MacMurray's Muhammad named a finalist for Cliff Harris Award
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.---Following a storybook season, MacMurray College defensive lineman Javon Muhammad finds himself nominated for the Cliff Harris Award, an honor presented annually to the top defensive player among NCAA Division II and III and NAIA institutions, it was announced last week.
UPDATE - Announced Friday, Dec. 14, Muhammad has been selected as one of 81 total finalists for the Cliff Harris Award. The pool was narrowed down to the top candidates by the selection committee. Muhammad is one of just 35 Division III student-athletes up for the honor. Division II has 31 finalists and the NAIA has 15.
The two-time Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Defensive Player of the Year was among 128 nominees for the award from over 500 collective institutions. Muhammad completed his senior season as the nation's leader in tackles for a loss per game (3.6) and sacks per game (1.83) and picked up D3Football.com All-Region third Team honors. This season, Muhammad topped both categories in UMAC play with 3.75 TFL and 1.81 sacks/g. He also boasted 60 total tackles with half of those (30) for a loss of a total of 158 yards. His 14.5 sacks were a conference-best and totaled 111 yards. He was third in passes defended (15) and tied for first in pass breakups (15).
A selection committee of former collegiate and professional football players will select the winner of the award that is presented in partnership by the Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright Lindsey Jennings. Finalists will be announced later this week, while the overall winner and the top vote-getters from each division will be announced Dec. 24.
The winner will be honored Jan. 10, 2018, at Little Rock Touchdown Club's annual banquet with the winner earning the $3,000 trophy presented by Cliff Harris and guest speaker Barry Sanders. The award is in its sixth season of existence and was named for former Dallas Cowboys legend Cliff Harris.
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Cliff Harris Announcement |