Delta State Quarterback Tyler Sullivan Named Harlon Hill Trophy Finalist
FLORENCE, Ala. (WCBI/NCAA) — A field of 36 initial nominees has been trimmed to nine national finalists in regional voting for the 2014 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year.
The finalists were selected by the NCAA Division II sports information directors in regional voting and will now be placed on the national ballot where all 168 of the division’s SIDs will select the award’s 29th winner. The top two players from each of Division II’s Super Regions advanced to the national ballot, with the exception of Super Region 4 where three players advanced due to a tie in the voting.
(Delta State Athletics)
Sophomore QB Tyler Sullivan is one of nine finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the top NCAA D-II football player.
The list of 2014 finalists is comprised of seven quarterbacks and two running backs. Six of the finalists helped lead their teams into the 2014 NCAA Division II playoffs this season and one of this year’s finalists was also a finalist in 2013.
Super Region 2 is represented by senior running back Andy Hibbett of Carson-Newman University (Tenn.) and sophomore quarterback Tyler Sullivan of Delta State University (Miss.).
Sullivan led the Statesmen to their seventh GSC title and the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division II Football Super Region II as DSU finished 9-2 overall and 5-2 mark in league play. He leads the GSC passing (305.3) and total offense (324.2) which rank ninth and 13th nationally, respectively. His 3,358 passing yards and his 3,566 total offensive yards rank fifth on the DSU single season lists. Sullivan is responsible for 35 of DSU’s 66 touchdowns, ranking second in the GSC and 15th in the NCAA. The Louisville, Mississippi, native became the seventh quarterback to top 4,000 career yards passing after throwing for 158 in DSU’s 45-24 win at West Alabama. Sullivan, who has 5,122 passing yards to rank fifth on the career list, has completed 268-of-420 passes with 15 interceptions, while averaging 305.3 yards passing per game to lead DSU and the GSC. His 5,122 total career offensive yards ranks sixth all-time. Sullivan has shined in the big stage matchups for the Statesmen, passing for 502 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-32 win at Valdosta State, and 456 yards and five touchdowns in a 58-20 throttling of Florida Tech, both of which were GSC-TV Games of the Week.
Throughout his career, Sullivan, who is 13-3 as a starter at DSU, has performed well under pressure. He has completed 268-of-420 passes (64 percent) for 3,358 yards with 27 touchdowns, while rushing for 208 yards and seven touchdowns on 73 carries. He currently ranks ninth nationally in passing, 13th in total offense (324.2) per game and ninth in completion percentage (64 percent). Sullivan’s 27 touchdown passes rank 27th in the NCAA and second in the GSC.
National voting will conclude on December 13.
The winner of the 2014 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced via webcast on Friday, December 19 and the winner will be honored at a luncheon on the University of North Alabama campus on January 9, 2015.
The Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City of Florence, Ala., Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, Opti-Net, the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa and Herff Jones.
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The initial Harlon Hill Trophy was won by North Dakota State quarterback Jeff Bentrim in 1986, followed by Texas A&M-Kingsville running back Johnny Bailey – in 1987, 1988 and 1989.
The 2003 trophy was awarded to North Alabama quarterback Will Hall, and Chad Friehauf of the Colorado School of Mines won the 2004 award. Terwilliger claimed the 2005 Hill Trophy as a junior.
Chadron State’s Danny Woodhead won the Hill Trophy in 2006 and 2007, joining Bailey and Bonner as the only multiple winners of the award. Abilene Christian’s Bernard Scott won the 2008 Hill Trophy, followed by Wayne State’s (Mich.) Joique Bell in 2009, Central Missouri quarterback Eric Czerniewski in 2010, Mars Hill running back Jonas Randolph in 2011, Shippensburg quarterback Zach Zulli in 2012 and Bloomsburg running back Franklyn Quiteh in 2013.
2014 Harlon Hill Trophy Finalists
Pos. Ht Wt Cl School Hometown
Anthony Abenoja QB 6-3 217 SR Pittsburg State Overland Park, Kan.
Anthony Bilal RB 5-7 170 JR Lake Erie Painesville, Ohio
Andy Hibbett RB 6-0 200 SR Carson-Newman Corryton, Tenn.
Steven Laurino QB 6-0 197 SR LIU Post Boise, Idaho
Sean McCartney QB 6-2 200 SR West Chester Doylestown, Pa.
Mark Miller QB 6-1 190 SR Ohio Dominican Cincinnati, Ohio
Kevin Rodgers QB 6-3 215 SR Henderson State Rockwall, Texas
Tyler Sullivan QB 6-3 235 SO Delta State Louisville, Miss.
Jason Vander Laan QB 6-4 241 JR Ferris State Frankfort, Ill.
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