Navy Football: 2 Midshipmen Land on Comeback Player of the Year Watch List

Joe Londergan | Aug 7, 2024

Aug 26, 2023; Dublin, IRL; Navy Midshipmen head coach Brian Newberry leaves the field following warmups before the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Aviva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

The Navy football team is looking for a comeback season in more ways than one.

Navy junior quarterback Blake Horvath and junior striker/linebacker Kenneth McShan are two of the five players from the American Athletic Conference on the Comeback Player of the Year Watch List for 2024. That list was released early Wednesday morning.

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The award annually honors three players, as opposed to one, who bounces back in a major way from "injury, illness, or other circumstances" as voted on by a panel of college football writers, editors, and sports information directors.

Horvath, Navy's starting quarterback, missed the final seven games of 2023 after injuring his thumb in his first career start against North Texas. He rushed for 88 yards on 18 carries in the time he did get to see the field. Horvath also threw for two touchdowns against USF.

McShan missed his first two years of college football with knee injuries. He enters the season second on Navy's depth chart and is expected to finally be an on-field contributor for the Mids.

Navy will open the season on August 31 when they host Bucknell.