Baylor Football’s Richard Reese Included On Doak Walker Award Watch List

DALLAS – Baylor sophomore running back Richard Reese has been named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List, as announced Wednesday by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum.

Reese is one of 75 candidates named to the award’s watch list, which is presented annually to the nation’s top college running back. He is one of 12 players from the Big 12 represented on the list.

Already a preseason all-conference honoree and Maxwell Award Watch List member, Reese was tabbed a Freshman All-American in 2022 after shattering Baylor’s rookie rushing record with 972 yards on 198 carries. He added 14 touchdowns, which ranked fourth-best in BU single-season history, and finished just 28 yards shy of becoming the 16th 1,000-yard rusher in program history.

The Bellville, Texas, native logged three games of 100+ yards rushing and was twice named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week in 2022. For his efforts, Reese was also named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year by the league coaches and Offensive Freshman of the Year in the state of Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football a year ago.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November. Three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced later that same month. The committee, which consists of past winners, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected representatives, will cast a second vote to select the award’s recipient in December.

The winner of the 2023 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. The award is named after SMU’s three-time All-America running back and is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.

To stay up to date on all things Baylor football, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BUFootball.

2023 Baylor Football Preseason Honors

Baylor

• Preseason Big 12 Offensive Line of the Year (College Football Network)

Alfonzo Allen, S

• Wuerffel Trophy Watch List

Monaray Baldwin, WR

• Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team (Athlon Sports)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (College Football Network)

Clark Barrington, OL

• Rimington Trophy Watch List
• Preseason All-Big 12 First Team (College Football Network)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team (PFF)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team (Athlon Sports, Phil Steele)

Campbell Barrington, OL

• Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (College Football Network)

Gavin Byers, OL

• Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (College Football Network)

TJ Franklin, DL

• Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team (Athlon Sports)

Gabe Hall, DL

• Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
• Preseason All-Big 12 First Team (Phil Steele)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team (Athlon Sports)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (College Football Network)

Matt Jones, LB

• Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team (Athlon Sports)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team (College Football Network)

Devin Lemear, S

• Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team (Phil Steele)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team (Athlon Sports)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (College Football Network)

Garmon Randolph, OLB

• Preseason All-Big 12 Fourth Team (Athlon Sports)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (College Football Network)

Richard Reese, RB

• Maxwell Award Watch List
• Doak Walker Award Watch List
• Preseason All-Big 12 First Team (Athlon Sports, Big 12 Media, PFF)
• Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team (College Football Network)

Dominic Richardson, RB

• Preseason All-Big 12 Third Team (Phil Steele)

Mike Smith Jr., LB

• Preseason All-Big 12 Second Team (Phil Steele)