Josh Aldridge Named D2Football National Player of the Week

Aldridge forced two fumbles in Harding's upset of North Alabama.

Harding University sophomore defensive end Josh Aldridge was named Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday and the d2football.com National Player of the Week on Wednesday. He is the fourth different Harding defensive player to earn the conference’s weekly award this season and the first to earn national honors.

Aldridge, a native of Jackson, Tenn., had five tackles, including four solo stops in Harding’s 29-28 upset of 15th-ranked North Alabama last Saturday in Harding’s season finale. Three of Aldridge’s tackles came in the North Alabama backfield, including two sacks, both of which forced fumbles.

Aldridge’s effort helped Harding set a new school record with 43 sacks during the 2010 season.

-Scott Goode

Nine Bisons Earn All-GSC Football Honors; Huckeba Coach of the Year

The Harding football team placed nine players on the 2010 All-Gulf South Conference teams and head coach Ronnie Huckeba was named GSC Coach of the Year on Thursday as the conference released its postseason honors.

In the preseason coaches’ poll, Harding was selected to finish 10th in the 11-team conference and had no members on the Preseason All-GSC team. But under Huckeba’s direction, Harding finished the season 6-4 overall and 4-4 in the GSC. The four conference wins included victories over 12th-ranked Delta State and 15th-ranked North Alabama. Both of those teams qualified for the NCAA II playoffs.

Huckeba is in his fourth season as Harding’s head coach. His 2010 Bisons led the GSC in rushing offense (272.2 rushing yards per game) and sacks (4.3 per game). The team broke the school record with 43 sacks.

The only other Harding football coach to earn a conference coach of the year honor was Larry Richmond, who was named Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year in 1989.

Harding had five 1st Team All-GSC honorees—junior running back Kale Gelles, senior center Chris Ross, sophomore tackle Tory Day, senior defensive end Marcus Jones, and senior defensive end/linebacker Jermaine Blanchard.

Bisons earning 2nd Team All-GSC included: senior wide receiver Kurt Adams, sophomore guard L.J. Tarrant, senior linebacker Jason Thomasson, and junior return specialist Jeremy Holt.

Gelles led the GSC with 109.9 rushing yards per game. He is just the second Harding player to win the GSC rushing title (Kyle Wess, 2006). Gelles produced a 1,000-yard rushing season for just the seventh time in program history. He carried 190 times for 1,099 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Offensive linemen Ross, Day and Tarrant were instrumental in Harding’s running game that ranked fifth in Division II.

Adams led the Bison receiving corps with 25 receptions for 425 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished his career with a school-record 29 touchdown receptions.

Jones and Blanchard were two of the top pass rushers in the GSC. Jones was third on the team with 44 tackles. He had 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Blanchard, who earned his second straight All-GSC honor, collected 43 tackles and led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks.

Thomasson was Harding’s top tackler with 76 stops on the season. He also had 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.

Holt was Harding’s top kickoff returner and punt returner. He averaged 23.2 yards per kickoff return and 7.0 yards per punt return. Holt was also the Bisons’ second-leading rusher, carrying 66 times for 527 yards and three touchdowns.

Harding’s nine honorees were the most since the 2002 season, when the Bisons had 10 All-GSC recipients. Harding has never had five 1st Team All-GSC members.

--Scott Goode

Nice story

Watch this video.

Homecoming Hero: Gelles Rushes for Four Touchdowns in Victory over Arkansas Tech

SEARCY – Harding University junior fullback Kale Gelles rushed for 257 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Bisons to a 42-7 victory over Arkansas Tech on Homecoming at First Security Stadium. It was tied for the second-highest rushing total ever by a Harding player.

Gelles put Harding (5-4, 3-4 Gulf South Conference) ahead 14-0 with a pair of first quarter touchdown runs, one of 36 yards and a second of four yards.

The Bisons took a 21-0 lead with 13:42 left in the first half as Harding senior wide receiver Kurt Adams hauled in his 29th career touchdown reception on a pass from Josh Powell. Adams moved into a tie for sixth in GSC history with the touchdown catch.

