Pena and Gadsden Up for Comeback Player of the Year
8/7/2024 10:33:00 AM | Football
Tight end Oronde Gadsden and wide receiver Trebor Pena – both impact players who missed nearly the entirety of last season due to injury – are on the Comeback Player of the Year Award Watch List.
Gadsden, a Preseason All-American a year ago, suffered a Lisfranc injury in the Orange's week two matchup with Western Michigan. The record-setting tight end led the nation in receiving yards by tight ends in 2022 (969), which set a new program record for tight ends. He also set the school record for receptions (61) by a sophomore and a tight end.
The eighth-highest rated pass catcher in 2022 according to Pro Football Focus, Gadsden caught seven passes for 67 yards and a touchdown in little more than 30-minutes of action last season.
Pena, a member of the Hornung Award Watch List, ranked second in the ACC and 23rd nationally in combined kick returns (508) in 2022, and also was third in the league in punt return average (8.7) in 2022. In addition, he caught 22 passes for 203 yards. Pena was limited to just one appearance last season due to injury.
The duo returns to a high-powered offense in 2023, which features prized transfer quarterback Kyle McCord – who is up for multiple national player of the year awards on preseason watch lists – running back LeQuint Allen, who is on the Doak Walker Award Watch list, and a stable of receiving options.
Gadsden, a Preseason All-American a year ago, suffered a Lisfranc injury in the Orange's week two matchup with Western Michigan. The record-setting tight end led the nation in receiving yards by tight ends in 2022 (969), which set a new program record for tight ends. He also set the school record for receptions (61) by a sophomore and a tight end.
The eighth-highest rated pass catcher in 2022 according to Pro Football Focus, Gadsden caught seven passes for 67 yards and a touchdown in little more than 30-minutes of action last season.
Pena, a member of the Hornung Award Watch List, ranked second in the ACC and 23rd nationally in combined kick returns (508) in 2022, and also was third in the league in punt return average (8.7) in 2022. In addition, he caught 22 passes for 203 yards. Pena was limited to just one appearance last season due to injury.
The duo returns to a high-powered offense in 2023, which features prized transfer quarterback Kyle McCord – who is up for multiple national player of the year awards on preseason watch lists – running back LeQuint Allen, who is on the Doak Walker Award Watch list, and a stable of receiving options.
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