STARKVILLE — Mississippi State University running back LaDarius Perkins was added to the Doak Walker Award watch list, the selection committee announced Tuesday.
The award was created in 1989 and named after the 1948 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL Hall of Famer.
“You just can’t be complacent with what you do, and I know I have to get better everyday with my fundamentals,” Perkins said. “Everything has slowed down for me on the field since I’ve being playing for four years. Everything is just coming so much easy for me.”
Perkins is one of six running backs in the Football Bowl Subdivision to have rushed for a touchdown in each of his first four games this season. The junior is third in the Southeastern Conference in rushing (389 yards) and all-purpose yards (487). He is tied for sixth in scoring touchdowns (7.5 per game).
The Greenville native’s career-high 179 rushing yards in a 30-24 victory at Troy University is the SEC’s single-game rushing high this season. To escape with its 13th consecutive non-conference victory,
MSU had to rely on Perkins’ ability to run between the tackles. He hadn’t eclipsed the 100-yard mark since 2010, and reached his career-high on 23 carries.
Semifinalists will be named Nov. 9, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced Nov. 19. The committee will cast a second vote beginning Nov. 26 to determine the recipient.
The National Selection Committee is made up of former NFL All-Pros and college All-America running backs, media members, and selected special representatives.
“It’s a great honor, but I need to put this to the side and concentrate on this team keeping on the winning track,” Perkins said. “The most important thing is make sure this whole team doesn’t lose, no matter what any of us do individually.”
The recipient of the 2012 Doak Walker Award will be announced live Dec. 6 on The Home Depot College Football Awards. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be made next February in Dallas.
Mullen on 4-0 start: “It was expected”
The fact that MSU hasn’t started 4-0 in a season since 1999 is irrelevant to MSU coach Dan Mullen.
With No. 21 MSU (4-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) enjoying a bye week, Mullen has done some promotional speaking stops around the state the past couple of days to get a look at the excitement building around his program.
“It’s almost like this was expected,” Mullen said. “I would’ve said four years ago, if we’d have started 4-0 then the feeling would be a lot different than starting 4-0 right now. … This is where I planned us to be. I was planning on being 4-0, and the fan base of our people are a similar way.”
MSU’s six-game winning streak ties the 2010 mark for the longest overall winning streak since winning the first eight games of the 1999 season. The 53 points MSU has allowed is the lowest total allowed through the first four games of a season since the 1999 team surrendered 28 points.
“We’ve put ourselves in a position to take that step,” Mullen said. “We’ve got an opportunity with a lot of football left to be played. Now, people aren’t going to let us just take it. We’re going to fight for it.”
Smith’s health is a “play-it-by-ear” approach
MSU offensive guard Tobias Smith continues to recover from a severe knee injury.
The senior from Columbus didn’t play against Troy University and the University of South Alabama.
Justin Malone, who played for Smith in stretches of the first two games, started at right guard in the past two games.
Mullen said MSU will continue to “play it by ear” with Smith.
“The original script was to get him to play in the Auburn game, let’s see how he does after that game,” Mullen said. “He was sore, then we decided to rest him a little bit more because that was probably a little soon to bring him back. I’d like to see if he could go multiple weeks in a row, and we give him a little bit of rest.”
Smith has been limited in fall camp because of multiple ankle surgeries and his rehabilitation from knee injury.
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