AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn’s Jarquez Hunter, the SEC’s leading returning rusher, has been selected as a preseason candidate for the 2024 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Tuesday.
The Forum annually presents the award to the nation’s most outstanding college running back.
As a junior in 2023, Hunter gained 909 rushing yards on 159 attempts, an average of 5.7 yards per carry. In three seasons on the Plains, Hunter ranks No. 18 in program history with 2,170 rushing yards, adding 17 touchdowns, 403 career receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will also be announced in November.
The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2024 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12, 2024.
The award is named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. Each Tuesday of this season, The PwC SMU Athletic Forum will once again announce a Doak Walker National Running Back of the week.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer