DALLAS – A trio of Conference USA running backs graced the list of preseason candidates for the 2024 Doak Walker Award, announced Tuesday by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum. Liberty’s Quinton Cooley, LA Tech’s Marquis Crosby and WKU’s Elijah Young are under consideration for the award, presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding running back.
 
The defending CUSA Newcomer of the Year, Cooley led the nation’s top rushing offense (293.3) with national top-15 marks in rushing touchdowns (6^th, 16), rushing yards (7^th, 1,401) yards per carry (13^th, 6.34) and rushing yards per game (15^th, 100.1). His 16 scores all came in the final nine games of the season, recording five multi-touchdown games and three with three touchdowns, including the CUSA Championship Game. Cooley tallied seven 100-yard rushing performances with six coming against league opponents.
 
Crosby, who missed most of the 2023 season following an injury in the offseason, ranked sixth nationally among all freshman in total rushing (918) and ranked fourth in CUSA in yards per carry (5.0) in 2022. He appeared in all 12 games, including 10 starts, and rushed for 918 yards and nine touchdowns on 183 carries. Crosby eclipsed the century mark in rushing during four games, highlighted by a 197-yard performance against Stephen F. Austin, and rushed for multiple touchdowns in three games.
 
Young appeared in all 13 games with 10 starts during his first season with the Hilltoppers. He led the team in rushing with 474 yards and three touchdowns on 104 attempts and added 247 yards and three touchdowns on 20 receptions. Young posted a season-best 139 and two touchdowns – with a season-long 64-yard run – in WKU's Nov. 4 victory at UTEP. He had a season-high 84 yards receiving against New Mexico State on Nov. 11, and recorded a touchdown reception in that game, along with the Liberty game on Oct. 24 and in the Famous Toastery Bowl versus Old Dominion.
 
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. Each Tuesday of this season, The PwC SMU Athletic Forum will once again announce a Doak Walker National Running Back of the week.