LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Little Rock Touchdown Club, in conjunction with the Great American Conference, announced Central Missouri junior quarterback Zach Zebrowski as the winner of the 2023 Harlon Hill Trophy as the Division II College Football Player of the Year.
Zebrowski received 200 total points; 39 points clear of Colorado School of Mines quarterback - and 2022 Harlon Hill recipient - John Matocha. Valdosta State quarterback Sammy Edwards placed third and Central Washington safety Tanner Volk took fourth. Zebrowski’s vote total represented the most points by a winner since Ferris State’s Jayru Campbell received 202 points in 2018.
Division II Sports Information Directors act as the voting electorate for the award. A total of 94 SIDs participated in the final voting. The point system of three points for a first place vote, two for second and one for third determined the point total.
HARLON HILL HISTORY
Zebrowski became the first NCAA Division II quarterback - and just the sixth in all of college football - to throw for at least 60 touchdowns in a season with a record-breaking 61 TD passes. Additionally, he set the DII single-season records for total offense, 5,690 yards and touchdowns responsible for, with 63. He threw only five interceptions and finished the season ranked second in the country in passing efficiency. He registered nine games with at least five passing touchdowns. In the Mules’ two postseason games, he completed 74.4 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns.
Zebrowski equaled the accomplishment of former Mule quarterback Eric Czerniewski, who won the Harlon Hill in 2010. During the season, he broke Czerniewski’s school and conference records for touchdown passes and total offense in a season. He set school and conference single-game records for passing touchdowns, passing yards and total offense.
Central Missouri becomes the eighth Division II school with multiple Hill winners joining Colorado School of Mines, Ferris State, Valdosta State, Bloomsburg, North Alabama, North Dakota State and Pittsburg State.
Matocha came up just shy of becoming the fifth repeat winner in Harlon Hill history. He joins New Haven’s Roger Graham as the only player in Hill history to finish second one year after claiming the award. He again led his Orediggers to the National Championship game while setting the all-time college football record for career passing touchdowns, 161, and total touchdowns, 190.
Zebrowski will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club awards banquet on Friday, January 12, 2024.
The Hill Trophy 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 National Football League with the Chicago Bears.
