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Indiana's Jaylin Lucas Named to Doak Walker Preseason Watch List

Jaylin Lucas, sophomore running back and return specialist for coach Tom Allen and the Indiana Hoosiers, was named to the 2023 Doak Walker Award preseason watch list on Wednesday.

Daniel Olinger

Indiana's Jaylin Lucas Named to Doak Walker Preseason Watch List
Indiana's Jaylin Lucas Named to Doak Walker Preseason Watch List /
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The most dynamic player on the 2023 Indiana football roster is also on watch as the top running back in the entire country. 

On Wednesday, sophomore Jaylin Lucas was named to the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list. The award is given each year to the top running back in college football by the selection committee. 

The award was created in 1989 and named after former SMU running back Doak Walker, who played for the Mustangs from 1945-49. In 2022, Texas running back Bijan Robinson took home the award, and in 2021, Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker II won it. 

Lucas starred as a kick returner during his freshman season at IU, winning the Big Ten's Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year and earning a spot on the first-team All-American as a kick returner. Lucas has also been named to the Paul Hornug Award preseason watch list, which each year recognizes college football's most versatile player. 

In 2022, Lucas carried the ball 49 times for 271 yards and two touchdowns, and also caught 16 passes for 82 yards. He is expected to carry the ball more as a sophomore, though he will share plenty of carries with incumbent starting running back Josh Henderson and Wake Forest transfer Christian Turner. Lucas has also mentioned mixing in at slot receiver during offseason practices.

Lucas is one of 14 Big Ten running backs that was named to the preseason watch list, along with Wisconsin's Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi, Penn State's Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton, Michigan's Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards, Ohio State's Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson, Maryland's Roman Hemby, Iowa's Kaleb Johnson, Illinois' Reggie Love III and Josh McCray and Purdue's Devin Mockobee.

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Daniel Olinger
DANIEL OLINGER

Daniel Olinger is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation reporter for HoosiersNow.com. He graduated from Northwestern University with degrees in both journalism and economics. 

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