LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – The Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright Lindsey Jennings announced the finalists for the 9th annual Cliff Harris Award on Tuesday, with Northern State's Ian Marshall named to the list. The award is 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.
 
Marshall earned All-American accolades from both the AFCA and D2CCA this season and was named the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year, NSIC Defensive Newcomer of the Year, and D2CCA Super Region 4 Defensive Player of the Year. He led the NSIC in both tackles for a loss (24.5) and sacks (14.0), totaling 39 tackles on the year. He ranked third in the nation in tackles for a loss and sacks. In addition, he broke the Northern State single game (4.0) and single season (14.0) sacks records in 2022, and sits third on the NSU all-time sacks list after just one season.
 
An overall winner will be announced on December 30th and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's annual awards banquet on January 13, 2023 with featured speaker Joe Theismann. The winner will receive the $3,000 Cliff Harris Award trophy presented by Cliff Harris. In addition to the overall winner, the top vote getters from each division will also be announced.
 
For the story of Cliff Harris go to www.CliffHarrisAward.com and read about his amazing journey from an overlooked high school player from tiny Des Arc, Arkansas, and one scholarship offer to then-NAIA Ouachita Baptist University to five Super Bowls, six Pro Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and induction into the NFL Hall of Fame this summer.