Ramirez, Spencer tabbed to Comeback POY watch list

NEW YORK – Texas Tech’s Bryce Ramirez and Cole Spencer were named to the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Award watch list on Tuesday, as announced by the College Sports Communicators in association with the Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl Organization.

The two Red Raiders are among a group of 100 college football student-athletes from 67 schools currently under consideration.

The award recognizes college football student-athletes from all divisions of college football for overcoming injury, illness, or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of writers, editors, and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes will be honored as Comeback Player of the Year Award winners at the Fiesta Bowl.

Bryce Ramirez, Senior OLB
A story that already defied the odds in its own right as a player that earned an invitation to walk on to the Red Raider football team following an open tryout for the football team in 2019 and building that into earning a start his senior season, continues to be an inspirational story.

Ramirez suffered a compound leg fracture in his first career start at N.C. State on Sept. 17, and remained hospitalized in Raleigh, N.C. for five nights, underwent two surgeries while under its care, before returning to Lubbock later that week. Even with such a significant injury, Ramirez fought to return to the field, rehabbing endlessly with Texas Tech’s sports medicine department.

Through his determination and hard work, Ramirez is on pace to return to the gridiron in week one of the 2023 season. Ramirez was designated to wear No. 3 this past summer, a tradition started by head coach Joey McGuire that honors the team’s daily quest to be the “toughest, hardest-working, most-competitive team in the country.”

Cole Spencer, Super-Senior OL
Spencer suffered a left knee injury early in the 2021 season and played through it during his final season at Western Kentucky. He had the injury repaired during the same offseason that he transferred to Texas Tech. While rehabbing his injury, a back issue started that required a second surgery that took place during fall camp of the 2022 season. Between the two surgeries, he was declared out for the season on Sept. 5, 2022 by head coach Joey McGuire.

Now fully recovered, Spencer states he feels as healthy as he’s felt in two years as he embarks on his seventh collegiate season after receiving a medical hardship waiver. The Red Raiders will welcome the experience of having 44 career starts under his belt.

Previous Award Winners
Previous winners have included: 2018 – Antwan Dixon (Kent State), Seth Simmer (Dartmouth); Antonio Wimbush (Carson-Newman); 2019 – Jake Luton (Oregon State); Drew Wilson (Georgia Southern); Octavion Wilson (Salisbury); 2020 – Jarek Broussard (Colorado); Kenneth Horsey (Kentucky); Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina); 2021 – Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan); McKenzie Milton (Florida State); J.J. Weaver (Kentucky); 2022 – Michael Penix Jr. (Washington); Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota); Laiatu Latu (UCLA). For a complete list of past honorees, visit www.Comeback-Player.com.

About College Sports Communicators
College Sports Communicators (formerly College Sports Information Directors of America [CoSIDA]) is a 3,600+ member national organization, comprised of the athletic communications, media relations, digital and creative professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1957, the organization is the second oldest management association in intercollegiate athletics. The organization’s signature program is the Academic All-America® program, honoring thousands of outstanding scholar-athletes annually. To learn more, visit collegesportscommunicators.com.

-TECH-

Release provided by MATT BURKHOLDER Texas Tech Athletics