Kansas Athletics
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas' Daniel Hishaw Jr., and Leshon Williams were named to the Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch list, the PWC SMU Athletic Forum announced on Tuesday.
Hishaw and Williams were among the 103 players named to the Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List, which is awarded to the nation's most outstanding running back.
Hishaw, a redshirt senior from Moore, Oklahoma, has rushed for 1,490 career rushing yards on 282 carries for 18 touchdowns. Hishaw had a career season in 2023, rushing 121 times for 626 yards and 8 touchdowns and was later named to the College Football Comeback Player of the Year Watch List. Hishaw has now been named to the Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List for three-straight seasons.
Williams, a transfer running back from Iowa, has rushed for 1,323 career rushing yards on 318 attempts and 3 touchdowns. In 2023, Williams was an honorable mention All-Big Ten member, rushing for a career-high 821 yards on 170 attempts. Williams was also named to the 2024 Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List.
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 2025 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. University athletic departments nominate candidates for the award and can continue to do so through October.
The Kansas Jayhawks will kick off the 2025 football season on August 23, 2025 as they debut the new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium vs. Fresno State. The season-opener serves as the first of seven games coming to Lawrence in 2025.