UNK Athletics
Peter Yazvac
KEARNEY – The winner of the 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II Heisman, will be announced this Friday (Dec. 17) at 2 p.m. Central.
Nebraska-Kearney redshirt junior quarterback TJ Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo./Widefield H.S.) is one of eight national finalists. Sports Information Directors and Conference Information Directors from around the nation vote on the winner (around 181 total votes). Voting concluded last Friday (Dec. 10).
The Great American Conf. (GAC) and Little Rock Touchdown Club handle the voting process for the Harlon Hill with the winner attending an awards banquet on January 13, 2022, to receive the trophy. That’ll take place in Little Rock.
The announcement will be aired live on Harlon Hill Facebook page and the GAC You Tube Channel. UNK has had two previous national finalists in QB’s Justin Coleman (1999; 6th and 2000; 2nd) and Jake Spitzlberger (2011; 6th).
The 2021 MIAA and Super Region 3 Offensive Player of the Year, Davis is one of just two QB’s in NCAA’s four divisions (FBS, FCS, D2 and D3) to throw for at least 2,000 and run for 1,000 yards this fall. Having a hand in 40 touchdowns (21 passing, 18 rushing and one receiving), the second-team AFCA All-American had eight games with at least two TD tosses, five 100-yard rushing days and four games with four TD’s.
UNK and Davis had a banner season, going 10-3, reaching the second round of the NCAA D2 Playoffs, being nationally and regionally ranked throughout the fall and recording the program’s third-ever double digit win season.
2021 Harlon Hill National Finalists
Super Region 1
Tyson Bagent, Jr., QB, Shepherd (W.V.)
Henry Litwin, Sr., WR, Slippery Rock (Pa.)
Super Region 2
Austin Reed, So., QB, West Florida
Calil Wilkins, Sr., RB, Bowie State (Md.)
Super Region 3
TJ Davis, Jr., QB, UNK
Al McKeller, Sr., RB, Northwest Missouri State
Super Region 4
Brandon Alt, So., QB, Bemidji State (Minn.)
Michael Zeman, Sr., RB, Colorado School of Mines