DALLAS — Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns running backs Bill Davis and Zylan Perry were named as preseason candidates for the 2025 Doak Walker Award, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced on Tuesday.
The award, named for SMU’s three-time All-America running back Doak Walker, is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding college running back.
Perry, who was earlier named to the Paul Hornung Award Watch List, set career-highs in rushing yards (695) and rushing touchdowns (4) for Louisiana while leading the team in all-purpose yards (1,164).
The Franklin, La., native recorded six games with 100-plus all-purpose yards on the season while recording a pair of 100-yard rushing games.
Perry capped off the regular season with a career-best 150-yard performance at ULM (11/30), carrying the ball a career-best 19 times with a pair of TDs. He rushed for 104 yards on 10 carries with a TD in a road win at Kennesaw State.
Davis finished as the Ragin’ Cajuns’ leader in rushing, gaining 796 yards on 163 carries with nine touchdowns. The LaPlace, La., native finished second behind Perry in all-purpose yards (916) and was second on the team in points scored (60).
He scored multiple rushing touchdowns in games against Kennesaw State (9/7), Arkansas State and Troy.
Davis recorded a pair of 100-yard games on the ground, beginning with a 103-yard performance against Tulane, which was aided by a career-long 73-yard scamper to set up a touchdown. He ran for a career-high 110 yards on 19 carries in a road win at Coastal Carolina and caught career-best six passes in the win over CCU, including an 11-yard scoring pass.
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.
Louisiana, which recorded its fourth 10-win season in the past six years, will officially open its 2025 season in the newly refurbished Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium on August 30 against American Conference member Rice.
Season tickets for the 2025 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Football season are available now at RaginCajuns.com/tickets [ragincajuns.evenue.net] or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).
Single-game tickets are available for as low as $25 and can be purchased through RaginCajuns.com [ragincajuns.evenue.net] and its social media platforms (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram).
New this season, fans can park on the athletic footprint on a single-game basis for just $20 per game by clicking here [ragincajuns.evenue.net]. Fans will also be able to purchase single-game tailgate spots beginning at $100 by clicking here [ragincajuns.evenue.net].
Fans are encouraged to stay connected with Louisiana Football by downloading the official #GeauxCajuns App — click here [apps.apple.com] for iOS and here [play.google.com] for Android — and by following the Ragin’ Cajuns on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@RaginCajunsFB).