Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year

One final congratulations to our 2024 Comeback Player of the Year award winners!

In association with The Associated Press and the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl , College Sports Communicators is proud to present the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award to Ike Larsen, Raheim “Rocket” Sanders and Tyler Shough!

The Comeback Player of the Year recognizes student-athletes for overcoming adversity and stepping-up their on-field performance. This year’s winners will be recognized with a ceremony at the 2024 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.

Congratulations to all the finalists, and finally, congratulations to our winners!

College Sports Communicators, in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, today announced the 12 semi-finalists for college football’s 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award. Blake Horvath (QB, Navy); Eli Pancol (WR, Duke); Tyler Shough (QB, Louisville), Oronde Gadsden II (TE, Syracuse); Lathan Ransom (DB, Ohio State); Tyreem Powell (LB, Rutgers); Jalon Daniels (QB, Kansas); Trey Lathan (LB, West Virginia); Riley Leonard (QB, Notre Dame); Ike Larsen (DB, Utah State); Raheim Sanders (RB, South Carolina); Bru McCoy(WR, Tennessee). Since 2018, the Comeback Player of the Year Award has recognized college football student-athletes for overcoming injury, illness or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of college football writers, editors, and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes are honored as Comeback Player of the Year Award winners at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.

Congratulations to the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award Winners - Michael Penix Jr (QB, Washington), Mohamed Ibrahim (RB, Minnesota) and Laiatu Latu (LB, UCLA)

Best of luck tonight to of vs in the .

Aidan was named one of three winners of the 2021 on Dec. 21.

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Congratulations to Aidan Hutchinson of the university of Michigan, one of the three 2021 winners this season.

Also named as a winner: McKenzie Milton of Florida State and J.J. Weaver of Kentucky. See the LINK in the BIO to learn more about their remarkable comebacks.

, a senior defensive end for , suffered a season-ending ankle injury on the opening possession of the third game of the 2020 season. A captain at the time, his injury greatly impacted the Wolverines defense. The 6’-6” 266-lb defensive end worked hard to get back to his pre-injury level of performance and not surprisingly the Plymouth, Michigan native was once again voted a team captain by his teammates.

He set a Michigan season record for sacks and set his career-high with three sacks at Penn State (Nov. 13) and in the Big Ten East Division title-clinching win against Ohio State (Nov. 27). He has also been named the Defensive Player of the Year, winner of the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Rotary Lombardi Award, and finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. STATS: 58 tackles, 15.5 TFL 14 Sacks 2 FF, 1 FR, 3 PBUs 10 QBH

, in association with and the Organization, selected the 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award. The three student-athletes will be recognized at a special ceremony during the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2022, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

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Taijh Alston has been selected as one of nine semifinalists for the 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award. The , in association with the , and , selected the college football student-athletes as those who have overcome injury, illness or other adversity to excel on the field this season as semifinalists. The three winners will be announced on Tues., Dec. 21 and honored at the Fiesta Bowl on Sat., Jan. 1.

, a redshirt junior defensive lineman for , suffered the second major knee injury of his career in the second game of the 2019 season versus Missouri. During his rehab, the native of Lumberton, NC tore his Achilles tendon, which forced him to miss the entire 2020 season.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive lineman began his college career at East Carolina, but before ever playing a down for the Pirates, he suffered his first major knee injury. He transferred to Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, Mississippi and had an impressive 2018 season, recording 78 tackles seven sacks and 15 tackles for loss.

He transferred to West Virginia in 2019 and despite missing most of that season and the entire 2020 campaign, he has been a force for the Mountaineers this season. STATS: 33 tackles, 10 TFL, 5 Sacks, 3 QBH

The other eight semi-finalists include: Terrel Bernard (LB, Baylor); Jack Coan (QB, Notre Dame); Ryan Hubley (WR, Johns Hopkins); Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan); McKenzie Milton (QB, Florida State); Cameron Rising (QB, Utah); Avery Samuels (OL, Stetson); and J.J. Weaver (LB, Kentucky).

Terrel Bernard has been selected as one of nine semifinalists for the 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award. The , in association with the , and , selected the college football student-athletes as those who have overcome injury, illness or other adversity to excel on the field this season as semifinalists. The three winners will be announced on Tues., Dec. 21 and honored at the Fiesta Bowl on Sat., Jan. 1.

, a senior linebacker for , is unquestionably the heart and soul of the Baylor football team. The 6’-1” 222-lb La Porte, Texas native was the team leader in tackles, sacks and tackles for loss last season before suffering a torn labrum, dislocated shoulder and fractured glenoid at Iowa State on Nov. 7. The injury caused him to miss the rest of the season and refrain from all football activities for more than six months.
His rehab process was a grind; he couldn’t move much at all and spent the first month post-injury in a sling. But all the hard work paid off when he took the field on opening day and recorded 9 tackles, 1 PD, 1 PBU and 1 QBH in the Bears 29-20 win over Texas State.

He was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after his performance in the Bears 27-14 win over No. 8 ranked Oklahoma on Nov 13 when he recorded 9 Tackles and 2 sacks.

In the Bears thrilling BIG 12 Championship Game win versus Oklahoma State he recorded 10 tackles. STATS: 86 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5.5 Sacks

The other eight semi-finalists include: Taijh Alston (DL, West Virginia); Jack Coan (QB, Notre Dame); Ryan Hubley (WR, Johns Hopkins); Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan); McKenzie Milton (QB, Florida State); Cameron Rising (QB, Utah); Avery Samuels (OL, Stetson); and J.J. Weaver (LB, Kentucky).