Troy Harris Named Finalist for Gene Upshaw Award

MANHEIM, Pa. – Regional voting narrowed a field of 48 candidates to eight finalists for the 2013 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award. The finalists include a record five defensive linemen and a repeat finalist from 2012. Six of the eight finalists played for teams that reached the NCAA Division II Tournament, and five are set to play in the second round on Nov. 30.

The award is sponsored by the Manheim Touchdown Club and voted upon by the nation's NCAA Division II sports information directors. Two finalists advance from each of the four NCAA Division II super regions.

Representing Super Region 1 are Bloomsburg's senior offensive lineman and returning finalist Brian Clarke and Shippensburg's senior defensive end Jake Metz. Super Region 2 finalists are Lenoir-Rhyne junior defensive end Blake Baker and Mars Hill's senior defensive end Troy Harris. Advancing from Super Region 3 are Henderson State's senior center Kelton Hays and Minnesota State Mankato senior defensive end Chris Schaudt. Super Region 4 is represented by Grand Valley State's senior center Matt Armstrong and Darius Allen, a junior defensive end at Colorado State University-Pueblo.

Allen (Colorado State-Puebo), Armstrong (Grand Valley State), Baker (Lenoir-Rhyne), Clarke (Bloomsburg), Schaudt (Minnesota State Mankato) and will all play in this weekend's NCAA second round. Allen and Armstrong's teams go head-to-head at the DeRose ThunderBowl at 2 p.m.

The national round of voting closes on Dec. 9 and the winner is announced on Dec. 16. The award recipient has an invitation to participate in front of professional scouts and coaches at the East-West Shrine Game in St. Petersburg, Fla., or the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Carson, Calif. Both games are scheduled for Jan. 18.

The winner will also be recognized at the Manheim Touchdown Club's annual banquet in May.

The NFL recognizes, endorses and supports the winner of the award by guaranteeing a place in the all-star games. The support comes as recognition and appreciation for the late Mr. Upshaw, who was not only an All-Pro lineman for the Oakland Raiders, but later served as the executive director of the NFL Players Association for 25 years. Upshaw, a former standout offensive lineman at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M Kingsville), was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007 in his first year of eligibility.

FINALIST INFORMATION

Darius Allen (Pueblo, Colo.) has been a dominating presence on the defensive line for an 11-0 Colorado State-Pueblo team that is the top-seeded team in Super Region 4 and the No. 3 ranked team in Division II. He is a two-time All-RMAC First Team selection and the 2013 RMAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. His 13.5 sacks are the most in Division II this season, and he has also totaled 19 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Matt Armstrong (Lansing, Mich.) is the 2013 GLIAC Offensive Lineman of the Year and a four-time All-GLIAC honoree including a three-time first team pick. Graded out at 96 percent over the first 12 games of the season, Armstrong is the lone senior for an offensive line that totals 465.4 yards of offense and 36.9 points per game. He has started all 43 games he has played in his career and shown versatility by starting at least one game at every spot on the offensive line.

Blake Baker (Bethlehem, N.C.) produced a breakthrough season, leading the South Atlantic Conference with 10.5 sacks and amassed 16.5 tackles for loss. Baker's play helped Lenoir-Rhyne to a 10-1 record and SAC Championship. The team is currently ranked No. 13 in Division II. He was named All-South Atlantic Conference First Team.

Brian Clarke (Hanover, Pa.) makes his second appearance on the Gene Upshaw Award national ballot as a right guard for the Bloomsburg Huskies. Clarke has powered the nation's fifth-ranked rushing attack to 317.6 yards per game and paved the way for Harlon Hill finalist and the nation's leading rusher, Franklyn Quiteh. His offense has posted 500-plus yards of total offense seven times and rushed for 350 yards or more six times. Clarke, a three-time All-PSAC East First Team selection and 2013 Sporting News Preseason All-American, helped the Huskies to their first PSAC Championship since 1985 this season.

Troy Harris (Orlando, Fla.) piled up 20.5 tackles for loss, leading the South Atlantic Conference and ranking seventh in Division II. Harris, the 2012 SAC Defensive Player of the Year, was named All-SAC First Team in 2013. Incredibly productive from his defensive end spot, Harris totaled 99 tackles and eight sacks, ranking second in the SAC. He has totaled 45.5 tackles for loss and 21 sacks over the course of his career.

Kelton Hays (Jonesville, La.) is the center for the nation's most prolific offense. With Hays in the middle of the line, Henderson State averaged a Division II best 53.3 points, 576.4 yards and 428.4 passing yards per game. A two-time All-Great American Conference First Team pick, Hays has started for three conference championship teams, posted a 34-10 record and averaged 41.9 points and 469.9 yards of offense during his career. He was ranked as one of the top 10 centers in the country by D2football.com prior to the season.

Jake Metz (Harleysville, Pa.) was selected as the PSAC Eastern Division Defensive Player of the Year after ranking second in Division II in yards lost on sacks, ninth in sacks per game and 13^th in tackles for loss with 18.0. His impact behind the line resulted in 113 lost yards for the opponent, and he led all of Division II in that category. A 2012 Daktronics All-America First Team pick, Metz ranks fourth among active Division II players in career sacks (30.5) and third tackles for loss (55.0). 

Chris Schaudt (Slater, Iowa), the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Co-Defensive Player of the Year and NSIC All-South Division First Team selection, totaled four sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss to his school record totals in both categories. He finished his career with 56 tackles for loss and 31 sacks. His team is 11-0 and has won two consecutive NSIC South Division and NSIC regular season titles.