Harlon Hill Award Press Release

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Defending winner John Matocha of Colorado School of Mines is one of nine national finalists for the Harlon Hill Award, given to the most outstanding football player in NCAA Division II.

Matocha can become fifth player to win multiple Harlon Hill awards and the first since Ferris State's Jason Vander Laan won in 2014 and 2015. Mines is the only school to have had three different winners (Chad Friehauf in 2004 and Justin Dvorak in 2016 in addition to Matocha); no school has ever won four total trophies. It is the sixth time Mines has had a finalist for the Harlon Hill; in addition to the three wins, Michael Zeman (2021) and Clay Garcia (2010) were finalists.

Joining Matocha on the finalists list are Hillsdale running back Michael Herzog and Slippery Rock quarterback Brayden Long from Super Region 1; Delta State quarterback Patrick Shegog and Valdosta State quarterback Sammy Edwards from Super Region 2; Central Missouri quarterback Zach Zebrowski, Emporia State quarterback Braden Gleason, and Southern Nazarene quarterback Gage Porter from Super Region 3; and Central Washington safety Tanner Volk from Super Region 4.

This season, Matocha has led Mines to a 12-0 record, a fifth consecutive RMAC title, this weekend's NCAA quarterfinals, and the #1 poll ranking for the first time in program history. He has thrown for 3,511 yards completing 70 percent of his passes with 39 touchdowns against five interceptions. His 179.95 quarterback rating leads the nation as he has spearheaded the nation's #1 scoring and #2 total offense, and he has added 336 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. A four-time RMAC Offensive Player of the Week this season, Matocha has already picked up his second consecutive RMAC Offensive Player of the Year nod this postseason. Matocha ranks third nationally in passing touchdowns, fifth in yards, fourth in points responsible for, and second in completion percentage, while also producing the nation's leading receiver in Max McLeod, who tops D-II with 118.1 receiving yards per game. 

Matocha has re-written the record books this season, becoming college football's all-time leader in total touchdowns with 185 and counting. He now stands one behind the college football passing touchdowns record with 158, and has set the Mines, RMAC, and Colorado records for passing yards (14,219) and total offensive yards (16,106), which rank fifth and third, respectively, in Division II history.

One of the most-awarded players in college football history, Matocha was a 2022 consensus all-American in addition to his Harlon Hill Award win; he was both the D2football.com and the D2CCA Ron Lenz National Offensive Player of the Year among a bevy of conference and regional honors. An exceptional student-athlete, Matocha was the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Overall Team Member of the Year for NCAA Division II as the nation's top student-athlete among all sports, and earned his second consecutive First-Team Academic All-America nod in 2022. 

The Hill Award is named for the late Harlon Hill, the 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 winner of the 2023 award will be announced on Friday, December 15 and the winner will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club awards banquet in January. The trophy is presented by the LRTC and the Great American Conference. 

Mines' postseason journey continues Saturday as they host Central Washington in the Super Region 4 final at noon. The game will be a rare offensive vs. defensive matchup of Harlon Hill finalists as Matocha faces fellow finalist Tanner Volk from CWU. 
 

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2023 Harlon Hill Award Finalists

Super Region 1
Michael Herzog, RB, Hillsdale
Brayden Long, QB, Slippery Rock

Super Region 2
Sammy Edwards, QB, Valdosta State
Patrick Shegog, QB, Delta State

Super Region 3
Braden Gleason, QB, Emporia State
Gage Porter, QB, Southern Nazarene
Zach Zebrowski, QB Central Missouri

Super Region 4
John Matocha, QB, Colorado School of Mines
Tanner Volk, S, Central Washington