RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Wednesday, the Great American Conference announced its 203 Football superlative awards and released the All-GAC teams. The coaches voted Southern Nazarene’s Gage Porter as the GAC’s Offensive Player of the Year, Harding’s Nathaniel Wallace as Defensive Player, Ouachita Baptist’s Carter McElhany as Freshman of the Year and the Bisons’ Paul Simmons as Coach of the Year.
Porter became the third player in league history to win multiple Offensive Player of the Year awards. He joined Henderson State’s Kevin Rodgers, who won three straight from 2012 to 2014, and Oklahoma Baptist’s Preston Haire, who claimed the honor in 2019 and 2021. He finished the regular season as the Division II leader in rushing yards, 1,737 and rushing touchdowns, 25. His 7.33 yards per carry ranks second. He led the Crimson Storm to their first winning record at the DII level and an appearance in the Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl. He became the first Division II quarterback with 1,500 rush yards and 1,500 pass yards in a season since Ferris State’s Jason Vander Laan, en route to him winning the 2015 Harlon Hill Award.
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Wallace equaled the feat of former Bisons T.J. Winslow and Trevon Biglow as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. He registered 6.0 sacks and forced two fumbles as part of a defense that led Division II in total defense and first downs allowed. It placed in the top five in scoring defense, third-down conversion percentage, defensive pass efficiency and interceptions. Simmons collected the first GAC Coach of the Year accolade. He led the Bisons to an 11-0 record and the top seed in Super Region #3 of the upcoming NCAA Division II playoffs.
McElhany joined Allie Freeman and Brayden Brazeal as Tigers dubbed Freshman of the Year. He led the league in kickoff return average, highlighted by a 94-yard return for a touchdown against Arkansas-Monticello. He also averaged 13.1 yards per punt return. He added 13 receptions for 266 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The champion Bisons produced 11 First-Team selections, including seven on defense. In addition to Wallace, Dre Hall and Wesley Coleman made it from the defensive line. Linebackers Zach Strickland and Clark Griffin, cornerback Ahmad Butler and safety Ty Dugger garnered First-Team recognition. Griffin led the team with 69 tackles, including 8.0 tackles for loss; Strickland and Hall each registered 10.0 tackles for loss with Hall pacing the team in sacks with 8.5. Coleman chipped in with 5.0 tackles for loss. Dugger intercepted three passes while Butler recorded seven pass break ups and an interception.
On the offensive side, Blake Delacruz, Braden Jay and Hunter Willis made the First Team. Delacruz ran for 917 yards and 17 touchdowns while Jay averaged an eye-popping 14.8 yards per rush on 56 attempts. He added eight touchdowns. Willis, the Bisons’ left guard, represents an offensive line that led all of college football in rush yards per game, 421.9. No DII school has averaged more than 400 rushing yards per game since Lenoir-Rhyne in 2014. Kicker Grant Ennis earned a spot on the First Team after converting 57-of-58 extra points and 7-of-8 field goals.
Ouachita Baptist’s Kendel Givens and Southern Arkansas’ Jariq Scales captured the two First-Team running back spots. Givens ranked second to Porter in rush yards with 1,226 yards. His 25 total touchdowns - 21 rush and four receiving - left him tied with Porter for the national lead. Scales cracked the 1,000-yard milestone for the third-straight season. He averaged 6.0 yards per carry and scored 15 total touchdowns.
The First-Team All-GAC receivers featured Ouachita Baptist’s Connor Flannigan, Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Marquis Gray and Henderson State’s Chris Hatzis. Flannigan led the league with 73 catches and 948 yards. Hatzis caught 53 passes for 841 yards. His seven receiving touchdowns tied for the league lead. Gray, now a two-time First-Team performer, totaled 30 receptions, 447 yards and five touchdowns. The Reddies’ Cayden Davis earned the nod at tight end. He tallied 18 receptions, 341 yards and three touchdowns.
Two from Henderson State - center Conner Justice and right tackle garnered First-Team recognition on the offensive line. Ouachita Baptist tackle Zac Henson and SAU left tackle Colton Grier completed the All-GAC First-Team line.
The playoff-bound Reddies also sent two defensive standouts to the All-GAC First Team. Gary Lewis led the team with 8.0 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Denzel Walter made 25 stops from his defensive tackle position,
Oklahoma Baptist linebacker Scooter Baker, SAU cornerback Melvin Smith, Jr., Ouachita Baptist safety Josiah Johnson, Arkansas Tech punter Aaron Winn and the Tigers’ Brock Baker filled out the All-GAC First Team. Scooter Baker closed the regular season ranked second in the country with 118 tackles. He added 10.5 tackles for loss. Smith, Jr. tallied three interceptions, including a 100-yard run back for a touchdown against Southwestern Oklahoma State. Johnson’s 90 tackles ranked fourth in the GAC. He added two interceptions. Winn led the nation in punting, averaging 44.9 yards per punt.
In total, Harding led the way with 20 All-GAC selections. Ouachita Baptist took second with 18 All-GAC picks followed by 10 from Henderson State.