Florence, Ala. - Bloomsburg's Franklyn Quiteh and Shippensburg's Zach Zulli have been named two of the three finalists for the prestigious Harlon Hill Trophy. The winner will be announced at the 27th Annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet in Florence, Ala. on December 14, the evening prior to the NCAA Division II Football Championship game. Additionally, former Kutztown linebacker, John Mobley, will be inducted into the Division II Football Hall of Fame.
Michael Hill of Missouri Western State University is the other finalist in the Harlon Hill Trophy race. Quiteh, Zulli and Hill earned the most votes from a field of eight candidates. Votes and nominations were submitted by the sports information directors from the 169 institutions that compete in Division II football, with voting concluding on November 29.
In 2005, the PSAC also had two of the three finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy. East Stroudsburg quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger won the award, with Bloomsburg running back Jamar Brittingham earning third. The only other PSAC player to win the award was Bloomsburg’s Irv Sigler in 1997.
All three finalists are invited by the Hill Trophy's sponsors, the City of Florence, Ala., Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, Opti-Net, the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa, and Heriff Jones, to the presentation banquet at the Shoals. The award will be presented to the winner by the Harlon Hill Award Committee. Tickets are $50 each or $400 for a table of eight and can be purchased by calling Judy Keenum at the Shoals Chamber of Commerce at (256) 764-4661.
Quiteh, from Tobyhanna, Pa., leads Division II in rushing this season with an average of 176.8 yards per game. He has carried the ball 287 times for 2,121 yards and 24 touchdowns and has averaged 7.4 yards per carry. He rushed for more than 100 yards in every game in 2012 and has a current streak of 17 straight games with 100 yards or more. He rushed for more than 200 yards four times this season and his career numbers stand at 5,328 yards rushing with 58 touchdowns. A first-team All-PSAC selection for the third straight year, Quiteh helped lead Bloomsburg to a 10-2 record this fall and into the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Notes Courtesy of Bloomsburg Athletics Communications
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Zulli, from Schwenksville, Pa., still maintains his 2012 lead over all divisions of college football with 54 touchdown passes and 4,747 passing yards in 2012 – tying the NCAA single-season record for touchdown passes in a season while breaking NCAA single-season records for points responsible for in a season (344) and touchdowns responsible for in a season (57). Zulli, in just his second season as SU’s starting signal caller, has quarterbacked the No. 1 total offense (529.92 ypg) and No. 2 passing offense in Division II (387.69) while individual ranking No. 3 in Division II for total offense (382.3 ypg) and No. 5 in passing efficiency (165.25).
Notes Courtesy of Shippensburg Athletics Communications
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In conjunction with the Harlon Hill Trophy announcement, the induction of the Division II Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 will take place during the banquet. Kutztown’s John Mobley and former Fort Valley State defensive back Tyrone Poole comprise the 2012 induction class.
Mobley is the second Kutztown athlete in the Hall of Fame, with Class of 2002 inductee Andre Reed being the first Golden Bear to gain entry into the Hall of Fame. Mobley, an All-American named to the Division II Team of the Quarter Century in 1997, was a starting linebacker for Kutztown from 1991-1995. Post-graduation, Mobley was selected 15th in the 1996 NFL draft and went on to win two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos as part of an eight-year NFL career.
As a collegiate athlete, Mobley tallied 387 total tackles, including 198 solo stops in 40 games played. He swatted down 23 passes, recorded 10 sacks, recovered eight fumbles and caught eight interceptions. As a senior, Mobley earned AP Little All-American, All-Northeast Region and PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Year. During his professional career Mobley appeared in 105 NFL contests and made 608 career tackles and recorded 10.5 sacks and five pick-offs.
Read more about Mobley
Harlon Hill Trophy History
Courtesy of the Harlon Hill Trophy National Committee
The initial Harlon Hill Trophy was won by North Dakota State quarterback Jeff Bentrim in 1986, followed by Texas A&M-Kingsville runningback Johnny Bailey - in 1987, 1988 and 1989.
Another North Dakota State quarterback, Chris Simdorn, claimed the 1990 award, followed by Pittsburg State receiver Ronnie West in 1991, Pittsburg State running back Ronald Moore in 1992, New Haven running back Roger Graham in 1993 and Valdosta State University quarterback Chris Hatcher in 1994. North Alabama linebacker Ronald McKinnon became the first defensive player to win the award when he claimed the Hill Trophy in 1995.
Truman State University running back Jarrett Anderson won the 1996 award and Bloomsburg University running back Irvin Sigler claimed the Hill Trophy in 1997 award. Running back Brian Shay of Emporia State won in 1998, followed by Northern Colorado quarterback Corte McGuffey in 1999 and Valdosta State quarterback Dusty Bonner in 2000 and 2001, and Grand Valley State quarterback Curt Anes in 2002. The 2003 trophy was awarded to North Alabama quarterback Will Hall, and Chad Friehauf of the Colorado School of Mines won the 2004 award. East Stroudsburg's Jimmy Terwilliger claimed the 2005 Hill Trophy as a junior and Chadron State running back Danny Woodhead won the 2006 and 2007 Hill Trophies to become just the third two-time winner. Running back Bernard Scott of Abilene Christian won the 2008 Hill Trophy, followed by running back Joique Bell of Wayne State (Mich.) in 2009, Central Missouri quarterback Eric Czerniewski in 2010 and Mars Hill running back Jonas Randolph in 2011.
For more information about the Harlon Hill Trophy please visit:
http://www.harlonhill.com/