Harlon Hill Award Nominees

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Colorado School of Mines quarterback John Matocha is one of 48 national nominees for the Harlon Hill Award, the highest honor in NCAA Division II Football. 

Matocha is one of 11 nominees from Super Region 4 and one of two from the RMAC. The top two vote-getters from each super region will advance to the national ballot after regional voting concludes Nov. 28. The winner of the Harlon Hill Award will be announced on Dec. 16.

It is Matocha's second time on the nominees list as he was also selected as a freshman in 2019. He has been Super Region 4's top quarterback in 2022, throwing for 3,731 yards and 37 touchdowns against just five interceptions, completing 70.7% of his passes with a rating of 186.04. He leads NCAA Division II in passer rating and yards per pass attempt, and is second in completion percentage, yards, and touchdowns while ranking fourth in total offense. The RMAC Offensive Player of the Year and Academic Offensive Player of the Year, Matocha has thrown for 300+ yards nine times and 350+ yards three times, and has eight games with three or more touchdown passes this season. 

Matocha has led Mines (10-2) into the NCAA Second Round this weekend after an unbeaten RMAC slate to capture the program's fourth straight conference title. In the NCAA First Round against CSU Pueblo, Matocha threw for 316 yards and five total touchdowns, throwing for four and rushing for another. 

Mines is one of seven programs to have two different Harlon Hill Award winners, with Chad Friehauf winning in 2004 and Justin Dvorak in 2016. The award is named for the late Harlon Hill, a former University of North Alabama standout who excelled with the Lions from 1950-53 before going on to fame in the NFL with the Chicago Bears. The award is presented by the Little Rock Touchdown Club and Great American Conference.