White, Donaldson Listed as Doak Walker Award Candidates

The Mountaineers' dynamic duo CJ Donaldson and Jahiem White are named to the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list

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West Virginia University running backs CJ Donaldson and Jahiem White were selected to the 2024 Doak Walker Award preseason watch list Tuesday afternoon.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum presents the award to the nation’s most outstanding college running back.

White led all freshman last season with 842 yards and four touchdowns, highlighted by a 204-yard outburst against Cincinnati, and caught five passes for 125 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 75-yard touchdown reception against the Bearcats. Most of White’s production came in the back half of the season, rushing for 572 rushing yards in the last five games. He averaged 7.7 yards per carry last season.

Donaldson pounded the opposition for 798 yards and 11 touchdowns a season ago, while also catching nine passes for 59 yards as a sophomore. He also exceeded his career-high of 106 yards in the win 33-10 at Virginia Tech in ’22 with 121 yards at UCF last season.

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.