As Harding University prepares for this Saturday’s NCAA Division II National Championship, postseason accolades continue pouring in for the Bisons.
Senior linebacker Clark Griffin has been named to the AFCA Coaches All-America First Team, adding to an already standout year. Griffin was earlier selected GAC Defensive Player of the Year and leads all of Division II with 156 tackles, setting a new Harding school record.
Junior running back Andrew Miller, a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, earned Second Team All-America honors after rushing for nearly 2,000 yards and scoring 27 touchdowns this season.
Roddy Mote Named Division II Coordinator of the Year
On Tuesday, Harding announced that defensive coordinator Roddy Mote has been selected as the FootballScoop Division II Coordinator of the Year, presented by Teamworks—becoming the first Bison coach to receive the national honor.
Under Mote’s leadership, Harding fields the top scoring defense in Division II, allowing just 10.8 points per game. The unit has dominated opponents all season with four shutouts, seven games allowing single digits, and a streak of 168 consecutive defensive snaps without giving up a point.
Harding also leads the nation in red zone defense, allowing only nine touchdowns in 23 opponent trips—the fewest allowed nationally. The Bisons rank top-five nationally in nearly every major defensive category:
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Scoring Defense: 1st (10.8 ppg)
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Passing Defense: 2nd (149.7 ypg)
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Total Defense: 3rd (262.8 ypg)
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Pass Efficiency Defense: 4th
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Yards Per Play: 6th (4.41)
Mote’s defense has forced 25 turnovers, and opposing quarterbacks have completed just 53 percent of passes—throwing 16 interceptions to 11 touchdowns.
The defensive accolades extend across the roster: 10 Harding defenders earned All-GAC honors this season. Griffin was joined on the First Team by Justin Sobczak, Jordan Mays, Joseph Oluwayemi, Troy Wiseman, and Ty Dugger.
Head coach Paul Simmons praised Mote, saying, “Roddy is the hardest working and most disciplined guy I have ever been around.”
A Harding fixture for decades, Mote played quarterback and running back in the 1980s, coached offensive backs in the 1990s, led Harding Academy to success from 2008–2015, and returned to Harding in 2016. He became the Bisons’ defensive coordinator in 2017.
Championship Game Set for Saturday
Harding now seeks its second national title in three years, facing defending champion Ferris State this Saturday at McKinney ISD Stadium in Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. and will air live on ESPN2.
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