Wysong Named to Comeback Player of the Year Watch List
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Frank Mercogliano
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University of New Mexico Lobos athletics
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Luke Wysong, who missed all but four games last season with an injury, has been named to the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award Watch List. The award is presented by the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, and in total 90 college football student-athletes from 68 different schools were named.

Wysong, who was previously on the Paul Hornung Watch List for multi-position players, caught seven passes on the season before suffering a shoulder injury against New Mexico State. Wysong had the only punt return for positive yardage last year for UNM in that game as well. He was recently honored by his teammates with the honor of being the first pick in the initial Lobo Football Jersey Selection Ceremony, picking his customary 15.

Since 2018, the 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.

College athletic communications professionals working with football programs are encouraged to nominate deserving candidates at www.Comeback-Player.com. Here’s a look at the 2024 Pre-Season Comeback Player of the Year Watch List.

PLAYER SCHOOL Conference POSITION Zuberi Mobley FAU AAC RB Ikaika Ragsdale North Texas AAC RB Jason Vaughn Univ. South Florida (USF) AAC DE Blake Horvath Navy AAC QB Kenneth McShan Navy AAC LB Bryce Steele Boston College ACC LB Cole Turner Clemson ACC WR Eli Pancol Duke ACC WR Leo Blackburn Georgia Tech ACC WR Sylvain Yondjouen Georgia Tech ACC DL Ja’Corey Brooks Louisville ACC WR Tyler Shough Louisville ACC QB Emory Williams Miami ACC QB Grayson McCall NC State ACC QB Trebor Pena Syracuse ACC WR Oronde Gadsden II Syracuse ACC TE Kobe Paysour UNC ACC WR CJ Harris Univ. California-Berkeley ACC QB Kam Butler Virginia ACC DE Nick Gallo Virginia Tech ACC TE Ali Jennings Virginia Tech ACC WR Donavon Greene Wake Forest ACC WR Zakhari Franklin Illinois Big Ten WR Josh McCray Illinois Big Ten RB Solomon Vanhorse Indiana Big Ten RB Cade McNamara Iowa Big Ten QB Luke Lachey Iowa Big Ten TE Tyneil Hopper Michigan State Big Ten TE Darnell Jefferies Minnesota Big Ten DL Gabe Ervin, Jr. Nebraska Big Ten RB Noah Whittington Oregon Big Ten RB Jahmal Edrine Purdue Big Ten WR Max Klare Purdue Big Ten TE Tyreem Powell Rutgers Big Ten LB Ale Kaho UCLA Big Ten LB Cameron Davis Washington Big Ten RB Chez Mellusi Wisconsin Big Ten RB Jake Renfro Wisconsin Big Ten OL Hal Presley Baylor Big 12 WR Hinckley Ropati BYU Big 12 RB Gerry Bohanon BYU Big 12 QB Shiloh Sanders Colorado Big 12 DB Isaiah Alston Iowa State Big 12 WR Jalon Daniels Kansas Big 12 QB De’Zhaun Stribling Oklahoma State Big 12 WR Justin Wright Oklahoma State Big 12 LB Johnny Hodges TCU Big 12 LB Cameron Rising Utah Big 12 QB Brant Kuithe Utah Big 12 TE Trey Lathan West Virginia Big 12 LB Jackson Parker U. Albany CAA (FCS) WR Tyson Mobley Liberty Conference USA WR Marquis Crosby Louisiana Tech Conference USA RB Lexington Joseph FIU Conference USA RB Riley Leonard Notre Dame Independent QB Kevin Bauman Notre Dame Independent TE Joe Fagnano UConn Independent QB Demetrius Hardamon Bowling Green MAC LB Jake Orlando Buffalo MAC TE Brett Gabbert Miami (OH) MAC QB Jack Coldiron Miami (OH) MAC TE Will Mostaert North Dakota State MVC DT Jacob Spomer Fresno State Mountain West OL Patrick Garwo III Nevada Mountain West RB Luke Wysong New Mexico Mountain West WR Justin Lockhart San Jose State Mountain West WR Latrell Caples Boise State Mountain West WR Cam Lockridge Fresno State Mountain West DB Keyshawn Cobb Nevada Mountain West DB Lawrence Falatea Utah State Mountain West DE Spencer Petras Utah State Mountain West QB Dawaiian McNeely Wyoming Mountain West RB Luke Hasz Arkansas SEC TE Shemar James Florida SEC LB Branson Robinson Georgia SEC RB Jamon Duman-Johnson Kentucky SEC LB John Emery Jr. LSU SEC RB JK Johnson LSU SEC CB Andrel Anthony Oklahoma SEC WR Casey Thompson Oklahoma SEC QB Kaden Helms Oklahoma SEC TE Raheim Sanders South Carolina SEC RB Brady Hunt South Carolina SEC TE Bru McCoy Tennessee SEC WR Conner Weigman Texas A&M SEC QB Donovan Green Texas A&M SEC TE Sam Kenerson Georgia Southern Sun Belt WR Dexter Williams II Georgia Southern Sun Belt QB David Dallas Georgia Southern Sun Belt QB Lincoln Pare Texas State Sun Belt RB

Previous winners of the Comeback Player of the Year Award include: 2023 – Blake Corum (Michigan); Jacob Dobbs (Holy Cross); Mike Hollins (Virginia); 2022 – Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota); Laiatu Latu (UCLA); Michael Penix Jr. (Washington); 2021 – Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan); McKenzie Milton (Florida State); J.J. Weaver (Kentucky); 2020 – Jarek Broussard (Colorado); Kenneth Horsey (Kentucky); Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina); 2019 – Jake Luton (Oregon State); Drew Wilson (Georgia Southern); Octavion Wilson (Salisbury); 2018 – Antwan Dixon (Kent State), Seth Simmer (Dartmouth); Antonio Wimbush (Carson-Newman). For a complete list of past honorees, visit www.Comeback-Player.com.

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