MSU's Jarek Broussard, Michigan's Blake Corum and CMU's Lew Nichols III on Doak Walker watch list

Last season, Kenneth Walker III became the first Michigan State running back to win the Doak Walker Award, given each year to the top running back in college football.

Now, Jarek Broussard is attempting to follow in the former Spartan’s footsteps as he was named Wednesday to the preseason watchlist for the Doak Walker Award. Like Walker, Broussard is a transfer, preparing for his first season at Michigan State after playing previously at Colorado.

Broussard rushed for 1,556 yards and seven touchdowns on 298 carries in two seasons for the Buffaloes. The native of Dallas, Texas led Colorado in rushing the past two years, including six 100-yard games, and was named the 2020 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, after leading the league in rushing with 895 yards and five touchdowns on 156 carries in six games.

Michigan junior Blake Corum was also named to the watchlist after earning third-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches last season as well as honorable mention from the media.

Corum rushed for 952 yards but was sidelined for 2½ games late in the regular season because of a high-ankle sprain. He scored 12 total touchdowns as the Wolverines won the Big Ten championship and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Also on the list were Central Michigan sophomore Lew Nichols III, Western Michigan junior Sean Tyler and junior Samson Evans of Eastern Michigan.

Nichols led the FBS in rushing yards (1,848) and rushing yards per game (142.2) last season and was named Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Tyler carried the ball 178 times for 1,150 yards and nine touchdowns for the Broncos, while Evans ran for 316 yards and 13 touchdowns while adding three more scores through the air.