DALLAS - The PwC SMU Athletic Forum released the preseason candidates for the 2024 Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation's most outstanding college running back. Fresno State senior running back Malik Sherrod was one of 87 athletes on the initial list.
Sherrod was Fresno State's starting running back in nine of 12 games played in 2023. In his first year with the starting role, Sherrod battled injuries throughout the year but was able to produce with a single-season career-high 172 carries for 966 yards and nine touchdowns. He had four 100-yard rushing performances in 2023. He ranked fourth in the Mountain West in total yards rushing, and has the second-most rushing yards among returning backs in the conference.
In his career, he has totaled 1,438 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns. Sherrod joined the program in 2020 and sat behind two of the program's best running backs in Ronnie Rivers and Jordan Mims for three years. The 2023 season was his first as the feature back, and 2024 is primed for a higher ceiling for the native of Oxnard, Calif.
An All-Mountain West honorable mention selection in 2023, Sherrod has already earned preseason recognition heading into 2024 as he was a preseason All-Mountain West honoree, selected by the league's media. He was also added to the Paul Hornung Award preseason watch list last week, the award recognizing college football's most versatile player.
Sherrod is one of seven Mountain West running backs on the preseason watch list. The FWAA preseason award watch lists will be announced over a 12-day period which began on Monday, July 29. More information available here.
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 December 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.