LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Football) – The Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright, Lindsey & Jennings LLP announced the finalists for the second annual Cliff Harris Award and graduate student defensive back
Trevor Pesek was named one of 70 finalists Thursday afternoon. The award is presented to the nation's top small college defensive player representing almost 500 NCAA Division II, Division II and NAIA colleges and universities.
Pesek, who was named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America® Division II Football First Team last week, is one of 38 Division II players listed. A winner will be announced Dec. 24 and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's annual awards banquet in Feb. 2015. The winner will receive the $3,000 Cliff Harris Award trophy presented by Harris and former Dallas Cowboy wide receiver and National Football League Hall of Famer Michael Irvin. The top vote getters from each division will also be announced in late Dec.
The Cliff Harris Award Committee includes former college and NFL greats Roger Staubach, Lee Roy Jordan, Walt Garrison, Gene Stallings, Jackie Smith, Drew Pearson, Rayfield Wright, Everson Walls, Charlie Waters, Bill Bates, Gil Brandt, Mel Renfro, Jim Hart and Harris. The committee represents 45 Super Bowl appearances, 54 Pro Bowl appearances, 39 All-Pro selections, four NFL Hall of Fame inductees, three members of the College Football Hall of Fame, six members of the Cowboys Ring of Honor, a Heisman Trophy Winner and Super Bowl MVP and a college national championship.
The inaugural winner was Lindenwood University cornerback Pierre Desir, who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Nominations were submitted by the school's respective sports information directors.
This season, Pesek appeared and started in all 11 games for the Hogs, leading the team with 95 total tackles, 38 solo and 57 assisted. He also had two interceptions on the year, three pass breakups, three quarterback hits, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. For his career, Pesek collected 199 total tackles in 37 games (35 starts) and four interceptions.
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2014 CLIFF HARRIS AWARD FINALISTS| Name | Yr. | Pos. | School | Division |
| Ryan Aelker | JR | DE | Bluffton University | DIII |
| Darius Allen | SR | DE | CSU-Pueblo | DII |
| Steve Ambs | JR | DL | Ursinus College | DIII |
| Justin Avery | SR | LB | University of Charleston | DII |
| Lucky Baar | SR | DE | McKendree University | DII |
| Zach Bell | SR | DE | Millsaps College | DIII |
| Devin Benton | SR | DT | Southwestern Oklahoma State University | DII |
| Sean Blomquist | SR | LB | Carroll College | NAIA |
| Tanner Botts | SR | LB | Lenoir-Rhyne University | DII |
| Beau Brewer | SR | LB | Louisiana College | DIII |
| Deron Bruce | SR | DL | Ottawa University | NAIA |
| Jake Bussani | SR | CB | Wesleyan University | DIII |
| George Christas | SR | DB | Lock Haven University | DII |
| Tyre Coleman | SR | DE | Hobart College | DIII |
| Tyler Condit | JR | LB | University of New Haven | DII |
| Jacob Edleman | SR | FS | Central College | DIII |
| Nores Fradi | SR | OLB | Wayne State University | DII |
| Leron Furr | SR | LB | Fort Valley State | DII |
| Frank Gaffney | SR | OLB | Lebanon Valley College | DIII |
| Josh Gordon | JR | DE | Minnesota State Mankato | DII |
| Cameron Grad | SR | LB | Menlo College | NAIA |
| Brady Grayvold | SR | DB | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | DIII |
| Michael Gruber | SR | ILB | Brevard College | DII |
| Nathan Hancock | SR | S | Minnesota State University, Mankato | DII |
| Connor Harris | SO | LB | Lindenwood University | DII |
| Greg Hayward | SR | DE | Saint Xavier University | NAIA |
| Ryan Hogan | SR | DE | Trine University | DIII |
| Julian Howsare | SR | DE | Clarion University of PA | DII |
| Rory Island | SR | MLB | Delta State University | DII |
| Austin Jacques | JR | OLB | Johnson C. Smith University | DII |
| Tyler Jenkins | SR | LB | Rowan University | DIII |
| Takari Johnson | SR | LB | Concordia Univeristy | NAIA |
| Colin Kimball | SR | FS | Mercyhurst University | DII |
| Alex Kocheff | JR | S | University of Mount Union | DIII |
| Jared Koster | SR | LB | New Mexico Highlands | DII |
| Phil Latimer | SR | DL | Nebraska Wesleyan University | NAIA |
| Matt Longacre | SR | DE | Northwest Missouri State | DII |
| Caushaud Lyons | SR | DE | Tusculum College | DII |
| Keshaun Malone | SR | MLB | Bacone College | NAIA |
| Derrick Mann | SR | DE | Assumption College | DII |
| Alex Markarian | SR | DE | Humboldt State University | DII |
| Marcus Martin | FR | DE | Slippery Rock University | DII |
| Max Nacewicz | SR | LB | Springfield College | DIII |
| Bryan Narcisse | SR | DE | Worcester State University | DIII |
| Jack Nelson | SR | ILB | Willamette University | DIII |
| Trevor Pesek | SR | DB | Texas A&M-Kingsville | DII |
| Ty Phillips | SR | DE | Missouri Valley College | NAIA |
| Cole Potter | SO | DE | Dakota State University (S.D.) | NAIA |
| Nadim Raddar | JR | DE | Bethany College | DIII |
| CJ Roberts | SR | CB | CSU - Peublo | DII |
| Brion Robinson | JR | S | The Lincoln University of PA | DII |
| Adam Sauder | JR | SS | Taylor University | NAIA |
| Zac Schlueger | JR | MLB | Morningside College | NAIA |
| Rush Seaver | SR | LB | Angelo State | DII |
| Al-Hajj Shabazz | SR | DB | West Chester University (Pa.) | DII |
| Jordan Shaw | JR | S | Shorter University | DII |
| Justin Shirk | SR | MLB | Bloomsburg University | DII |
| Grant Singer | SR | LB | University of Mary | DII |
| Loronza Smith | SO | LB | Warner University | NAIA |
| Andrew Stewart | SR | LB | Kentucky Christian University | NAIA |
| Jason Taylor | SR | LB | Catawba College | DII |
| David Ternes | SR | LB | Grinnell College | DIII |
| Bryan Thomson | SR | DL | East Stroudsburg University | DII |
| Tyler Thornton | SR | FS | Azusa Pacific University | DII |
| Charles Tuaau | SR | DL | Texas A&M Commerce | DII |
| Billy Wendt | SR | ILB | Graceland University | NAIA |
| Ronell Williams | SR | LB | West Chester University | DII |
| Gary Yeoman | SR | LB | Saint Joseph's (IN) | DII |
| Jacob Zilbar | SR | ILB | University of Wisconsin - Platteville | DIII |
| Justin Zimmer | JR | DE | Ferris State University | DII |