Arkansas Tech (3-7, 2-6) scored its lone touchdown of the game with 10:13 left in the second quarter. Backup quarterback Robert Sagerian scored on a two-yard run to cut the lead to 21-7.

Gelles was back again in the third quarter with a four-yard touchdown run, and added his fourth on an 81-yard dash with 6:27 left in the game. It was the third-longest run in program history and the longest since Harding Hall of Famer Jack Barber ran 86 yards against Arkansas-Monticello in 1973.

Gelles became only the second Harding player ever to rush for four touchdowns in a game, joining Alan “Snake” Dixon who did it against Austin College in 1971. His 257 rushing yards equaled the total of Chris Pierson against East Central in 1996 and trailed only the school record of 284 yards by Joe David Smith against Arkansas-Monticello in 1975.

The GSC’s leading rusher coming in to Saturday’s game, Gelles eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing barrier for the season with his effort. Gelles has 1,036 yards to become just the seventh Harding back to reach the milestone. His total ranks fourth in an HU single season.

Entering the game, Arkansas Tech’s defense was ranked third nationally, allowing only 66.2 rushing yards per game. Saturday, Harding gashed Arkansas Tech for 375 rushing yards, the most by the Bisons this season and the seventh-highest total ever.

Harding’s defense was also outstanding, allowing only 24 rushing yards on 35 attempts. The Bisons got interceptions by Steve Hudson and James Feher, and the nation’s top-ranked sack defense added six more sacks to its ledger. The Bisons now have 38 sacks this season, the most by a Harding team in the NCAA era. The Bisons had 13 total tackles for loss in the game, led by Andrew Jackson with three.

In the game’s waning moments, the Harding defense picked up its first touchdown of the season. Feher intercepted a pass and then fumbled it. Sophomore Kennard Henderson scooped up the fumble and ran 54 yards for a touchdown with 4:41 left.

Arkansas Tech, which lost for the fifth time in its last six games, had only 200 yards of total offense on 68 plays.

Powell completed 8-of-10 passes for Harding for 142 yards. Adams had three catches for 80 yards and the touchdown.

The victory was Harding’s 19th in its last 21 Homecoming games. The 35-point margin of victory was its largest since a 48-3 Homecoming win over Mississippi College in 1972.

Harding will conclude the 2010 season next Saturday as it hosts nationally-ranked North Alabama at First Security Stadium. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.

--Scott Goode

Three Football Bisons Named Academic All-District

SEARCY – Three Harding football players earned ESPN Academic All-District honors Thursday. Junior running back Jeremy Holt, senior defensive back Luke Tribble and junior defensive end Josh Aldridge were all named 2nd Team Academic All-District.

Holt, a native of Nashville, Tenn., leads Harding with 116.5 all-purpose yards per game. He is second on the team with 373 rushing yards on 52 carries, a 7.2-yard average. He has two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown.

Holt, a management major with a 3.35 grade point average, also serves as Harding’s kickoff and punt returner. He averages 22.9 yards on 15 kickoff returns and 8.4 yards on 19 punt returns.

A native of Searcy, Ark., Tribble has started five of Harding’s eight games at rover. He has 29 tackles on the season, including 1.5 tackles for loss. Tribble also has broken up two passes.

Tribble is a kinesiology major with a 3.64 grade point average.

Aldridge, a native of Jackson, Tenn., has started all eight games at defensive end. He has 18 tackles, including 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Aldridge has also intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble and blocked a field goal attempt.

Aldridge is a social science major with a 3.31 grade point average.

The ESPN Academic All-District teams are voted on by the district’s sports information directors. District VI includes NCAA II, NCAA III, and NAIA schools in Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Mississippi. To qualify, student-athletes must have reached sophomore status, be a starter or significant reserve, and have a 3.30 grade point average or higher.

