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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Jaxson Dart, Walter Nolen Named to Walter Camp Preseason Watch List
8/5/2024 | Football
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Ole Miss football senior quarterback Jaxson Dart and junior defensive tackle Walter Nolen have both been named to the preseason watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, as announced by the Walter Camp Football Foundation on Monday morning.
Dart and Nolen are among 50 total on the preseason watch list, while Ole Miss is among just nine schools nationally with multiple honorees. By position, Dart is among 20 quarterbacks on the list, while Nolen is one of just nine defenders total and one of only two defensive tackles alongside Notre Dame's Howard Cross III.
The Walter Camp Award is the fourth-oldest individual college football accolade, and is named after Walter Camp, the "Father of American football." Camp, a former Yale athlete and coach, first selected an All-America team in 1889 and is credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries, and the restriction of play to eleven men per side.
Dart – already a member of the Maxwell Award watch list – is coming off the best season of his career in 2023 after leading Ole Miss to its first 11-win season in program history. Dart concluded the season 233-of-358 (65.1 percent) for 3,364 yards, 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions (tied for the fewest in single-season Ole Miss history with at least 200 attempts). Dart was also highly effective on the ground, notching 389 yards and eight scores on 119 total carries.
Dart was among the SEC's best in all the major categories and was ranked top-20 nationally in yards per attempt (eighth, 9.4), yards per completion (10th, 14.4), total offense (16th, 288.7 YPG) and total passing yards (20th, 3,364). His 2023 season also ranks among the best ever by a Rebel quarterback, ranking second in passing efficiency (162.4), second in yards per attempt (9.4), third in completion percentage (65.1), third in yards per completion (14.4), fourth in total touchdowns responsible for (31), tied for fourth in 300-yard passing games (5), fifth in passing yards (3,364), fifth in total offense (3,753) and sixth in passing touchdowns (23).
Entering his final season with the Rebels in 2024, Dart also stands within striking range of several career records in Ole Miss history. At the moment, Dart ranks third all-time in passing efficiency (153.0), third in yards per attempt (8.8), third in yards per completion (13.8), fourth in completion percentage (63.8), fifth in passing yards (6,338), fifth in total offense (7,341), tied for sixth in passing touchdowns (43), tied for sixth in 300-yard passing games (7), tied for sixth in total touchdowns responsible for (52), seventh in completions (459) and 10th in attempts (720).
This is already the third preseason watch list appearance for Rebel newcomer Walter Nolen, who is also on both watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (national defensive player of the year) and Outland Trophy (best interior lineman).
Nolen – a unanimous five-star transfer and the nation's No. 2 overall transfer according to both On3 and Rivals – is in his first season at Ole Miss after transferring from Texas A&M this past offseason. Nolen appeared in 22 career games for the Aggies, including 10 starts on the defensive line in 2023. The former prep Under Armour All-American registered 37 total tackles last year with 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks as a sophomore. Earlier this summer, Nolen was named preseason first-team All-SEC by league media members.
The 2024 watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in early November and three finalists will be announced on Nov. 26. The 2024 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 133 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on ESPN's College Football Awards Show on Dec. 12.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football's most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935.
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2024 preseason watch list calendar:
Tue., Aug. 6: Doak Walker Award
Wed., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Thu., Aug. 8: Davey O'Brien Award
Fri., Aug. 9: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., Aug. 12: Bednarik Award
Tue., Aug. 13: Butkus Award
Dart and Nolen are among 50 total on the preseason watch list, while Ole Miss is among just nine schools nationally with multiple honorees. By position, Dart is among 20 quarterbacks on the list, while Nolen is one of just nine defenders total and one of only two defensive tackles alongside Notre Dame's Howard Cross III.
The Walter Camp Award is the fourth-oldest individual college football accolade, and is named after Walter Camp, the "Father of American football." Camp, a former Yale athlete and coach, first selected an All-America team in 1889 and is credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries, and the restriction of play to eleven men per side.
Dart – already a member of the Maxwell Award watch list – is coming off the best season of his career in 2023 after leading Ole Miss to its first 11-win season in program history. Dart concluded the season 233-of-358 (65.1 percent) for 3,364 yards, 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions (tied for the fewest in single-season Ole Miss history with at least 200 attempts). Dart was also highly effective on the ground, notching 389 yards and eight scores on 119 total carries.
Dart was among the SEC's best in all the major categories and was ranked top-20 nationally in yards per attempt (eighth, 9.4), yards per completion (10th, 14.4), total offense (16th, 288.7 YPG) and total passing yards (20th, 3,364). His 2023 season also ranks among the best ever by a Rebel quarterback, ranking second in passing efficiency (162.4), second in yards per attempt (9.4), third in completion percentage (65.1), third in yards per completion (14.4), fourth in total touchdowns responsible for (31), tied for fourth in 300-yard passing games (5), fifth in passing yards (3,364), fifth in total offense (3,753) and sixth in passing touchdowns (23).
Entering his final season with the Rebels in 2024, Dart also stands within striking range of several career records in Ole Miss history. At the moment, Dart ranks third all-time in passing efficiency (153.0), third in yards per attempt (8.8), third in yards per completion (13.8), fourth in completion percentage (63.8), fifth in passing yards (6,338), fifth in total offense (7,341), tied for sixth in passing touchdowns (43), tied for sixth in 300-yard passing games (7), tied for sixth in total touchdowns responsible for (52), seventh in completions (459) and 10th in attempts (720).
This is already the third preseason watch list appearance for Rebel newcomer Walter Nolen, who is also on both watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (national defensive player of the year) and Outland Trophy (best interior lineman).
Nolen – a unanimous five-star transfer and the nation's No. 2 overall transfer according to both On3 and Rivals – is in his first season at Ole Miss after transferring from Texas A&M this past offseason. Nolen appeared in 22 career games for the Aggies, including 10 starts on the defensive line in 2023. The former prep Under Armour All-American registered 37 total tackles last year with 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks as a sophomore. Earlier this summer, Nolen was named preseason first-team All-SEC by league media members.
The 2024 watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in early November and three finalists will be announced on Nov. 26. The 2024 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 133 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on ESPN's College Football Awards Show on Dec. 12.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football's most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935.
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2024 preseason watch list calendar:
Tue., Aug. 6: Doak Walker Award
Wed., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Thu., Aug. 8: Davey O'Brien Award
Fri., Aug. 9: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., Aug. 12: Bednarik Award
Tue., Aug. 13: Butkus Award
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