FLORENCE, Ala. – Senior quarterback Connor Jessop (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run/Virginia Tech) of the Shepherd University football team finished fourth in the balloting for the 2017 Harlon Hill Trophy as the Division II College Football Player of the Year. Texas A&M-Commerce quarterback Luis Perez claimed the 2017 Harlon Hill Trophy.
The award winner is determined in voting by the NCAA Division II sports information directors.
Jessop, who gained MEC Offensive Player of The Year honors, completed 240-of-294 passes for 3,532 yards and 40 touchdowns. He also rushed 61 times for 355 yards and six scores. He set Shepherd single-season marks for total offense (3,887), passing touchdowns, touchdowns responsible for (47), and points responsible for (282). Jessop ranks second nationally in passing yards per game (321.1), points responsible for (282), and points responsible for per game (25.6) while ranking third in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and total offense (353.4). He ranks sixth in passing efficiency (167.4).
Jessop's fourth place finish ties Damian Beane (1998) and Dervon Wallace (2007) for the second highest finish by a Shepherd player. Beane's third place finish in 1999 was the best finish by a Ram.
2017 HILL VOTE TOTALS
TOTAL 1st 2nd 3rd
Points Player Place Place Place
198 Luis Perez SR QB Texas A&M-Commerce 44 25 16
135 Marc Jones JR RB Gannon 22 27 15
96 Marcus Martin SR DE Slippery Rock 13 16 25
61 Connor Jessop SR QB Shepherd 8 12 13
50 Amir Hall JR QB Bowie State 12 3 8
39 J.T. Luper SR WR Central Oklahoma 2 11 11
24 Ja'Quan Gardner SR RB Humboldt State 3 4 7
14 Brook Bolles JR QB Central Missouri 1 3 5
12 Devontae Jackson JR RB West Georgia 0 5 2
7 Harry Satterwhite JR QB West Alabama 1 0 4
* 106 total ballots cast
Shepherd Players in the Harlon Hill Trophy Balloting
Damian Beane (4th) 1998
Damian Beane (3rd) 1999
Dan Peters (Regional Finalist) 2006
Dervon Wallace (4th) 2007
Jeff Ziemba (7th) 2015
Jeff Ziemba (7th) 2016
Connor Jessop (4th) 2017