--Scott Goode

KO's vs. Arkansas Tech

Tarrant, LJ - 28
Ross, Chris - 26
Taylor, Garrett - 25
Vivio, Jeremiah - 24
Smithey, Austin - 21
Simmons, Caleb - 15
Day, Tory - 13
Gelles, Kale - 11
Adams, Kurt - 11
Watson, Jordan - 10
Young, Kyle - 5
Kamper, Colton - 5
O'Quin, Tyler - 5
Finley, Hunter - 5
Powell, Josh - 4
Whittle, Dre - 4
Thompson, Mike - 3
Holt, Jeremy - 2
Hudson, Dallon - 2
Martin, Kelvin - 2
Finley, Alex - 2
Rubey, Braden - 1
Finley, Ty - 1

Standouts vs. Arkansas Tech

MVP O
Josh Powell
SR, QB, Spokane, Washington
&
Kale Gelles
JR, RB, Colleyville, Texas

MVP D
Andrew Jackson
SR, DL, Milton, Florida

MVP ST
Darby Palmer
JR, LS, Jonesboro, Arkansas

BIG PLAY O
Kale Gelles
JR, RB, Colleyville, Texas

BIG PLAY D
Steve Hudson
SR, DB, Grapevine, Texas

FRESHMAN of the WEEK
David Smith
RS, DL, Jackson, Tennessee

HU's Kale Gelles Named GSC Offensive Player of the Week

SEARCY – Harding University junior running back Kale Gelles was named Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. Gelles is Harding’s first offensive honoree since Kurt Adams received the award on Oct. 27, 2008.

Gelles had one of the top offensive games in the history of Harding football. The Colleyville, Texas native rushed 20 times for 257 yards and four touchdowns. His yardage total tied for the second most ever in a game by a Bison, and he became only the second Harding player to score four rushing touchdowns in a game.

Harding’s single-game rushing record is 284 yards by Joe David Smith against Arkansas-Monticello in 1975. Alan Dixon scored four rushing touchdowns against Austin College in 1971.

Gelles had two 36-yard rushes, one for a touchdown, a 44-yard rush, and an 81-yard touchdown run that was the third-longest run in school history.

With the 257 rushing yards on Saturday, Gelles eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the season. He has 1,036 rushing yards on 172 carries and 10 rushing touchdowns. Gelles is only the fifth different Harding player with over 1,000 rushing yards in a season and the first since Chris Pierson in 1997.

--Scott Goode

Schedule

FRIDAY
3:00 - team meeting in room 111
10:30 - captians' meeting

SATURDAY
10:00 - pre-game meal
12:45 - kickers and specialists out
12:55 - QBs, Centers and WRs out
1:05 - DBs and LBs out
1:10 - OL and DL out

SUNDAY
6:30 - team meeting in room 100 (Bison gear)

Thursday's Schedule

Varsity, get your lift on Thursday. Make sure to rack things up when you are done. All Special Teams (except FG) meet at 2:55pm.

Schedule

Bring tennis shoes just in case.

TUESDAY
2:15 PM - 3:05 PM -- POSITION MEETINGS (COACH CAN SCHEDULE IF NEED)
3:05 PM - 3:20 PM -- PUNT and KICKOFF RETURN MEETING
3:12 PM - 3:20 PM -- "LOOK TEAM" MEETING
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM -- PRE PRACTICE/SPECIAL TEAMS(Specialists & Circuit)
4:00 PM - 4:05 PM -- TEAM/PRAYER
4:05 PM - 4:20 PM -- SPECIAL TEAMS - PUNT & KICKOFF RETURN
4:20 PM - 6:00 PM -- PRACTICE

WEDNESDAY
2:15 PM - 3:05 PM -- POSITION MEETINGS (COACH CAN SCHEDULE)
3:05 PM - 3:20 PM -- PUNT RETURN & KICKOFF COVERAGE MEETING
3:12 PM - 3:20 PM -- "LOOK TEAM" MEETING
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM -- PRE PRACTICE/SPECIAL TEAMS (Specialists & Circuit)
4:00 PM - 4:05 PM -- TEAM/PRAYER
4:05 PM - 4:20 PM -- SPECIAL TEAMS - PUNT RETURN & KICKOFF COVERAGE
4:20 PM - 6:00 PM -- PRACTICE
9:00PM -- REDSHIRT LIFTING

Insect Repellent: Bison Defense Keys Victory over Boll Weevils

SEARCY – Harding’s defense kept the team in the game in the first half and the offense scored four times in the second half to give the Bisons a 33-26 victory over Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday at First Security Stadium.

