Dziedzic Among Cliff Harris Award Finalists
UW-Oshkosh senior linebacker Reese Dziedzic is among 81 finalists for the fourth annual Cliff Harris Award, which is presented to the best defensive football player from the NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and the NAIA.
Dziedzic, who started each of UW-Oshkosh's 48 games over the past four seasons, is one of 29 NCAA Division III finalists. There are also 30 finalists for the Cliff Harris Award from the NCAA Division II and 22 from the NAIA.
Dziedzic, an All-America selection this season by both the American Football Coaches Association and D3football.com, was UW-Oshkosh's leading tackler for the fourth consecutive year. He paced the Titans with 41 solo tackles, 50 assisted tackles and 91 total stops. Dziedzic also registered seven tackles for a loss, two sacks, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
This year, Dziedzic recorded a career-best 16 tackles against UW-Platteville on Oct. 22. He also had nine tackles against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on Dec. 3, eight tackles to go along with one pass interception against UW-River Falls on Oct. 29, and eight tackles and one fumble recovery against UW-Whitewater on Oct. 8.
Dziedzic's career totals include a school-record 331 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups, eight sacks, five fumble recoveries and four interceptions. He counted 83 tackles last year, 82 in 2014 and 75 in 2013. Dziedzic was named to the All-WIAC First Team the past two seasons after being selected to the league's second team in 2014.
The Cliff Harris Award is named after former Ouachita Baptist University (Ark.) cornerback Cliff Harris, who went on to play in six National Football League Pro Bowls and five Super Bowls as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. Voting is conducted by a committee that includes former Dallas Cowboys Roger Staubach, Drew Pearson and Bill Bates.
The winner of the 2016 Cliff Harris Award with be announced on Dec. 24 and be honored at the Little Rock (Ark.) Touchdown Club's Awards Banquet on Jan. 19.
Dziedzic and UW-Whitewater senior lineman Brandon Tamsett are the lone players from the WIAC named as finalists for the Cliff Harris Award.
UW-Oshkosh produced a 38-10 record and made two NCAA postseason appearances during Dziedzic's career. This season, the Titans reached the national title game, where it lost a 10-7 decision to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas). Last year, Dzeidzic helped UW-Oshkosh to the WIAC championship and the Division III quarterfinals.
The previous winners of the Cliff Harris Award were Marqui Christian from Midwestern State University (Texas) in 2015, Darius Allen from Colorado State University-Pueblo in 2014 and Pierre Desir from Lindenwood University (Mo.) in 2013.
Conner Harris, a senior linebacker from Lindenwood University, was named on Dec. 24 as the 2016 winner of the Cliff Harris Award.