DALLAS, Texas – NC State running back Hollywood Smothers (Charlotte, N.C./W. Charlotte) has earned more preseason recognition after being named to the 2025 Doak Walker Award Watch List by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum on Tuesday.
The Forum annually presents the award to the nation's most outstanding college running back.
Smothers, who has already been named to the Paul Hornung Award Watch list for the most versatile player in college football, makes it two straight seasons a NC State running back has received the preseason recognition.
As a redshirt freshman last season, Smothers boasted the best yards per carry mark on the Wolfpack with 6.4 yards per carry, which was also the sixth-best mark in school history. In 11 games, the Charlotte native ran for 571 yards and six touchdowns.
His season-high in rushing came against ECU in the Military Bowl when he ran for 139 yards. As the starter for the final six games of the 2024 regular season, Smothers scored two touchdowns in the last game of the regular season against UNC, including the winning score. In four of those last six games, the Charlotte native recorded 100 all-purpose yards.
This is the fourth preseason watch list to include a Wolfpack player.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will also be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2025 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on December 12, 2024.
The award is named for SMU's three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. Each Tuesday of this season, The PwC SMU Athletic Forum will once again announce a Doak Walker National Running Back of the week. University athletic departments nominate candidates for the award and can continue to do so through October.
