Baylor football freshman running back Richard Reese has been named one of 14 semifinalists for the 2022 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, as announced Thursday by the Maxwell Football Club.

The award recognizes the most outstanding freshman player in college football and is named after the former Alabama standout, Shaun Alexander. Past winners include Trevor Lawrence (Clemson, 2018), Kenneth Gainwell (Memphis, 2019), Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama, 2020) and Brock Bowers (Georgia, 2021).

Through eight games in 2022, Reese has rushed for 791 yards on 152 carries and has added 12 rushing touchdowns. He has scored multiple TDs in four games this season and surpassed the 100-yard plateau in three games. Last week at Texas Tech, Reese matched his career-high with three touchdowns, having previously done so earlier in the season against Texas State.

Reese's 12 touchdowns already land him tied for seventh on Baylor's single-season leaderboard. That mark also leads the Big 12 and ranks seventh nationally in 2022. Since 2014, only one other Bear has rushed for as many TDs as Reese (Abram Smith, 12 in 2021).

Reese currently sits just 90 yards shy of BU's freshman rushing record held by Shock Linwood (881 yards). He also ranks second nationally among all freshmen in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

So far this season, Reese has been named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention three times and has twice received Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors. He was also named Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Mid-Season Offensive Freshman of the Year.

Finalists for the fifth-annual Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and the winner will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 29. The formal presentation of the honor will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala in March of 2023.