Pair of Mississippi State Rushers Make Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List

Two Mississippi State running backs were named to the preseason watch list earlier in the week.

Mississippi State running backs Dillon Johnson and Jo'quavious Marks were named to the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list on Wednesday. The honor is presented to the best college football rusher in the nation annually.

With the pair making the list, the Bulldogs are only team in the SEC to have multiple rushers on it ahead of the 2022 season.

Marks and Johnson project as some of the most versatile running backs in the nation, seeing time in a pure Air Raid offense that doesn't run the ball frequently, but does demand a lot of the position.

While rushers in the scheme don't see a lot of touches, they're asked to block and catch passes out of the backfield and carry on the rare running play. It's easy to argue playing in the Air Raid actually helps a running back more than any other scheme, given the way players at the position are asked to do similar things at the NFL level.

Marks finished out the 2021 season with 106 carries for 416 yards and six touchdowns, also catching 83 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson recorded a bit lighter of a stat line but was still a contributor, carrying the ball 89 times for 485 yards and four touchdowns, also tallying 65 receptions for 422 yards and one score through the air.

The ONLY school in the SEC with multiple running backs on the @DoakWalkerAward Watch List!

💥 @JoquaviousMarks
💥 @Dill_7k #HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/ScgPhU3UXr

— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) July 20, 2022