University of Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim was named a 2022 Comeback Player of the Year today by the College Sports Communicators in association with The Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl Organization.
The award recognizes college football student-athletes from all divisions of college football for overcoming injury, illness or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of writers, editors, and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes are honored as Comeback Player of the Year Award winners. Joining Ibrahim as winners are Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and UCLA’s Laiatu Latu.
Following a pair 1,000 yard rushing seasons in his first three years and an All-Big Ten selection and Big Ten Running Back of the Year honor as a junior in 2020, Ibrahim was positioned to have a record-breaking senior season. But late in the third quarter of the season-opening game against Ohio State, after already rushing for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, the Baltimore, Md., native suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon and missed the rest of the season.
Ibrahim returned to Minnesota for the 2022 season. Following a rehabilitation regiment, in which he needed to re-learn how to walk, run, jump and cut again, he was ready for Minnesota’s 2022 opener on Sept. 1 against New Mexico State – 364 days after the injury. He ran for two touchdowns and 132 yards, which was his first of 10 straight games rushing for 100 yards or more.
Ibrahim played in 11 of 12 games this year and finished fourth in the nation with 1,594 rushing yards and tied for second in the country with 19 rushing touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 54 yards. Ibrahim had a career year in 2022 and has played in 40 career games for the Gophers. He has carried the ball 851 times for 4,597 yards (11th all-time in Big Ten history) and 52 touchdowns (sixth all-time in Big Ten history).
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)