Ferris State's Jason Vander Laan Named Harlon Hill Trophy Recipient As Nation's Top Player

Courtesy of Ferris State Athletic Communications

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - For the first time in the 106-year history of the Ferris State University football program, a Bulldog student-athlete has achieved the highest individual honor in the country as talented junior quarterback Jason Vander Laan (Frankfort, Ill./Chicago Christian) was named Friday (Dec. 19) as the winner of the 2014 Harlon Hill Trophy presented to NCAA Division II's Most Outstanding Player.

Lake Erie running back Anthony Bilal finished third in the voting, while Ohio Dominican quarterback Mark Miller placed seventh as the GLIAC earned three finalists as an impressive 2014 NCAA Division II Football campaign. 

Vander Laan, who led the Bulldogs to the program's first-ever 11-0 campaign this past fall, was selected the recipient of this year's prestigious honor based on a vote of the 168 sports information directors at the NCAA Division II level. The award is the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy.

The standout signal caller not only became the first FSU player ever to win the 29th annual award, but he is also only the third-ever recipient from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and the state of Michigan, joining past winners Curt Anes (2002) and current Detroit Lions tailback Joique Bell (2009) as recipients of one of the most recognized awards in collegiate sports.

One of nine national finalists for the honor, Vander Laan was officially recognized as the winner in a live online webcast presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee. Ferris State held a "Harlon Hill Watch" gathering at Buffalo Wild Wings in downtown Grand Rapids where the third-year starter was joined by family, friends, teammates, coaches, administration fans and media.

As this year's recipient, Vander Laan will be formally honored at a luncheon on the University of North Alabama campus on Jan. 9, 2015, in Florence, Ala. The Harlon Hill Trophy is sponsored by the City of Florence, Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, Opti-Net, the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa and Herff Jones.

"This is a historic day for Ferris State University and Bulldog Football and we're so thrilled that Jason was chosen as this year's winner," said FSU head coach Tony Annese. "He's an amazing young man that is so deserving of this honor not only for his tremendous achievements on the field, but also for what he has accomplished in the classroom, as an ambassador for our program in the community and based on the outstanding leadership he has shown for our team.

"Jason is such a humble individual who has represented our program in a first-class manner and there's not a finer or better person who could have been selected," he added. "I know he greatly values the impact his teammates and coaches have had on this accomplishment and it truly is an honor for all of us to celebrate his achievements."

Vander Laan was one of 36 initial candidates anominated by the sports information directors at their respective schools. The candidates were then voted on by the SID's in their respective Super Region with the winner determined in a nationwide vote of the Division II sports information directors.

The Harlon Hill Award is named for the former All-American at the University of North Alabama who later became a National Football League (NFL) Rookie of the Year and the first recipient of the Jim Thorpe Trophy as the NFL's Most Valuable Player with the Chicago Bears.

Vander Laan, who was a regional finalist for the award as a sophomore in 2013, became only the fifth FSU player ever to become a national finalist this year prior to receiving the award. Former quarterback Bill Love placed second in the voting process in 1995 with wideout Clarence Coleman fifth in 2001, linebacker Monty Brown fifth in 1992 and quarterback Dave Denbraber seventh overall in 1987. A total of 10 different Ferris State players have been candidates for the honor with Vander Laan becoming the school's first-ever two-time nominee on the ballot this season.

This year, Vander Laan became only the seventh-ever junior to receive the prestigious distinction.
In 2014, Vander Laan compiled a squad-best 1,466 rushing yards with 20 scores while completing 183-of-275 passes for a career-high 2,381 yards and 30 touchdowns. He ranked as the nation's top rushing quarterback at all levels and was among the top signal callers in the country in passing efficiency (177.8) along with points responsible (300).

Behind Vander Laan's play as the signal caller, Ferris State led the nation in the regular-season in total offense and was second in scoring offense along with fourth in rushing. The Bulldogs compiled 700 yards or more in three games and set a school single-season scoring record with 559 total points this season. FSU also established new school marks for total offense and rushing in 2014.

The three-year starter, who also became the school's all-time leader in total offense and career rushing yards this fall, was also a Capital One Academic All-District IV First Team honoree and is the only active quarterback in college football at any level with both 50+ passing and rushing TD's in his career. He needs less than 800 yards to become the all-time leading rushing quarterback in Division II history and already owns the NCAA-II single-season record along with the GLIAC records for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a game, season and career.

Since the season concluded, the standout has achieved recognition from numerous sources, including being named this week as the 2014 Daktronics National Offensive Player of the Year on the All-America team and the lone quarterback on the Associated Press Little All-America Team recognizing the top performer at each position from all Division II, III and NAIA schools. 

Vander Laan was also voted the GLIAC Player of the Year along with earning regional Offensive Player of the Year recognition from Daktronics, Beyond Sports Network and Don Hansen's Football Gazette among other sources. He was also the only one of the nine Harlon Hill finalists named to the 2014 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America First Team.

This year, Vander Laan led the Bulldogs to the school's first GLIAC Championship in 15 years, first outright league crown in 18 years and first NCAA Division II Playoff appearance since 1996. FSU's 11-1 overall record under 2014 GLIAC and AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Tony Annese was the school's best in 19 seasons.