Upcoming Event: Football at NC State on November 7, 2026 at 12:30 p.m.
Football
at NC State
Photo by: Duke Athletics
11/2/2026 3:13:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke graduate student linebacker Nick Morris Jr. earned a spot on the Mid-Season Comeback Player of the Year Award watch list, the College Sports Communicators (CSC), in association with The Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl announced Monday afternoon.
Since 2018, the award has recognized college football student-athletes for overcoming injury, illness or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of college football writers, editors and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes are honored as Comeback Player of the Year Award winners at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Morris Jr., a native of Fairfield, Connecticut, started the first four games of the 2025 campaign before being shelved with a season-ending leg injury. Morris Jr. also played in the 2024 season opener against Elon before suffering an injury that cost him the rest of the campaign.
In 32 career games, 18 starts, he has compiled 138 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, four fumble recoveries and three quarterback pressures. Morris Jr. has posted two or more tackles in 22 games, five or more in 14 contests and 10+ stops three times, including a career-high 12 against Pittsburgh in 2023. Morris Jr. posted a career-high 3.0 TFL against Illinois in 2025 and his 1.0 sack against North Carolina in 2023.
This season, Morris Jr. has started all eight games and owns a team-high 45 tackles to go along with 3.0 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one quarterback pressure.
#GoDuke
Since 2018, the award has recognized college football student-athletes for overcoming injury, illness or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of college football writers, editors and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes are honored as Comeback Player of the Year Award winners at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Morris Jr., a native of Fairfield, Connecticut, started the first four games of the 2025 campaign before being shelved with a season-ending leg injury. Morris Jr. also played in the 2024 season opener against Elon before suffering an injury that cost him the rest of the campaign.
In 32 career games, 18 starts, he has compiled 138 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, four fumble recoveries and three quarterback pressures. Morris Jr. has posted two or more tackles in 22 games, five or more in 14 contests and 10+ stops three times, including a career-high 12 against Pittsburgh in 2023. Morris Jr. posted a career-high 3.0 TFL against Illinois in 2025 and his 1.0 sack against North Carolina in 2023.
This season, Morris Jr. has started all eight games and owns a team-high 45 tackles to go along with 3.0 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and one quarterback pressure.
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
LB
/ FootballMonday, November 02
Monday, November 02
Monday, November 02
Monday, November 02
