[BAYLOR FOOTBALL] Baylor Football’s Bernard Named Comeback Player of the Year Semifinalist

[Calderone, Max]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Dec. 9, 2021

Baylor FB’s Bernard Named Comeback Player of the Year Semifinalist
Senior linebacker is one of nine semifinalists for Mayo Clinic award
For more information contact: Max Calderone, 254-265-1639, Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu<mailto:Max_Calderone at Baylor.edu>

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Baylor football senior linebacker Terrel Bernard has been named one of nine semifinalists for the 2021 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award, as announced Thursday by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), in association with the Associated Press (AP) and Fiesta Bowl Organization.

Each of the nine semifinalists have overcome injury, illness or other adversity to excel on the field this season. Bernard is joined by Taijh Alston (West Virginia), Jack Coan (Notre Dame), Ryan Hubley (Johns Hopkins), Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan), McKenzie Milton (Florida State), Cameron Rising (Utah), Avery Samuels (Stetson) and J.J. Weaver (Kentucky) as this year’s candidates.

Bernard was off to a strong 2020 campaign, leading the Bears in total tackles, tackles for loss and sacks before suffering a torn labrum, dislocated shoulder and fractured glenoid at Iowa State on Nov. 7. The injury caused him to miss the rest of the season and refrain from all football activities for more than six months. The 6-1, 222-pound native of La Porte, Texas couldn’t move much at all and spent the first month post-injury in a sling.

But all the hard work paid off as he returned for his senior season in 2021 and led the Bears once again in total tackles (86), while placing second on the team with 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Bernard was named a Reese’s Senior Bowl All-American and the Best Linebacker in Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, in addition to earning a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team and DCTF All-Texas First Team. He garnered his program-record fourth-career Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors following his nine-tackle, two-sack performance versus Oklahoma and collected at least eight tackles in six of BU’s games this season.

This year’s semifinalists were selected by a panel of writers, editors and sports information directors from CoSIDA, AP and Touchdown Illustrated, from a field of 30 nominees recognized throughout the season. In addition to Bernard, Baylor senior defensive lineman Cole Maxwell was also recognized as a 2021 nominee.

On Dec. 21, three winners and six honorable mentions will be announced and $30,000 will be donated in the names of the honorees to their schools’ general scholarship funds, with $15,000 being awarded in the names of the three winners and $15,000 on behalf of the six named honorable mention. Additionally, the three Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award winners will be recognized at a special ceremony during the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2022, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

For the latest news on the Baylor football team, follow its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BUFootball.

2021 MAYO CLINIC COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
Taijh Alston, DL – West Virginia
Terrel Bernard, LB – Baylor
Jack Coan, QB – Notre Dame
Ryan Hubley, WR – Johns Hopkins
Aidan Hutchinson, DE – Michigan
McKenzie Milton, QB – Florida State
Cameron Rising, QB – Utah
Avery Samuels, OL – Stetson
J.J. Weaver, LB – Kentucky

-BaylorBears.com-


__________________________________

Max Calderone | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (BSB, FB, EQ)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-265-1639

[signature_686076998]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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