By Gary Lloyd
Former Clay-Chalkville running back Darrin Reaves, a rising junior at UAB, received two significant preseason honors last week.
Reaves on Thursday was announced as one of 63 running backs on the Doak Walker Award watch list for the 2013 college football season. The award is presented to the nation’s premier running back.
Reaves has also landed on the 2013 preseason Conference USA first-team offense. Reaves made the first-team offense, as selected by the conference’s 14 head coaches.
Reaves was a 2012 All Conference USA First Team selection, the Blazers’ first and only all-conference running back in school history. Reaves was named to Phil Steele’s 2013 Preseason All Conference USA team as a second-team honoree.
According to UAB Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations Norm Reilly, Reaves is the only returning NCAA running back with 1,000-plus rushing yards and 40-plus receptions during the 2012 season.
Reaves rushed for 1,037 yards and 13 touchdowns, while catching 41 passes for 302 yards and one touchdown as a sophomore last season. UAB finished the 2012 season with a 3-9 record. UAB opens the 2013 football season at Troy on Aug. 31.
Reaves played in nine games as a freshman, finishing with 372 rushing yards on 79 carries.
The 5-foot-10, 210-pound Reaves rushed for 1,223 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior at Clay-Chalkville in 2010. He caught 21 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown, and also recorded a 70-yard punt return touchdown. The Cougars that season reached the Class 6A quarterfinals, finishing with a 9-4 record.
Reaves’ father, Darrin, lettered at UAB in 1991 as a tailback, making them the first father-son legacy at UAB. Marcus Reaves, his younger brother, is also on the UAB roster as a wide receiver. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound younger brother was also a running back at Clay-Chalkville.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.