New USC running back is now on the Doak Walker Award watchlist

There are questions about who will step up and claim the lion's share of the carries at running back for USC in 2024. One player to watch is Mississippi State transfer "Woody" Marks.

Tuesday, the redshirt senior saw his name added to the Doak Walker Award Watchlist. That's a sign that he could be in for a big season.

Marks was a solid player for the Bulldogs over the past four seasons. He appeared in 40 games and amassed over 3,000 career yards from scrimmage during his tenure in Starkville.

On the ground, he has carried the ball 410 times for 1,883 yards and 22 TDs. In the passing game, he ranks first in MSU history in both career receptions (214) and receiving yards (1,225) by a running back.

This year, he will battle with sophomore Quinten Joyner for the starting RB job. Last year, Joyner was impressive in limited action carrying the ball 18 times for 125 yards.

The Doak Walker Award is given annually to the best collegiate running back in America. The prestigious award was created in 1989 and named for the 1948 Heisman Trophy winner and three-time All-America selection from SMU.

But if Marks wants to win this award, he's going to have to up his production by quite a bit. Last year's winner, Ollie Gordon II of Oklahoma State is back for another season of college football after putting up 2,062 yards from scrimmage in 2023.

Also on this year's watchlist are 2023 finalist Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) and 2023 semifinalists Tajh Brooks (Texas Tech), Marcus Carroll (Missouri), R.J. Harvey (UCF), and Damien Martinez (Miami).

For his career, Marks has never had 1,000 yards of total offense in a season. What's more, he's topped out at 582 rushing yards in one season (2022).

Also, it seems unlikely that he will get the ball enough at USC to be able to put up the type of numbers to be a factor for the Doak Walker. The Trojans have a bevy of receivers and running backs to share the offensive workload so even if Marks proves to be a starter, he probably won't have as many opportunities with the ball as other running backs across the nation will.

Regardless, his inclusion on this list is a sign of respect for the player that he has been. Marks is a reliable back who has an opportunity to break out for one of the most high-profile programs in the nation and should be prove to be a star at USC, perhaps some postseason accolades will indeed come his way.