Sophomore running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price have both been selected as candidates for the 2024 Doak Walker Award, which annually honors the nation’s most outstanding running back.
The first Irish player to finish as a finalist for the Doak Walker Award was tailback Reggie Brooks in 1992.
Love rushed for 385 yards on 71 carries as a true freshman in 2023, seeing at least three carries in all 13 games in 2023. He broke off two 30-yard runs, including a 36-yard scoring jaunt against Tennessee State, and is poised to be one of Notre Dame’s top rushing threats for the 2024 season. Love finished 2023 with two touchdowns, one receiving and one rushing, also adding eight receptions for 77 yards and two kickoff returns for a total of 42 yards.
Price was sidelined for his true freshman campaign in 2022 with an injury, and made his debut with a touchdown run on his first-career carry. He also broke a 99-yard kickoff return against No. 10 Southern Cal on his fifth-career return opportunity. Price capped the season by leading the Irish in rushing with 106 yards on 13 carries with one touchdown in the 40-8 Sun Bowl victory over No. 21 Oregon State. Price completed 2023 with 47 carries for 272 yards (5.8 yards/carry) and three touchdowns, five receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown, and 10 kickoff returns for 344 yards and a touchdown.
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.