Miami’s running back room will start 2025 with an extra chip on its shoulder after none of them made the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list. The official candidate release lists 104 names and does not include Mark Fletcher Jr. or Jordan Lyle, Miami’s top returning rushers.
Fletcher is coming off 607 rushing yards on 112 carries (5.4 YPC) and nine rushing touchdowns in 2024, while Lyle added 400 yards on 54 carries (7.4 YPC) and four scores. Miami averaged 43.9 points per game last season, finishing No. 1 nationally in scoring. Even if watch lists are only snapshots, and are subject to change, it did come as a surprise that they were left out.