UVA’s Hollins, Michigan’s Corum, Holy Cross’ Dobbs win Comeback Player of the Year awards

Virginia running back Mike Hollins, who survived a shooting that left three of his teammates dead and returned to play for the Cavaliers less than a year later, is one of three recipients of college football's Comeback Player of the Year Award announced Monday.

Michigan running back Blake Corum, who came back from a major knee injury to lead the top-ranked Wolverines in rushing and touchdowns, and Holy Cross linebacker Jacob Dobbs, who returned from a devastating arm injury to win conference defensive player of the year, are the other comeback players of the year for 2023.

The Comeback Player of the Year Award is voted on by AP Top 25 voters and sports information directors from around the country.

The players will honored at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1 in Glendale, Arizona.

Hollins, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was one of two survivors of a shooting last November. Another Virginia student shot and killed Virginia football players D'Sean Perry, Lavel Davis Jr. and Devin Chandler. Hollins was shot in the back, needed several surgeries and spent a week in the hospital before beginning a long rehabilitation.

Hollins returned to the team in time for preseason practice and went on to play 11 games this season. His best performance came in Virginia's upset of North Carolina, running for 66 yards and three touchdowns against the then-10th-ranked Tar Heels.

Hollins finished with eight touchdowns and 274 yards rushing this season.

Corum tore ligaments in his left knee in the second-to-last game of the 2022 regular season and missed Michigan's final three games, including the

College Football Playoff loss to TCU. He returned this season and remained the focal point of Michigan's run-heavy offense.

Corum ran for 1,028 yards and scored 24 touchdowns, most in the nation.

Dobbs was the Patriot League player of the year in 2021, but in the fourth game of the 2022 season he tore a ligament in his right elbow, a triceps tendon and a forearm muscle.

He was back on the field in 2023, playing nine games, leading the Patriot League in tackles at 13.7 per game and winning conference defensive player of the year for the second time in his career.