Kyle Sutherland: Impact of Harding University's (Arkansas) national championship reaches beyond on-field dominance

Harding is the sixth Arkansas-based college football program to win a national championship

1964 Arkansas. 1970 Arkansas State. 1984-85 Central Arkansas and again in 1991. 

Then, on Saturday, Harding added its name to a prestigious list as one of six college football programs in Arkansas to win a national championship with a dominant 38-7 win over previously top-ranked Colorado School of Mines. 

Mines' high-flying offense, led by 2022 Harlon Hill Trophy winner John Matocha, put the first points on the board about three minutes into the game. However, the Bisons' vaunted defense shut out the Orediggers the rest of the way while the signature flexbone offense compiled more than 500 rushing yards en route to completing a perfect 15-0 season. 

Excluding the professional teams I follow, this was the first time I had the opportunity to see an Arkansas-based college team win a national title in one of the 'big three' sports and will actually remember it. 

I was not even out of diapers when UCA won its most recent title under Mike Isom in 1991 and have broken up memories of Scotty Thurman taking "The Shot" in the 1994 NCAA basketball final, so this was the first time as an adult that I got this experience. It made it even better that I was there in person to watch it unfold.

There were many others who decided to make the trek down, too, as an announced crowd of more than 12,000 attended, which came as no surprise to Harding head coach Paul Simmons, who said on a video call early last week that the Bisons could bring 6,000 or more. 

This year's Harding team was a lot of fun to watch not only because of the historic success they wrote, but also the old-school style they played. Watching the flexbone run to perfection is truly a thing of beauty and if you like defense, this was certainly your team to follow. 

However, it was not how well this team was coached or how talented they are that stood out to me. It was the appreciation they had for one another throughout, as well as the sacrifices they were willing to make.

As opposed to what we see almost everywhere else in today's culture, Harding quarterbacks are not going to pass for thousands of yards and receivers are going to block – a lot. Offensive lineman have to learn to get a strong push as opposed to pass protecting on most downs. 

That is just a few examples of the Bisons' unorthodox style that they as a Brotherhood bought into and in-turn made them champions with the support of The Natural State backing them.

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Arkansas Razorbacks commit Wyatt Simmons preparing for busy Saturday

Eyes on the prize

Head coach Paul Simmons was confident he made a terrible mistake Friday night before the game. 

Being in Texas, the team missed Harding's fall graduation, so Simmons had the reasonable idea of putting a "reunion/pep rally that turned into a graduation" together.

"I went to bed regretting it because we ended up having over 1,000 people, and it was absolutely jam-packed," Simmons said. "The love in the room was unbelievable, but I was scared that I had created chaos for our young men and it would impact the game.

"I think it was the exact opposite. The guys felt the power and the Brotherhood extended. That was my message in the pregame - there is a great cloud of witnesses that is pulling for you."

That endearing support, along with a never-ending desire to finish the job, powered the Bisons to 502 yards on the ground while averaging 9.1 yards per play and they were a solid 5-for-6 in the red zone. 

Coming into the game, Mines was allowing just 64 rushing yards per contest. Harding sophomore slotback Braden Jay reached that, and more, on one play via a rocket toss left that went untouched for a 73-yard score.

A 73-yard touchdown run for Braden Jay🔥🤩#D2FB x 📽️ ESPNU/ @Harding_FB pic.twitter.com/HP3AhzbBcT

— NCAA Division II (@NCAADII) December 16, 2023

"We are more electric at slot than we have ever been," Simmons said. "We have really five guys who can take it to the house, but Braden Jay is a game changer."

Defensively, the Bisons did give up some – 341 yards, to be exact – but kept the Orediggers out of the end zone after that first score. They sacked Matocha six times and logged 10 tackles for loss. 

"I do not want to sound arrogant, but I do not think there is a defensive staff in the country who works the way this group does," Simmons said. "Coach (Roddy) Mote, Coach (Luke) Tribble, Coach (Tre'von) Biglow, Sam Blankenship, they are all so committed to our young men. The amount of time that goes into what they do is elite." 

