Knighton named one of 24 candidates for Harlon Hill Award
November 9, 2007
By Scott Goode
Harding SID
FLORENCE, AL – Harding University junior quarterback David Knighton was named one of 24 candidates for the 2007 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year.
Knighton is one of five players from the Southeast Region. The others are senior linebacker Michael Eubanks of Delta State, sophomore wide receiver Cedric Jones of Valdosta State, junior quarterback Lamar Little of Virginia Union and senior quarterback A.J. Milwee of North Alabama.
Through nine games in 2007, Knighton has completed 263-of-408 passes for 2,834 yards and 29 touchdowns. He leads the Gulf South Conference in completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes. Knighton ranks second in NCAA II in touchdown passes and third in passing yards per game ( 314.9) and total offense per game (328.6).
Knighton has twice been named d2football.com National Offensive Player of the Week. Against West Georgia, the Seminole, Okla., native passed for 401 yards and five touchdowns and topped that performance with a 529-yard, seven-touchdown effort against Arkansas Tech.
Players are nominated and voted on by the sports information directors at the 150 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions. The 24 initial candidates will be placed on regional ballots and the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions will advance to the national ballot when regional voting concludes on November 16.
The winner of the 2007 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the 22nd annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Friday, December 14 at the Florence Conference Center at 6:30 p.m. This year's Hill Trophy Banquet will also include the ninth induction into the Division II Football Hall of Fame.
Tickets are $45 each or $360 for a table of eight and can be purchased by calling Sarah Beth Vandiver at the Shoals Chamber of Commerce at (256) 764-4661.