Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks Pair Named to Doak Walker Award Watch List

Will Oregon football have its first Doak Walker Award winner since LaMichael James? Jordan James and Noah Whittington are hoping to do just that.

Kaleb Henry

Oregon running backs Jordan James, left, and Noah Whittington work out during spring camp for the Oregon Ducks Thursday, March 14, 2024.
Oregon running backs Jordan James, left, and Noah Whittington work out during spring camp for the Oregon Ducks Thursday, March 14, 2024. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The nation's best running back could be in Eugene. But which one?

Two Oregon Ducks football running backs have been named to the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list, presented annually to the nation's most outstanding college running back. The pair of Ducks are Jordan James and Noah Whittington.

Oregon is one of 10 schools with multiple running backs on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award, which is presented by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum.

Ten semifinalists for the honor will be named in November, followed by the announcement of three finalists later that month. The recipient of the 2024 Doak Walker Award will be announced live onThe Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12, 2024.

Oregon has had six Ducks named as semifinalists or better. LaMichael James in 2010 is the only Duck to win the award.

Oregon Ducks running back LaMichael James (21) rushes against the Arizona Wildcats at Autzen Stadium.
Nov 26, 2010; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks running back LaMichael James (21) rushes against the Arizona Wildcats at Autzen Stadium. / Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan James ran for 759 yards and 11 touchdowns on 107 carries last season, playing in all 14 games. His 7.09 yards per carry led the Pac-12 and ranked 10th nationally, and his 11 rushing touchdowns tied for most on the team and third-most in the conference.

Whittington played in just the first four games last season, utilizing a medical redshirt after sustaining a season-ending injury. In those four games, he ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns on just 20 carries, adding 78 yards on 10 receptions. Back in 2022, Whittington rushed for a career-high 779 yards and five touchdowns on 139 carries while catching 22 passes for 169 yards and a score.

The Ducks open the season Aug. 31 in Autzen Stadium against Idaho.

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Kaleb Henry

KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans.He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team.

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