Harding (4-4, 2-4) lost four fumbles in the first half and its only score came on a 75-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Chaz Rogers to Jordan Watson.

The Bisons trailed only 10-7 at the break, thanks to its stingy defense in the red zone. Arkansas-Monticello (3-6, 2-5) took possession in Harding territory twice in the first half and had the ball inside the Harding 20-yard line four times, but only came away with 10 points.

Harding rectified its offensive difficulties at the halftime break that Bison quarterback Josh Powell called “inspiring.” Powell scored on a one-yard run on Harding’s first possession of the second half to give the Bisons a 14-10 lead.

Harding scored twice more in the third quarter, the first coming on a 31-yard Adin Menkin field goal with 4:36 left. At the 3:07 mark, Bison senior Steve Hudson blocked a punt that rolled out of the end zone for a safety and gave Harding a 19-10 lead.

The Bison defense continued its outstanding play in the third quarter, shutting out the Boll Weevils in the period. Harding has allowed only one third quarter touchdown this season.

Both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, Harding’s coming on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Powell to Kurt Adams and a 9-yard touchdown run by Braden Rubey, his first career touchdown.

The victory for the Bisons was their first over the Boll Weevils in the last four games.

Arkansas-Monticello’s three previous victories came in large part because of the play of senior quarterback Scott Buisson, who averaged over 410 passing yards per game against Harding.

But Saturday, Harding’s defense made life difficult for Buisson. The Bisons, ranked second nationally in sacks, added four more against Buisson and had five total. Senior Mark Gutierrez-Durant had two of the sacks. Harding also intercepted three passes, two by sophomore cornerback Terrence Davis. Buisson finished 18-of-35 for 201 yards and two touchdowns.

Powell led the Harding rushing attack with 93 yards on 19 carries. The Bisons entered the game as the GSC’s leading rushing team and nearly reached their average of 253 yards per game, carrying 51 times for 248 yards.

The game was the first of three straight home games to end the season for the Bisons. Harding hosts Arkansas Tech next week for Homecoming at First Security Stadium. Kickoff is at 2 p.m.

by Scott Goode

Standouts vs. UAM

MVP DEFENSE
John Ikahihifo
SR, DL, Palmdale, CA

MVP OFFENSE
Tory Day
SO, OL, Memphis, TN

MVP SPECIAL TEAMS
Steve Hudson
SR, DB, Grapevine, TX

Marshall Hughes
SO, LB, Houston, TX

Josh Aldridge
SO, DE, Jackson, TN

BIG PLAY DEFENSE
Terrance Davis
SO, DB, Nashville, TN

BIG PLAY OFFENSE
Chaz Rogers
SO, QB, Guntersville, AL
to
Jordan Watson
SR, WR, Pensacola, FL

FRESHMAN of the WEEK
Cole Lockwood
RS, OL, Cabot, AR

KO's vs. UAM

Tory Day set a new single game record for KO's. The previous high was 44 held by LJ Tarrant.

Day, Tory - 47
Ross, Chris - 37
Tarrant, LJ - 36
Vivio, Jeremiah - 36
Taylor, Garrett - 24
Gelles, Kale - 20
Whittle, Dre - 18
Simmons, Caleb - 17
Adams, Kurt - 16
Kamper, Colton - 9
Young, Kyle - 6
Holt, Jeremy - 5
Martin, Kelvin - 4
Smithey, Austin - 4
Watson, Jordan - 3
Powell, Josh - 2
O'Quin, Tyler - 1
Rubey, Braden - 1