Robert Allen - Pokes Illustrated
Hubbard Misses Out on Doak Walker, but named a Walter Camp All-American
There was plenty of build up and Chuba Hubbard and his head coach Mike Gundy were the featured interview standing up with ESPN’s sideline reporter Maria Taylor for an interview right before the Doak Walker Award was presented. It was almost like they were leading you to Hubbard’s name being called, but then after the brief video introductions to the highlights of the finalist with Hubbard followed by Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin and J.K. Dobbins of Ohio State.
Then the announcers voice simply said, "the winner of the Doak Walker Award is Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin." Taylor had one extra game in the loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship and he nearly caught Hubbard in yards with 299 carries for 1,909-yards and 21 touchdowns to pull even and second in the nation with Hubbard.
Taylor was the winner of the Doak Walker Award in 2018 as well, so he is a repeat winner.
Honestly, not being there, I’m not sure how it felt, but it felt very anticlimactic in watching it.
Hubbard wasn’t invited to New York City for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony on Saturday, so the experience in Atlanta had to serve as his postseason honors experience being a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and also for the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
The evening did have some reward for the deserving Hubbard as he was named a first-team Walter Camp All-American joining Taylor and the Walter Camp Player of the Year and LSU quarterback Joe Burrow in the backfield.
Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and Baylor defensive lineman James Lynch were the only other players from the Big 12 that made the first-team. Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks was the only second team Walter Camp All-American from the Big 12.
The running back from Canada has come from the “Great White North” and yes, Sherwood Park, which is a suburb of Edmonton, Alberta, is white during a lot of the year. He has led all the rushers in Division I college football with 1,936-yards and is tied for second with 21 touchdowns. He had four 200-yard plus games starting with 221-yards in the opener at Oregon State. His other 200-yard plus games were at Tulsa with 256-yards, 296-yards at home against nationally-ranked Kansas State, and then 223-yards against defensive guru head coach Gary Patterson and TCU. It was the first time a running back had rushed for over 200-yards against a Patterson-coached defense.
When Hubbard and his parents, along with head coach Mike Gundy and running backs coach John Wozniak and his wife, came into the College Football Hall of Game on the red carpet, they were stopped and interviewed by ESPN.
“I just want him to embrace this time,” Gundy said. “There are 27 athletes that are here. I’ve been so spoiled to be here with athletes so many years and they keep pulling me in. This is a great evening and a well representation of college football.”
Chuba was asked by Ryan McGee of ESPN about coming down from Canada and how Stillwater and Oklahoma has become special for him.
“It has become my second home,” Hubbard said. “I’ve embraced it and it is a special place for us.
“You know I’m honored and blessed to be blessed,” Hubbard continued in saying how special it was for his name to be added to the great running back legacy at Oklahoma State. “You know God put me in this particular moment at this particular place and I’m forever grateful.”
The Home Depot College Football Awards Show was also when the Walter Camp All-American Team was announced. In my opinion, the Walter Camp All-American team is the most prestigious in college football. Hubbard took home that distinction.
Hubbard already knew he had been named first-team All American by Sports Illustrated and was unanimous in earning the first-team All-American honors from CBS Sports.