Showing up and showing out

Simmons predicted that a large Bison caravan would invade McKinney and that came to be true. While you have to credit Mines for filling out their side, Harding benefited by playing only five hours from home, and it showed.

The announced crowd of 12,552, the eighth-largest in the 50-year history of the game, is very significant because it marked only the second time since 1995 that the contest had double-digit attendance and it was by far the largest since the game moved to McKinney in 2018, smashing last season's 6,333 mark. 

While the day was all about the Bisons and bringing their first national title back to Searcy, Simmons, an Ashdown native, made sure to mention this was for all of Arkansas.

"I am a loyalty guy and loyalty to me means everything," Simmons said. "Being from Arkansas and the idea that maybe we did something to bring pride to not only our community, but the state — that is a huge deal to me."

Simmons even received direct support from another known figure who coaches a different sport at another in-state program.

"I got a text from (former Razorbacks and current Little Rock basketball head coach) Darrell Walker and I have never met the guy in my life. He just said 'Coach, we're pulling for you.'"

Doing the right thing when no one is looking 

This Harding team did everything on the field from beginning to end almost perfectly in 2023. They finished as the top rushing offense nationally by a long shot with 6,160 yards and 79 touchdowns for an incredible average of 411 yards per contest. Harding is the only team in NCAA football history to surpass 6,000 rushing yards and were nearly 3,000 yards better than Southern Nazarene's (Okla.) 3,505 yards, which finished second to the Bisons.

On the other side, the Bison defense finished second nationally, allowing 10.9 points per game, which was just right behind Benedict's (S.C.) 10.7, and also fifth in total defense, surrendering 247 total yards per contest. Even special teams was really good as Ryan Fox (Harding Academy alum) averaged 41 yards per punt and Grant Ennis (Greenwood alum) connected on 80% of his field goal attempts.

The production on the field tells only part of the story. 

"I think if the country knew our young men and what they are about - the accountability, the passion, the humility, the selflessness - then nothing is really surprising," Simmons said. "In today's culture, there is so much ego. If you are not getting the touches you want or not starting, then you just jump in the portal. That is just the way it goes, but not for us.

"I think that we are one of the few cultures that can sustain that. Having really great players who may not have the role or the stats. That is our Day 1 message — that it is not about you, it is about us."

Showing the nation what Arkansas blue collar is

Loyal and blue-collar are two perfect ways, in my opinion, to define your average Arkansan. It is sort of that 'Us Against The World' mentality, especially in sports, being surrounded by states that all have professional teams, or at least multiple big brands to pull for. 

But, all in all, when it comes down to any team with some sort of tie to Arkansas competing on the national stage, we all band together in the good times just as we do in the bad. 

"If we are going to represent Arkansas, then we want to compete in the right way," Simmons said. "We want to battle with a warrior spirit, valiant toughness, grit and passion that would make somebody who does not know us proud of what is going on."

That, combined with the willingness to do what is best for the team, are primary reasons the Bisons reached this point.

Sophomore quarterback Cole Keylon could have gone elsewhere and played linebacker, but once he found out there was an opportunity to win big, he was all-in on being a flexbone quarterback. Junior Dre Hall was an All-Conference performer, but he did not start this season until Week 12. However, Simmons commended Hall on being a "great, great teammate" throughout. Junior running back Blake Delacruz has been offered more scholarship money, but he turned it down in favor of a teammate who needed it more. 

Delacruz, by the way, broke Billy Holmes' (Northern Colorado) 26-year-old record for the most yards in the national championship game (195), finishing the game with 212 on 27 carries. 

Not only did the Bisons finish the job, they did not even make anyone sweat it out, minus the first quarter, which ended up being an answered prayer for Simmons.

"Most days I just pray that God will not let me be embarrassed," Simmons said. "The fear of failure and anxiety has been a constant fear my entire life. 

"That is the goal most days and we are always blessed with so much more. Not just the wins, but the life lessons and the memories."

The Bisons not only provided themselves with plenty of memories that will last a lifetime, but also for the state of Arkansas. And they did it the right way. 

(Photo courtesy of the NCAA)

– Kyle Sutherland | @k_sutherlandAR