Henderson’s QB Kevin Rodgers Named Finalist for Hill Trophy

 

Kevin Rodgers Passes for New Record

For the second consecutive year, Henderson State’s Kevin Rodgers has been named a finalist for the 2013 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year.

A field of 28 candidates has been trimmed to nine national finalists in regional voting.

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 28th winner.

The top two players from each of Division II’s Super Regions advanced to the national ballot, with the exception of Super Region 3 where three players advanced due to a tie in the voting.

The list of 2013 finalists is comprised of five quarterbacks and four running backs.

Six of the finalists helped lead their teams into the 2013 NCAA Division II playoffs this season and five of this weekend’s second round playoff matchups will have Hill finalists competing. Three of this year’s finalists were also finalists in 2012.

Rodgers, who was a Harlon Hill finalist last year, was a unanimous selection as the Great American Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight year.

The Reddie signal caller leads the nation in passing yards per game at 400.6, total offense (399.5), third in touchdowns (40) and fourth in efficiency (178.64).

This season Rodgers completed 322-of-467 passes for 4,807 yards (8th most in D2 history) and 40 touchdowns. He is the sixth quarterback in Division II history to throw for 4,000 or more yards in back-to-back seasons.

The two-time First-Team All-GAC selection has thrown for over 300 yards 10 times, 400 yards five times and 500 yards twice this season.
Rodgers is one of only three players from Division II to be chosen to the AllState/AFCA Good Works Team.

Last week against St. Cloud State, Rodgers completed 42-of-51 passes for 567 yards and four touchdowns.
The 2012-13 GAC Male Athlete of the Year, has been named GAC Offensive Player of the Week 12 times and a National Player of the Week pick six times.

Rodgers has played in 30 games the last three years, having completed 727of 1089 passes (67 percent) for 10,079 yards (336.0 yards per game) and 90 touchdowns. He has thrown for 300 yards or more 19 times, 400 yards or more 9 times and 500 yards or more 4 times.

Rodgers has a 25-3 record as Henderson’s starting quarterback. He holds the HSU single-season and career records for yards passing, touchdowns, completion percentage, and pass efficiency.

He helped lead Henderson State to two GAC Championships, back-to-back undefeated regular-seasons and is the only quarterback in Reddie history to throw for 4,000 or more yards in back-to-back seasons.

Rodgers has a 3.9 grade point average after 7 semesters in Business/Pre-Law. A seven-time member on the Dean’s List, he is a two-time member of the Academic All-GAC Honor Roll. Rodgers was the recipient of the HSU 2013 Summit Bank Outstanding Banking Award.

The Rockwall, Texas native is an active member in HSU’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries and has been on several mission trips. He has traveled throughout the south lending a helping hand to those in need.

Rodgers has served as a mentor for freshmen at the BSM and leads a youth group. He has taken part in REDDIE TO SERVE, a community clean-up program; REDDIE TO READ, a reading program in the Arkadelphia public schools; REDDIE TO HELP, a winter wonderland project which provides a terminally ill youngster a special Christmas; and REDDIE TO TEACH, having assisted at Arkadelphia Sports Clinics.

Rodgers also participates each year in the Reddie Football Blood Drive. He assists at the local humane society cleaning pens, as well as washing, feeding and walking the animals. Rodgers has also assisted with the building of playgrounds at local schools and community centers.

Advancing from Super Region 1 are senior running back Franklyn Quiteh of Bloomsburg University (Pa.) and senior running back Rondell White of West Chester University (Pa.). Their respective teams will square off in a second round playoff game Saturday. Quiteh finished third in the 2012 Hill Trophy voting.

Super Region 2 is represented by senior quarterback Luke Charles of the University of North Carolina-Pembroke and senior quarterback Bo Cordell of Tusculum University (Tenn.). Charles will lead his 9-1 Braves into a second round playoff matchup Saturday.

Along with Rodgers in Super Region 3 are junior running back Tyler Tonderum of Southwest Minnesota State University and senior quarterback Jon Wolf of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Wolf will lead the Mavericks into a second round playoff game Saturday and Rodgers finished sixth in the voting in 2012.

Advancing from Super Region 4 are senior running back Glen Clinton of Chadron State College (Neb.) and senior quarterback Dustin Vaughan of West Texas A&M University. Vaughn has led West Texas A&M to the second round of the Division II playoffs and finished fourth in the voting in 2012.

National voting will conclude on December 7 and the top three finishers will be invited to the Shoals for the presentation banquet.

The winner of the 2013 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the 28th annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Friday, December 20 at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center at 6:30 p.m.

This year’s Hill Trophy Banquet will also include the 54th induction into the Division II Football Hall of Fame. The 2013 Hall of Fame class includes from Valdosta State quarterback Dusty Bonner, former Jacksonville State University tight end Keith McKeller and former Indiana University of Pennsylvania head coach Frank Cignetti.

Tickets are $50 each or $400 for a table of eight and can be purchased by calling the Shoals Chamber of Commerce at (256) 764-4661. The NCAA Division II Championship Game is scheduled for December 21 at Florence’s Braly Municipal Stadium at 11 a.m.

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.

2013 Harlon Hill Trophy Finalists
Luke Charles QB (6-1, 215, SR) UNC Pembroke – Murphy, North Carolina
Glen Clinton TB (5-10, 200, SR) Chadron State – Cody, Wyoming
Bo Cordell QB (6-0, 205, SR) Tusculum – Cincinnati, Ohio
Franklyn Quiteh RB (5-9, 206, SR) Bloomsburg – Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania
Kevin Rodgers QB (6-3, 215, JR) Henderson State – Rockwall, Texas
Tyler Tonderum RB (5-10, 191, JR) Southwest Minnesota St.- Armstrong, Iowa
Dustin Vaughan QB (6-5, 220, SR) West Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, Texas
Rondell White RB (5-10, 185, SR) West Chester – West Chester, Pennsylvania
Jon Wolf QB (6-4, 230, SR) Minnesota State-Mankato – Oak Forest, Illinois

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