ROCHESTER, Minn. – Virginia Tech DB Caleb Farley was named one of the initial nominees for the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award on Tuesday. New in 2018, this award is presented by CoSIDA, The Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl Organization and honors players at all levels who have persevered to achieve on the college football field.
Tuesday's announcement marked the first of 10 times during the 2018 college football season that three inspiring student-athletes from all levels of college football who have overcome injury, illness or other challenges will be recognized as Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year nominees.
Farley (6-2, 202) has started the first three games of the 2018 season for the Hokies after sitting out the entire 2017 campaign with a knee injury. The selfless Farley switched from defensive back to wide receiver in spring drills in 2017 due to a lack of depth at that position, but was injured in the first fall practice in non-contact work. Farley was dealt an even tougher blow following the season when his mother, Robin, lost her battle with cancer.
Undeterred, Farley continued his rehab and moved back to defensive back in 2018. He played in his initial collegiate game for Tech in the team's season opener at Florida State, making an impressive debut on the national stage by registering a pair of interceptions, a sack and two tackles in a 24-3 victory over the Seminoles. The Hickory, North Carolina native earned ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors for his performance. Farley's two INTs are tied for second in the conference. On the season he also has six tackles, a sack, two pass breakups and a QB hurry.
After losing his mother to cancer, Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley has had to fight through his fair share of adversity 🙏 pic.twitter.com/bNtl2CYN4Q
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 20, 2018
At the end of the 2018 season, three student-athletes will be chosen as Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award winners. Mayo Clinic, the premier sponsor, will donate $30,000 to the general scholarship funds for nine student-athletes selected as finalists, including $5,000 for each of the three winners and $2,500 for the six runners-up. The three honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony during the 2019 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. Nominees and winners will be selected by a panel of writers, editors and sports information directors from CoSIDA, AP and Touchdown Illustrated as well as Fiesta Bowl representatives.
Chad Pennington, the only player twice named professional football's comeback player of the year award winner (2006, 2008) will serve as the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award ambassador. Pennington played his college football at Marshall University and was selected in the first-round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New York Jets.
The program will be supported by a sponsored-content and advertising campaign in Touchdown Illustrated gameday programs at more than 1,000 college football games this season, and in most of the major bowl game programs – including the College Football Playoff, the National Championship program, the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and Cheez-It Bowl – as well as selected NFL gameday programs. Additionally, Pennington, will make media appearances to share some of the compelling stories and encourage CoSIDA members to nominate deserving players.