MANHATTAN, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics) – Kansas State junior Deuce Vaughn is one of 10 running backs in the country to be named a semifinalist for the 2022 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday.
It is the second-straight year that Vaughn is a semifinalist for the nation’s premier running back honor – the first time in school history a Wildcat has been named a semifinalist for the award twice in a career – while it is the fourth time a K-State running back has reached semifinalist status. He is one of three returning semifinalists on this year’s list, joining Texas’ Bijan Robinson (2021) and Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim (2020). Vaughn and Robinson were joined on the list by another Big 12 running back in TCU’s Kendre Miller.
A product of Round Rock, Texas, Vaughn currently ranks ninth in school history with 1,148 rushing yards this season as he became just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons (Darren Sproles: 2002, 2003, 2004; Daniel Thomas: 2009, 2010). He ranks 14th nationally in scrimmage yards (rushing + receiving) per game at 128.5, while he is 22nd in the country in all-purpose yards per game at 128.55.
Earlier this year, Vaughn became the fastest player in Big 12 history and tied for the fastest in the nation since 1996 with 3,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a career, doing so in his 32nd career game. He ranks second nationally among running backs with three receiving touchdowns this season, while he is fifth in catches (38) and 14th in receiving yards (266).
Finalists for the 2022 Doak Walker Award will be announced November 29, and the winner will be unveiled live on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards on December 8.
Kansas State, which checks in at No. 15 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25, hosts Kansas for the annual Dillons Sunflower Showdown on Saturday inside a sold-out Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game kicks at 7 p.m., and will be shown on FOX.
