Despite losing their first playoff game, the Harding football team had its most successful season in the history of the program. The Bisons went into the NCAA Division II playoffs ranked No. 12 in the nation and finished their season with a 9-2 record, making it only their third season to ever have nine wins.
“It was a great season,” head coach Ron Huckeba said. “It was very rewarding, very enlightening, and we found out a lot about schools in our conference. The first time to get into the playoffs was a big deal. It was a great learning experience for us and sparked a strong desire to get back to the playoffs.”
Harding lost the playoff game against Norwest Missouri State University 35-0. During the game, there was a Harding touchdown that was called back which, according to Huckeba, ended up being an incorrect call.
“We just didn’t get any breaks that game,” Huckeba said. “We can’t be helping them and we did that with some turnovers as well.”
Harding’s starting fullback sophomore Romo Westbrook was out of the game on the first play due to an ankle injury, so backup fullback D’Nico Jackson-Best came into the game until he also suffered an ankle injury shortly before halftime. The team is only allowed to bring 54 players on the road, so Jackson-Best and Westbrook were the only two fullbacks at the game.
Starting quarterback senior Kelvin Martin then moved to fullback since he had played the position as a sophomore and backup quarterback sophomore Keenan Kellett came in for Martin.
“Looking back I would have taken one more fullback,” Huckeba said. “Of course, hindsight is always 20/20.”
Overall, Huckeba said he is very happy with how the season went, and his only wish was that they would have played better against Henderson State, which was the Bisons only regular season loss.
“We knew this team was special at the beginning,” Huckeba said. “We knew we had something going. It was a very special team and a season we’ll never forget.”
According to Huckeba, what made this season so successful was the players. He said that the team had great senior leadership as well as a talented offense and defense.
Nine of the 11 starters on offense are returning next season, and Huckeba said he has no doubt that next season will be just as successful as this year’s.
“We expect to be back in the national playoffs next year and go further,” Huckeba said.
