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Nathaniel Wallace and Paul Simmons

Football Scott Goode (11/15/23)

Wallace Named GAC Defensive Player of the Year, Simmons Coach of the Year; 20 Bisons Honored

SEARCY – With an undefeated regular season and its third Great American Conference championship, the Harding football team reaped the rewards Wednesday as senior defensive end Nathaniel Wallace earned GAC Defensive Player of the Year, Paul Simmons earned GAC Coach of the Year, and Harding landed a school-record 20 players on the All-GAC teams.

Wallace, a native of Bryant, Arkansas, was a top performer for Harding's defense that ranked No. 1 in Division II in total defense and No. 2 in scoring defense. Wallace had 21 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, five quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery. He is the third Harding player to earn GAC Defensive Player of the Year, joining Tre'von Biglow in 2016 and T.J. Winslow in 2018.

Simmons directed Harding to only its second undefeated regular season and earned his first Coach of the Year award. It is the seventh conference Coach of the Year award for Harding football and the first since Ronnie Huckeba was GAC Coach of the Year in 2016.

Below are Harding's All-GAC honorees for 2023:
Name Team Pos. Year Hometown Key Stats
Blake Delacruz 1st Team FB JR Springfield, Mo. 142 rushes, 917 yards, 17 TD
Braden Jay 1st Team UTL SO Cabot, Ark. 1,051 all-purpose yards
Hunter Willis 1st Team OL SR Kimberly, Ala. 11 games, 11 starts
Dre Hall 1st Team DE JR Spring, Texas 16 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 8.5 sacks
Nathaniel Wallace 1st Team DE SR Bryant, Ark. 21 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 6.0 sacks
Wesley Coleman 1st Team DT JR Little Rock, Ark. 12 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks
Zach Strickland 1st Team ILB SR Pleasant Hill, Iowa 51 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 0.5 sacks
Clark Griffin 1st Team OLB SO Mountain Brook, Ala. 69 tackles, 8.0 TFL, 1.0 sack
Ahmad Butler 1st Team CB SR Phenix City, Ala. 14 tackles, 7 PBU, 1 INT
Ty Dugger 1st Team S SO Searcy, Ark. 24 tackles, 4 PBU, 3 INT
Grant Ennis 1st Team K SR Lavaca, Ark. 7-of-8 FG, 57-of-58 PAT
Levi Pate 2nd Team C SR Commerce, Ga. 8 games, 8 starts
Gage Price 2nd Team DT JR Hamburg, Ark. 19 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks
Kyle McDonald 2nd Team S JR Corpus Christi, Texas 14 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 INT
Kendale Allen 2nd Team RS JR Birmingham, Ala. 11 KR, 25.57 avg.; 7 PR, 7.57 avg.
Gage Price 2nd Team S/T JR Hamburg, Ark. 3 blocked kicks
Cole Keylon HM QB SO Harrison, Ark. 477 rush yards, 11 TD; 518 pass yards, 7 TD
Jake Dugger HM OL JR Searcy, Ark. 11 games, 11 starts
Landon Ray HM OL SR Alcoa, Tenn. 11 games, 11 starts
Ryan Fox HM P SR Searcy, Ark. 18 punts, 44.28 avg.
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Players Mentioned

Kendale Allen

#1 Kendale Allen

DB
5' 9"
Junior
Ahmad Butler

#5 Ahmad Butler

DB
5' 10"
Senior
Wesley Coleman

#99 Wesley Coleman

DL
6' 2"
Junior
Blake Delacruz

#26 Blake Delacruz

RB
5' 8"
Junior
Jake Dugger

#57 Jake Dugger

OL
6' 3"
Junior
Ty Dugger

#20 Ty Dugger

DB
6' 2"
Sophomore
Grant Ennis

#84 Grant Ennis

K
5' 11"
Senior
Ryan Fox

#46 Ryan Fox

P
6' 1"
Senior
Clark Griffin

#24 Clark Griffin

LB
5' 9"
Sophomore
Dre Hall

#9 Dre Hall

DL
6' 1"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Kendale Allen

#1 Kendale Allen

5' 9"
Junior
DB
Ahmad Butler

#5 Ahmad Butler

5' 10"
Senior
DB
Wesley Coleman

#99 Wesley Coleman

6' 2"
Junior
DL
Blake Delacruz

#26 Blake Delacruz

5' 8"
Junior
RB
Jake Dugger

#57 Jake Dugger

6' 3"
Junior
OL
Ty Dugger

#20 Ty Dugger

6' 2"
Sophomore
DB
Grant Ennis

#84 Grant Ennis

5' 11"
Senior
K
Ryan Fox

#46 Ryan Fox

6' 1"
Senior
P
Clark Griffin

#24 Clark Griffin

5' 9"
Sophomore
LB
Dre Hall

#9 Dre Hall

6' 1"
Junior
DL
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Phone: 501-279-4760