Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: David Eaton-Murray State Athletics
Williams Named on National Comeback Player Watch List
10/11/2023 9:31:00 AM | Football
Racers Quarterback DJ Williams is one of 49 players nationally on the list
 The College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, today released an updated "Watch List" of 49 college football student-athletes from 42 different schools currently under consideration for the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Award. Murray State quarterback DJ Williams has been included as one of just six FCS players on the list.Â
Coming off of a season-ending injury in the 2022 season, Williams has bounced back for the Racers' inaugural season in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The redshirt sophomore has completed 60 percent of his passes this season for nearly 700 yards and five touchdowns while also amassing 91 yards on the ground. He just finished a run of 140 consecutive passes without an interception to begin his 2023 campaign.Â
The Harvey, Illinois native is one of two players on the watch list from the nation's premier FCS conference in the MVFC.Â
Previous winners of the Comeback Player of the Year Award include: 2022 - Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota); Laiatu Latu (UCLA); Michael Penix Jr. (Washington); 2021 – Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan); McKenzie Milton (Florida State); J.J. Weaver (Kentucky); 2020 –Jarek Broussard (Colorado); Kenneth Horsey (Kentucky); Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina); 2019 – Jake Luton (Oregon State); Drew Wilson (Georgia Southern); Octavion Wilson (Salisbury); 2018 - Antwan Dixon (Kent State), Seth Simmer (Dartmouth); Antonio Wimbush (Carson- Newman).
A full list of this season's watch list can be found below:
Coming off of a season-ending injury in the 2022 season, Williams has bounced back for the Racers' inaugural season in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The redshirt sophomore has completed 60 percent of his passes this season for nearly 700 yards and five touchdowns while also amassing 91 yards on the ground. He just finished a run of 140 consecutive passes without an interception to begin his 2023 campaign.Â
The Harvey, Illinois native is one of two players on the watch list from the nation's premier FCS conference in the MVFC.Â
Previous winners of the Comeback Player of the Year Award include: 2022 - Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota); Laiatu Latu (UCLA); Michael Penix Jr. (Washington); 2021 – Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan); McKenzie Milton (Florida State); J.J. Weaver (Kentucky); 2020 –Jarek Broussard (Colorado); Kenneth Horsey (Kentucky); Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina); 2019 – Jake Luton (Oregon State); Drew Wilson (Georgia Southern); Octavion Wilson (Salisbury); 2018 - Antwan Dixon (Kent State), Seth Simmer (Dartmouth); Antonio Wimbush (Carson- Newman).
A full list of this season's watch list can be found below:
| CONFERENCE | PLAYER | SCHOOL | POSITION |
| AAC | Nikhai Hill-Green | Charlotte | LB |
| AAC | Rahjai Harris | East Carolina | RB |
| AAC | Tai Lavatai | Navy | QB |
| AAC | Anthony Watkins | Tulsa | RB |
| ACC | Christian Mahogany | Boston College | OL |
| ACC | Tyler Van Dyke | Miami | QB |
| ACC | Savion Jackson | NC State | DE |
| ACC | Stefon Thompson | Syracuse | LB |
| ACC | Malachi Fields | Virginia | WR |
| ACC | Mike Hollins | Virginia | RB |
| BIG TEN | Cam Camper | Indiana | WR |
| BIG TEN | Erick All | Iowa | TE |
| BIG TEN | Blake Corum | Michigan | RB |
| BIG TEN | Thomas Fidone II | Nebraska | TE |
| BIG TEN | Garrett Miller | Purdue | TE |
| BIG TEN | Mohamed Toure | Rutgers | DL |
| Big 12 | Malik Robinson | Houston | LB |
| Big 12 | Daniel Hishaw Jr. | Kansas | RB |
| Big 12 | Alan Bowman | Oklahoma State | QB |
| Big 12 | Jaden Bray | Oklahoma State | WR |
| Big 12 | Jalen Catalon | Texas | DB |
| Big 12 | Cole Spencer | Texas Tech | OL |
| Big 12 | CJ Donaldson Jr. | West Virginia | RB |
| Independent | Tyrell Robinson | Army | RB |
| MAC | Davon Ferguson | Bowling Green | CB |
| MAC | Terion Stewart | Bowling Green | RB |
| MAC | Marion Lukes | Central Michigan | RB |
| MAC | Myles Bailey | Central Michigan | RB |
| MAC | O'Shaan Allison | Ohio University | RB |
| Mountain West | Markel Reed | Boise State | CB |
| Mountain West | Tavian Combs | New Mexico | S/LB |
| Mountain West | Sabastian Harsh | Wyoming | DE |
| Pac 12 | Brett Johnson | Cal-Berkeley | DL |
| Pac 12 | Romello Height | USC | RE |
| Pac 12 | Edefuan Ulofoshio | Washington | LB |
| SEC | Justin Eboigbe | Alabama | DL |
| SEC | Devin Leary | Kentucky | QB |
| SEC | Ainias Smith | Texas A&M | WR |
| SEC | Max Johnson | Texas A&M | QB |
| Sun Belt | Corey Rucker | Arkansas State | WR |
| Sun Belt | Braydon Bennett | Coastal Carolina | RB |
| Sun Belt | Rasheen Ali | Marshall | RB |
| Sun Belt | Stephen Dix Jr. | Marshall | LB |
| CAA | Matthew Downing | Elon | QB |
| MVC | DJ Williams | Murray State | QB |
| MVC | Myles Harden | South Dakota | CB |
| Patriot League | Jacob Dobbs | Holy Cross | LB |
| UAC | Keith Davis | Utah Tech | WR |
| UAC | Ronnie Walker Jr. | Utah Tech | RB |
Players Mentioned
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