Mizzou’s Cody Schrader named finalist for Doak Walker Award
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Mizzou running back Cody Schrader is one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award, which is given to the top running back in all of college football.
The former Tiger walk-on is joined by Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon II and North Carolina's Omarion Hampton on that finalist list.
Schrader leads the Southeastern Conference in rushing by more than 30 yards per game. He has tallied 1,499 yards in 2023 on 247 carries. He will enter MU's bowl game just 105 yards shy of former Mizzou star Tyler Badie's single-season rushing record, which is 1,604 yards set in 2021.
The St. Louis-native was tabbed as the Doak Walker National Running back of the Week after his 205-yard outing against Tennessee on Nov. 11. However, he even topped that performance in the regular season finale against Arkansas on Black Friday. He totaled a career-high 217 yards and a touchdown in that game, running for 192 yards in the first half, alone.
Schrader has totaled eight 100-plus yard games in his graduate season, including two 200-plus yard games, as well. He is the nation's second leading rusher, with 13 rushing touchdowns on the season, scoring in nine-straight games to end the regular season.
The running back is the second Doak Walker finalist for Mizzou in three years, joining Badie in 2021.
Schrader is also a finalist for the Burslworth Trophy, which is given to the most outstanding former walk-on player in college football. His story has taken over the college football world, as he started his career at Division II Truman State, came on to the Tiger roster as a walk-on, earned a scholarship and used it to become the SEC's leading rusher in 2023.
The winner of the 2023 Doak Walker award will be announced during the 'The Home Depot College Football Awards,' on Dec. 8. The show starts at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
