Mohamed Ibrahim receives national comeback player of the year honors

The College Sports Communicators named Ibrahim one of this year's three recipients.

December 20, 2022 at 9:18PM
Gophers running back Mohamed Ibrahim (24) will play his final college game Dec. 29 against Syracuse in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York. (Aaron Lavinsky, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Gophers running back Mohamed Ibrahim on Tuesday was named one of three national Comeback Players of the Year by the College Sports Communicators. The awards, in association with the Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, recognize players who have overcome injury, illness or other circumstances.

Ibrahim, a sixth-year senior, suffered a torn Achilles' tendon in the 2021 season opener but returned this fall to rush for 1,594 yards and 19 touchdowns in 11 games. His 144.1 rushing yards per game rank second nationally, and his TD total is tied for second.

Also honored for the comeback award were Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and UCLA linebacker Laiatu Latu.

* Gophers senior center John Michael Schmitz was named second-team Academic All-America by College Sports Communicators. Schmitz also was a first-team All-America selection by the AP and Football Writers Association of America for his on-field performance.

* Four former Gophers who entered the transfer portal recently have committed to new programs: defensive backs Michael "Flip'' Dixon (Rutgers), Steven Ortiz Jr. (Massachusetts) and Jalen Glaze (Florida A&M), and defensive lineman Gage Keys (Kansas).

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about the writer

Randy Johnson

College football reporter

Randy Johnson covers University of Minnesota football and college football for the Star Tribune, along with Gophers hockey and the Wild.

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