Notre Dame RB Audric Estime Named To The Doak Walker Award Watch List

Notre Dame junior running back Audric Estime was named to the 2023 Doak Walker Award watch list

Notre Dame junior running back Audric Estime has been very open about his desire to win the Doak Walker Award, which goes annually to the nation's top running back. Heading into the 2023 season, Estime has been named to the watch list for that award.

Estime first tweeted about winning the award following his freshman season, a year in which he had just seven carries. As a sophomore, Estime had a bit of a breakout season, leading the Fighting Irish offense with 920 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also hauled in nine passes for 135 yards and another score.

Like the rest of the offense, Estime got off to a bit of a slow start last season, rushing for just 130 yards on 37 carries in the first three games (3.5 YPC). Over the final 10 games, Estime averaged an impressive 6.6 yards per carry while racking up three games with over 100 rushing yards, and six games with over 100 total yards (rushing and receiving).

The New Jersey native split carries with classmate Logan Diggs last season, but he has since transferred to LSU. Estime will likely get a big chunk of the 165 carries that Diggs had last season. If he can continue his impressive per carry average from the final 10 games, Estime will be poised to emerge as one of the nation's top running backs. He should also be aided by an improved pass attack thanks to the arrival of transfer quarterback Sam Hartman.

Notre Dame will face six other running backs that were on the Doak Walker Watch List with Estime. Ohio State backs TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, Pitt running back Rodney Hammond, USC running back Austin Jones, Clemson running back Will Shipley and Stanford running back EJ Smith were all on the watch list.

Notre Dame has never had a running back win the Doak Walker Award.

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