Terrell Watson made his case for a top honor Saturday with 338 yards and five touchdowns against Menlo College. These numbers regained him the national all-divisions rushing lead, an NCAA Division II single-half rushing yardage record and the 13th spot on the Division II all-time single-season rushing yardage list. The case for what? The Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded to the top talent in Division II football.
The USA College Football Preseason All-American and Lindy’s Preseason Division II Offensive Player of the Year was the first rusher to reach the 1000-yard mark across all divisions this season. His 21 program records and 25 conference records include single-season rushing touchdowns and single-season and career rushing yardage. Watson’s conference accolades include six-time Offensive Player of the Week and 2013 Offensive Player of the Year.
Azusa Pacific head coach Victor Santa Cruz presented his case for the 6-foot-2, 240-pound tailback Nov. 10, a day after the nomination was announced.
“Terrell is very deserving of being the winner of the Harlon Hill Trophy,” said Santa Cruz. “I’ve seen a lot of football and he is the best player in Division II.”
Terrell Watson takes questions in post-game interview after 19-18 win over Western Oregon on Nov. 1.
Photo Credit: Blake Standal
Watson has made significant strides each season, sealing many of his program and conference records as a junior. The running back tripled his 200-yard career games this season, extending the total from three to nine. He has also led the Cougars to back-to-back conference titles and two consecutive 10-win seasons.
The deeply coveted Harlon Hill Trophy has been presented to the best college football player in Division II since 1986. The trophy stands at 2½ feet tall and weighs about 63 pounds. It is forged by Herff-Jones, Inc., the same company that makes other high value awards such as the Heisman Trophy. Each recipient is awarded a prize to keep; however, their name is also added to the original Harlon Hill Trophy that resides permanently in Florence, Alabama.
The award is named after the late Harlon Hill, a former University of North Alabama Lion (then-Florence State Teachers College, 1950-53) who went on to play for the Chicago Bears, earning recognition as the 1954 NFL Rookie of the Year and receiving other major accolades throughout his career.
Notable winners of this award include San Diego Chargers running back Danny Woodhead, who won the trophy back-to-back in 2006 and 2007 as a junior and senior at Chadron State. Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell received the honor in 2009 as a senior at Wayne State in Michigan.
Each Division II school with a football program can submit nominations. An advisory committee composed of four sports information directors from each of the four super-regions can select up to six players from its respective region for the regional ballots. Those 24 candidates are then voted on for first, second and third by every sports information director at programs in the respective region. The two players who receive the most votes from each region advance to the national ballot, which will be announced Dec. 1.
The finalists will be voted on nationwide by sports information directors at football-playing Division II schools. The winner will be named Dec. 19 before the official presentation at the University of North Alabama Jan. 9.