Navy Quarterback Blake Horvath Semifinalist for Comeback Player of Year

The 12 semifinalists for the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year were announced via College Sports Communicators earlier this week.

Claire Boyer | Dec 4, 2024

Oct 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Navy Midshipmen quarterback Blake Horvath (11) passes the ball during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Comeback Player of the Year award is given out each year to the student-athlete that displays dedication and rigor to overcome injury, illness, or other extenuating circumstances. This award was instituted in 2018 and is given to three athletes each year.

The semifinalists each make a legacy for themselves throughout the season in college football. This year, the only American Athletic Conference (AAC) semifinalist is Navy Midshipman QB Blake Horvath. He is among 11 other semifinalists, all from a collection of different conferences.

Horvath was injured in the 2023 season during his sophomore-season debut against North Texas, missing the final seven games of the season due to an injured thumb. Horvath's junior season, however followed a different narrative.

In complete comeback fashion, Horvath dominated his junior season, recording 895 rushing yards for 13 touchdowns on 133 carries. He completed 69 of 118 pass attempts for a total of 11 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and 1,154 yards, lifting the Navy to an 8-3 overall record and No. 3 ranking in the AAC.

Their conference record of 6-2 could not overcome the top two AAC contenders. The Midshipmen missed out on the AAC championship game, falling behind rival Army West Point, along with Tulane, which eliminated the Midshipmen from title game contention.

Horvath's season was impressive, regardless of the results of the Comeback Player of the Year award. With over 1,000 passing-yards on the season, Horvath etched his name in the Navy football record books, becoming the first Navy QB to record over 1,000 yards on the season since 2019.

With one game remaining against the Army Black Knights on Dec. 14, followed by a bowl game, Horvath still has time to add to his stat sheet.

The three winners of the Comeback Player of the Year award will be announced at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, set to kick off on Tuesday, Dec. 31 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

The full list of semifinalists is as follows:

Blake Horvath- Navy QB (AAC)

Eli Pancol- Duke WR (ACC)

Tyler Shough- Louisville QB (ACC)

Oronde Gadsden II- Syracuse TE (ACC)

Lathan Ransom- Ohio State DB (Big Ten)

Tyreem Powell- Rutgers LB (Big Ten)

Jalon Daniels- Kansas QB (Big 12)

Trey Lathan- West Virginia LB (Big 12)

Riley Leonard- Notre Dame QB (Independent)

Ike Larsen- Utah State DB (Mountain West)

Raheim Sanders- South Carolina RB (SEC)