Duke running back Nate Sheppard burst onto the national stage in his first game of the season, as he was named the Doak Walker Running Back of the Week for Week 1.
The Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation's top running back, releases a list of preseason candidates ahead of each season. Sixty-two running backs made that preseason list, including 12 players representing 10 programs across the Atlantic Coast Conference. Sheppard was not among them.
His absence seemed like a snub to Duke football and the Louisiana native, who appeared to acknowledge the decision in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
— Nate Sheppard (@NateShep20) August 18, 2026
Week 1 gave Sheppard a chance to make his case as he and the Blue Devils faced the Tulane Green Wave. He would rush
for 227 yards, the fifth-most rushing yards in a single game in program history, and two touchdowns, earning ACC Running Back of the Week honors.
😈 32 carries
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 6, 2026
😈 227 Rush Yds
😈 2 TD
Nate Sheppard ran all over Tulane 😤 @DukeFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/le3g9hJPxJ
Dating back to last season, Sheppard has found the end zone at least once in each of his last four games, scoring six total touchdowns in that time. Coming off a 1,000-yard-plus rushing and double-digit touchdown-scoring season with a performance of this magnitude, Sheppard is establishing himself as a star in the ACC.
Sheppard's performance was more than a standout game; it was a statement that he’s ready and able to carry Duke’s offense and be one of the premier players at his position in college football.
The Blue Devils' success this season will be predicated on the performance of their defense and running game. Sheppard making this kind of impact is an encouraging start, but the team faces an uphill battle after losing a talented crop of players, including some of its most important contributors to ACC rivals.
Sheppard led his team to victory in Week 1, with support from a stout Blue Devils defense. Week 2 in Illinois is expected to bring a far more difficult challenge, and how Sheppard and the team respond will be important to note.
Still, earning Doak Walker Running Back of the Week honors after being left off the preseason candidate list likely made Week 1 even more special for Sheppard.
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Duke’s Nate Sheppard named Doak Walker Running Back of the Week
