FHSU Sports Information Department
FLORENCE, Ala. – Fort Hays State senior linebacker Brock Long has been nominated as one of 38 players in NCAA Division II for the Harlon Hill Trophy. The trophy is awarded to the Division II College Football Player of the Year. Long is among 11 nominees in Super Region 3. Long is the only linebacker nationally nominated for the award.
Long has put together one of the most impressive defensive seasons in Fort Hays State history. Long has made huge contributions to Fort Hays State being 8-3 overall and being selected to the Mineral Water Bowl. Long has 159 tackles overall, 21.0 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 interception to his credit this season. He is the MIAA leader in tackles for loss, sacks, and forced fumbles.
Traditionally an award that is awarded to an offensive player, Long’s numbers on a national level warrant a nomination for the award. He ranks fifth nationally in tackles, eighth in tackles for loss, 14th in sacks, and sixth in forced fumbles. It is impressive that he is in the top 20 of all those categories as a linebacker, as you traditionally see the majority of tackles for loss and sack leaders being defensive linemen.
The Harlon Hill has been awarded to a defensive player just once in history, that being linebacker Ronald McKinnon from North Alabama in 1995. As a senior in 1995, McKinnon had 139 tackles, 11 tackles-for-loss, four interceptions and four sacks. To put that in perspective, Long has 20 more tackles, 10 more tackles for loss, and 5.5 more sacks. He only comes up short in interceptions by three.
Long is one of only two players on the Super Region 3 ballot that are defensive players. Joshua Gordon, defensive end from Minnesota State-Mankato is the other. Below are the nominations in Super Region 3.
Garrett Fugate, Jr., QB, Central Missouri
Ja’Quan Gardner, So., RB, Humboldt State
Blake Gimbel, So., QB, Southwest Minnesota State
Joshua Gordon, Sr., DE, Minnesota State-Mankato
Trey Heid, Jr., QB, Augustana
Brock Long, Sr., LB, Fort Hays State
Reid Miller, Jr., QB, Northwestern Oklahoma State
Luke Papilion, Jr., QB, Sioux Falls
Jameson Parsons, Jr., WR, St. Cloud State
Barrett Renner, Fr., QB, Southern Arkansas
Brent Wilson, Sr., QB, Emporia State
The list of candidates was announced Friday (Nov. 20) morning by the National Harlon Hill Award Commitee. The list includes players from each of the four Division II Super Regions.
The 38 initial candidates will be placed on regional ballots and the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions will advance to the national ballot when regional voting concludes on November 30.
The winner of the 2015 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced on Friday, December 18 via a webcast and the winner will be honored at a luncheon on the University of North Alabama campus on January 8, 2016.
The list of candidates for the 2015 Hill Trophy includes 2014 winner Jason Vander Laan of Ferris State and third place finisher Anthony Bilal of Lake Erie.