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Tobias Harris of West Texas A&M; Reggie Roberson, Jr. of SMU; and Jack Wohlabaugh of Duke Named 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award Nominees
NEW YORK, N.Y. — The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization have selected three college football student-athletes—
Tobias Harris, a junior defensive back for West Texas A&M;
Reggie Roberson, Jr. a senior wide receiver for SMU; and
Jack Wohlabaugh, a senior center for Duke —as nominees for the
2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Ten times during the 2021 college football season, three inspiring student-athletes from all levels of college football who have overcome injury, illness, or other challenges, are recognized as
Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Nominees by a panel of writers, editors, and sports information directors from CoSIDA, AP and
Touchdown Illustrated. In December, three of the 30 nominees will be chosen as winners of the
Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award and will be recognized at a special ceremony during the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2022, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. CoSIDA members can nominate football student-athletes until Nov. 1, 2021 at
Comeback-Player.com.
The previously announced nominees are:
Terrel Bernard (LB, Baylor);
Yohance Burnett (LB, Tulsa);
Sean Chambers (QB, Wyoming);
Jack Coan (QB, Notre Dame);
Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan);
Brian Kearns, Jr (RB, Stonehill College);
Alex Keith (DL, Washington & Jefferson College);
McKenzie Milton (QB, Florida State);
John Mitchell (TE, Florida Atlantic);
Jeremiah Moon (LB, Florida);
Justyn Ross (WR, Clemson);
Avery Samuels (OL, Stetson);
Corey Sutton (WR, Appalachian State);
Skylar Thompson (QB, Kansas State); and
J.J. Weaver (LB, Kentucky).
Here’s a look at the inspiring stories of this week’s three honorees:
Tobias Harris, a junior defensive back for West Texas A&M University suffered a knee injury in the third game of the 2020 season sidelining him for the remainder of the season. The injury was especially disappointing for the native of Pflugerville, Texas who was coming off a spectacular 2019 season in which he finished second nationally in punt return average behind Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle with a Division 2 best 22.9 yards per punt return. In 2018, as a freshman he intercepted seven passes, returning two for touchdowns and was named Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year. Back in form for the start of the 2021 season, he has helped the Buffaloes get off to a 4-3 start with 25 tackles, 1 sack and four interceptions. This past week, in a 44-24 win at Eastern New Mexico, the 5-foot-9, 180-pound defensive back had five tackles and three interceptions – two of which he returned for touchdowns. The first was a 25-yard return for a score late in the second quarter and then a 65-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter. In 28 career games he has recorded 135 tackles, 15 interceptions, 36 passes defended. As a returner he has returned 50 kicks for 1,132 yards (22.1) and a touchdown and 51 punts for 759 yards (14.9) and two touchdowns.
Reggie Roberson, Jr., a senior wide receiver for SMU was having the best game of his career against Memphis last October 3
rd, (5 receptions, 243-yards, 2 TDs) when on a 43-yard reception, he landed awkwardly, suffering a torn ACL in his left knee that would require surgery and end his season. The DeSoto, Texas native, who transferred from West Virginia after his freshman campaign, had tallied 117 receptions for 2,079 yards and 17 touchdowns in 22 career games for the Mustangs but rather than opt for the NFL draft, he chose to return to SMU. In helping lead the Mustangs to a 6-0 start, the 6-foot-1, 197-pound speedster has gotten better as the season has progressed with 27 receptions for 365 yards and four touchdowns, including one score in each of the past four games versus Navy, South Florida, TCU and Louisiana Tech.
Jack Wohlabaugh, a redshirt senior center for Duke University,
is a three-year starter for the Blue Devils. During his career at Duke, he has had two season-ending injuries, a left ankle injury requiring surgery that cost him the final three games of the 2019 season and a torn right ACL in his knee prior to the 2020 season that forced him to miss the entire season. Despite the most recent injury, the native of Akron, Ohio, was still voted a team captain for 2020. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound starting center was fully healthy by the second week of training camp this year and regained his starting position. With his leadership, the offensive line has been a bright spot for the 3-4 Blue Devils, helping lead them to average 27 points per game, 203.9 rushing yards per outing and 268.57 passing yards per contest. Currently enrolled in Duke’s continuing studies program, he graduated in May 2020 with a sociology degree and certificate in markets and management.
Past winners of the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award have included:
2018 – Antwan Dixon (Kent State), Seth Simmer (Dartmouth), Antonio Wimbush (Carson-Newman);
2019 – Jake Luton (Oregon State), Drew Wilson (Georgia Southern), Octavion Wilson (Salisbury University);
2020 – Jarek Broussard (Colorado), Kenneth Horsey (Kentucky) and Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina). For a complete list of past honorees and additional details on their remarkable comeback stories, visit
www.Comeback-Player.com; follow via Twitter at
@ComebackPlayrFB via the hashtag #MayoClinicCPOY; and on Instagram at
@Comeback_Player_CFB. Mayo Clinic does not have any role in selecting the nominees or winners of the award.
About Mayo Clinic: Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news. For information on COVID-19, including Mayo Clinic's Coronavirus Map tracking tool, which has 14-day forecasting on COVID-19 trends, visit the Mayo Clinic COVID-19 Resource Center
About CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America: CoSIDA was founded in 1957 and is a 3,000+ member national organization comprised of the sports public relations, media relations and communications/information professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the United States and Canada. The organization is the second oldest management association in intercollegiate athletics.
About Associated Press: The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the web: www.ap.org.
About the Fiesta Bowl Organization: Since 1971, the Fiesta Bowl is a world-class community organization that executes innovative experiences, drives economic growth and champions charitable causes, inspiring pride in all Arizonans during and outside of college football bowl season. As a nonprofit organization, it is driven by its vision for the importance of community outreach and service. Through the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl, Guaranteed Rate Bowl and its year-round events, such as the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade, corporate partnerships and numerous community events throughout the year, the organization provides charitable giving to enhance Arizona nonprofit organizations that serve communities through youth, sports and education. On the web: FiestaBowl.org
Media Contacts
Doug Drotman (doug@drotman-pr.com or 631-462-1198)
Doug Vance (dougvance@cosida.com or 785-691-7708)