Harlon Hill release  l  ESU Game Notes vs. Edinboro (Saturday, 12 p.m.)

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University redshirt senior quarterback Ray Wagner is one of 22 candidates in the running for the 2011 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year, it was released Friday.

Wagner (Harrisburg/Susquehanna Township), who ranks fourth in Division II in total offense and sixth in passing in his only season as a starter entering the Warriors' season finale on Saturday vs. Edinboro, is the fourth ESU quarterback to be selected as a Harlon Hill candidate. He joins James Franklin (1994), Damian Poalucci (1996-97) and Jimmy Terwilliger (2003-06), who received the award in 2005.

He is the seventh ESU player overall to be named to the Harlon Hill ballot. Linebacker Matt Freed was the only defensive player among the 24 candidates in Division II last season, kicker/punter Ed Detwiler was one of just two specialists to be named a candidate when he was selected in 1992, and wide receiver/kick returner Dennis Mailhot was a finalist in 1989.

Wagner is one of six candidates from Super Region 1 and one of three from the PSAC, along with Mercyhurst senior wide receiver Trevor Kennedy and Kutztown junior quarterback Kevin Morton. Senior running back Nic Cooper of Winston-Salem, senior quarterback Adam Neugebauer of West Virginia Wesleyan and senior running back Rashaad Slowey of Southern Connecticut State also represent the region.

The list of candidates is selected at the regional level by an advisory committee, which receives nominations from sports information directors. Top two players from each of the country's four regions will be placed on the national ballot, with the winner being announced Friday, Dec. 16 in Florence, Alabama.

Wagner led Division II in passing (381.0 ypg) and led all divisions in total offense (395.3) entering week eight of the season, and leads the PSAC in both categories by more than 20 yards per game despite playing just six quarters in the last three games due to injury.

He is the only quarterback in college football with two 500-yard passing games this season, which he accomplished in consecutive weeks by throwing for 522 yards at No. 23 Kutztown and 503 yards vs. C.W. Post – the PSAC East co-regular season champions. He threw for 397 yards in a near-upset of No. 5 Bloomsburg the previous week, and his 1,422 yards over three games are the most in ESU and PSAC history. He was the first PSAC QB with consecutive 500-yard games.

Wagner is 191-for-357 for 3,011 yards and 19 touchdowns and has run for 133 yards and a touchdown through 10 games this season. Three Warriors receivers have at least 600 yards – redshirt junior Jordan Hallman (846 yards, 6 TD), sophomore Dusty Reed (831 yards, 6 TD) and redshirt sophomore Robert Bleiler (646 yards, 4 TD) – and he has been sacked just four times in his 357 pass attempts.

His 15.76 yards per completion lead all Division II quarterbacks with at least 15 completions per game, and he is averaging 35.6 yards on his 19 touchdown passes with six of at least 50 yards and 10 of at least 30 yards.

In his first seven career starts, Wagner had five games with 300 yards passing and six with 300 yards of total offense. He was 13-for-20 for 375 yards and six touchdowns – all in the first half – against Pace in his first career start and set school records for passing yards and touchdowns in a half and single-game pass efficiency rating (321.5).

He currently holds the No. 1 single-game pass efficiency rating, No. 2 total offense performance (544 at Kutztown) and No. 3 passing performance (522 at Kutztown) in Division II, and has two of the five 500-yard passing games in the division this season.

ESU is one of six schools, along with Grand Valley State, Midwestern State, Nebraska-Omaha, North Alabama and West Texas A&M, to produce four quarterbacks who are candidates for the Harlon Hill Award since 1994, when Franklin was named to the list.


ESU Harlon Hill Award History
2011 – Ray Wagner (QB)
2010 – Matt Freed (OLB), Candidate
2006 – Jimmy Terwilliger (QB), 4th
2005 – Jimmy Terwilliger (QB), 1st
2004 – Jimmy Terwilliger (QB), 5th
2003 – Jimmy Terwilliger (QB), Candidate
1997 – Damian Poalucci (QB), Candidate
1996 – Damian Poalucci (QB), 3rd
1994 – James Franklin (QB), Candidate
1992 – Ed Detwiler (K/P), Candidate
1989 – Dennis Mailhot (WR/KR), 9th


SUPER REGIONAL 1
Nic Cooper – RB, 6-0, 245, SR – Winston-Salem – Clinton, N.C.
Trevor Kennedy – WR, 6-0, 200, SR – Mercyhurst – Akron, Ohio
Kevin Morton – QB, 6-2, 212, JR – Kutztown – Abington, Pa.
Adam Neugebauer – QB, 6-2, 210, SR – West Virginia Wesleyan – Pittsburgh, Pa.
Rashaad Slowley – RB, 6-0, 205, SR – Southern Connecticut St. – Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Ray Wagner – QB, 6-1, 205, SR – East Stroudsburg – Harrisburg, Pa.

SUPER REGIONAL 2
David Carter – RB, 5-10, 225, JR – Morehouse – Marietta, Ga.
Lee Chapple – QB, 6-1, 190, SR – North Alabama – Alpharetta, Ga.
Travis Daniels – RB, 5-10, 205, SR – UNC Pembroke – Washington, N.C.
Micah Davis – QB, 6-2, 205, SR – Delta State – Wesson, Miss.
Cody Haffly – QB, 6-1, 210, SR – Wingate – Locust Grove, Ga.
Jonas Randolph – RB, 5-10, 185, SR – Mars Hill – Daleville, Ala.

SUPER REGIONAL 3
Joe Glendening – RB, 5-10, 188, JR – Hillsdale – East Grand Rapids, Mich.
Clay Garcia – QB – 6-0, 210, SR, Colorado-Mines – Alamosa, Colo.
Jesse Lewis – TB – 5-7, 180, SR – Colorado-Pueblo – Loveland, Colo.
Chris Mills – QB – 6-4, 201, SO – Indianapolis – Lafayette, Ind.
Mike Noffsinger – RB, 5-8, 160, SR – Ohio Dominican – West Branch, Mich.
Jake Spitzlberger – QB – 5-10, 175, SR – Nebraska-Kearney – Lakewood, Colo.

SUPER REGIONAL 4
Mitchell Gale – QB, 6-2, 220, JR – Abilene Christian – Alva, Okla.
Brandon Kelsey – QB – 6-2, 203, JR – Midwestern State – Arlington, Texas
Dane Simoneau – QB, 6-3, 227, SR – Washburn – Salina, Kansas
Jonathan Woodson – RB, 5-10, 185, JR – Texas A&M-Kingsville – Missouri City, Texas