LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Trinity University's Julian Turner has been named as a finalist for the prestigious Cliff Harris Award, presented to the nation’s top small college defensive player representing more than 5,000 defensive players from almost 500 NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities.
Turner, a junior linebacker from Katy, Texas, was voted as the SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year for the second straight season after finishing second in the conference and leading the Tigers with 109 tackles (10.9 per game), including a league-leading 55 solo efforts. The first team All-SCAC selection also had 15 tackles for loss (second in the SCAC), four sacks (tied for sixth in the SCAC) and seven QB hurries.
Turner, also a first team All-South Region selection, was named the SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Week the final weekend of the season as he and the Trinity defense held Austin College to just 135 yards of total offense and 57 rushing yards. He and the Trinity defense led the SCAC in both yards allowed (279.5 per game – 19th in the nation) and points allowed (15.3 points per game – 20th in the nation).
The Cliff Harris Award winner will be announced on Dec. 24 and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet in February 2016. The winner will receive the $3,000 Cliff Harris Award trophy presented by Cliff himself.
(Parts of this story taken from CliffHarrisAward.com)
