished the season with 137 rush attempts for a career-high 620 yards gained and averaged 4.28 yards-per-carry with a career-high five rushing touchdowns.
The junior led the team in rushing yards gained (620), rushing touchdowns (5), kickoff return yards (284) and kickoff return touchdowns (1) while ranking second in the ACC for kickoff return touchdowns, eighth in the ACC in all-purpose yards and seventh in the ACC in combined kick returns.
Claiborne recorded a season-high 165 yards gained on 26 carries averaging 6.35 yards-per-carry in the win against Old Dominion.
He provided a spark, returning a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown against Virginia Tech.
For the second time during his sophomore campaign, Claiborne went over the 100-yard mark, with 104 yards gained on 14 carries averaging a season-high 6.86 yards-per-carry with a season-high two rushing touchdowns against Florida State.
About the Doak Walker Award
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will also be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2024 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on December 12, 2024.
The award is named for SMU's three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. Each Tuesday of this season, The PwC SMU Athletic Forum will once again announce a Doak Walker National Running Back of the week.
About the PwC SMU Athletic Forum
Honoring the legends of sports for 35 years, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum celebrates outstanding success in athletics. Based in Dallas, the series features major figures from a variety of sports. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum includes four events and the prestigious Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet.
The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football's most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.
2024 Preseason Demon Deacons Honorees
Justin Cody - 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams Nominee and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Ivan Mora - 2024 Ray Guy Award Preseason Watchlist
Claiborne appeared in 11 games and started two during the 2023 season for the Demon Deacons. The Aylett, Virginia product finished the season with 137 rush attempts for a career-high 620 yards gained and averaged 4.28 yards-per-carry with a career-high five rushing touchdowns.
The junior led the team in rushing yards gained (620), rushing touchdowns (5), kickoff return yards (284) and kickoff return touchdowns (1) while ranking second in the ACC for kickoff return touchdowns, eighth in the ACC in all-purpose yards and seventh in the ACC in combined kick returns.
Claiborne recorded a season-high 165 yards gained on 26 carries averaging 6.35 yards-per-carry in the win against Old Dominion.
He provided a spark, returning a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown against Virginia Tech.
For the second time during his sophomore campaign, Claiborne went over the 100-yard mark, with 104 yards gained on 14 carries averaging a season-high 6.86 yards-per-carry with a season-high two rushing touchdowns against Florida State.
About the Doak Walker Award
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will also be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2024 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on December 12, 2024.
The award is named for SMU's three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. Each Tuesday of this season, The PwC SMU Athletic Forum will once again announce a Doak Walker National Running Back of the week.
About the PwC SMU Athletic Forum
Honoring the legends of sports for 35 years, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum celebrates outstanding success in athletics. Based in Dallas, the series features major figures from a variety of sports. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum includes four events and the prestigious Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet.
The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football's most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.
2024 Preseason Demon Deacons Honorees
Justin Cody - 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams Nominee and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Ivan Mora - 2024 Ray Guy Award Preseason Watchlist
Players Mentioned
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser vs. NC State
Saturday, January 31
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser at Pitt
Wednesday, January 28
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser at Duke
Saturday, January 24
Steve Forbes - Postgame Presser vs. SMU
Wednesday, January 21