FRANKS on comeback award list.
FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas quarterback Feleipe Franks was named Monday as a semifinalist for the Mayo Clinic comeback player of the year in college football.
Franks, who suffered a dislocated and fractured ankle in September 2019, helped propel Arkansas to three wins this fall and is on pace to break the single-season school record for completion percentage.
Franks is one of 14 semifinalists for the comeback player of the year honor, which is organized by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
The three winners will be selected by a panel of Associated Press college football writers and will be announced Jan. 2 in conjunction with the Fiesta Bowl.
“I’m really proud of him,” Coach Sam Pittman said of Franks. “I think there will be an announcement in a day or two about something else that he was awarded.
“I’m really proud of him and what he’s done. To come over here and believe in us and choose us, and do what he’s done as a captain, just a really great year for him, our team and for my future that I was able to meet a guy like him.”
Franks has completed 163 of 238 passes for 2,107 yards with 17 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. His 68.5% passing is on track to eclipse Kevin Scanlon’s school record of 66.2% set in 1979.
Franks has two 300-yard passing performances in nine games, including a careerhigh 339 yards against LSU. He threw four touchdown passes at No. 13 Auburn, the most by an Arkansas quarterback since 2015 and tied for eighth most in school history. Franks is the first Arkansas quarterback to throw for 200-plus yards in the first eight games of a season since 2000.
Among the other comeback player semifinalists are South Carolina quarterback Collin Hill, who endured his third knee surgery to win the starting job this season; Kentucky offensive lineman Kenneth Horsey; and Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses.