Wednesday, November 18, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – For the second straight season, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s top offensive player is one of the most dynamic running backs in the nation. And for the second straight year, the top defensive players comes from north of the border.

Humboldt State sophomore running back Ja’Quan Gardner was the unanimous selection of conference coaches as the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year while Simon Fraser junior linebacker Jordan Herdman was the unanimous repeat selection as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. The two headline the selections to the 2015 GNAC Football All-Conference Team, released on Nov. 18.

Gardner was the prime mover in Humboldt State’s run to the GNAC championship and the Lumberjacks’ first postseason appearance since 1968. The sophomore finished the regular season leading Division II with 209.1 all-purpose yards per game, 1,996 rushing yards, 199.6 rushing yards per game and 13.8 points per game. He finished with 200-plus yard rushing performances in five games, topped by a 305-yard effort against Azusa Pacific on Oct. 10.

Herdman was the coaches’ selection for Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. The junior led the GNAC and finished the regular season ranked fifth in Division II with an average of 14.8 tackles per game. He also led the league in tackles for loss and was ranked third in Division II with eight solo tackles per game. Herdman’s season was capped by a 26-tackle performance against Humboldt State on Oct. 31, one short of his own GNAC single game record. He set a conference record with 17 solo tackles in that contest.

The Lumberjacks, the first GNAC squad to appear in the NCAA Division II Playoffs since 2009, claimed 15 spots on the first and second teams and all but two of the conference’s special awards. Sophomore Alex Cappa was the unanimous choice for Offensive Lineman of the Year, winning the award for the second straight season. Senior Dillon Huffman was named the league’s Defensive Lineman of the Year and junior defensive back Chris Hannible was named the Newcomer of the Year.

Cappa led a stellar Humboldt State offensive line that allowed just 0.9 sacks per game, eighth best in Division II, and allowed the offense an average of 493.1 yards per game, sixth best in Division II. Huffman and Hannible anchored a Lumberjacks’ defense that finished 25th in Division II with 8.1 tackles for loss per game and held teams to 17.3 points per game, 13th best in the nation. Hannible led the GNAC with six interceptions and finished sixth in Division II with 0.8 interceptions per game.

Humboldt State’s Rob Smith was named the GNAC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. He shared the honors with Azusa Pacific’s Victor Santa Cruz in 2014. Smith has now won six GNAC Coach of the Year honors, four at Humboldt State (2010, 2011, 2014 & 2015) and two at Western Washington (2001 & 2003).

Azusa Pacific running back Kurt Scoby was named the GNAC Freshman of the Year. Scoby finished second to Gardner in the GNAC and ranked 27th in Division II in rushing, averaging 110.3 yards per game. Scoby also finished the season ranked 32nd in Division with a total of 1,108 rushing yards.

This year’s GNAC All-Conference Team features 29 unanimous selections, including all but one player on the defensive first team. Eighteen players are repeat selections to the squad. Repeating as first team selections are Cappa, Herdman, Western Oregon wide receiver Paul Revis, Central Washington kick returner Jesse Zalk and Wildcats’ linebacker Kevin Haynes. Revis and Zalk were named to the first team as both wide receivers and return specialists.

Three players were named to the team for the third consecutive year: Zalk at kick returner, Humboldt State wide receiver Chase Krivashei and Western Oregon linebacker Shane Kuenzi.

2015 GNAC FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Offensive Player of the Year: Ja’Quan Gardner, Humboldt State
Defensive Player of the Year: Jordan Herdman, Simon Fraser
Coach of the Year: Rob Smith, Humboldt State
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Alex Cappa, Humboldt State
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Dillon Huffman, Humboldt State
Freshman of the Year: Kurt Scoby, Azusa Pacific
Newcomer of the Year: Chris Hannible, Humboldt State