Seven Earn Don Hansen All-Region Honors | Jefferson Named Defensive Player of the Year
Findlay, Ohio – The Don Hansen Football Committee released its NCAA DII All-Super Region 1 team on Monday, Dec. 30. The Don Hansen team carries out the legacy of small college football advocate, Don Hansen, who passed away at age 75 in 2010. Hansen, from Brookfield, Ill., started and published Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette began selection Division II all-region squads in 2003.
Findlay had seven players named as all-region selections including first team honoree and Defensive Player of the Year, sophomore Christopher Jefferson. Seniors Logan Bailey and Clay Colvin earned spots on the second team while junior Brian Benson, junior Ruben Flowers, senior Luke Stuffel, and senior Neal Davis all earned third team honors.
Jefferson, who recently was named first team all-American by both the D2CCA and the Associated Press, is adding to what has already been one of the most individually decorated seasons in school history with yet another Defensive Player of the Year award and first team selection.
The Euclid, Ohio native exploded onto the scene this season, earning a starting role after filling in as a backup in his freshman season. In the inaugural game of the 2019 season, Jefferson finished with five tackles, one tackle-for-loss, and an incredible leaping interception against the second-ranked Ferris State Bulldogs.
His season continued to improve as midway through the year he went on a stretch where he recorded seven interceptions over a four-game stretch to quickly make a name for himself on the national scene. Jefferson, a two-time recipient of the league's Defensive Player of the Week honors, would end the year with nine interceptions, tying the Findlay school record. Those nine picks are also tied for the most in the country, regardless of NCAA division, and helped the Oilers defense to a turnover margin that ranked seventh in the country.
Jefferson, who was also named Defensive Player of the Year in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference and in Super Region 1 by the D2CCA, rounded out his year with 62 tackles, fourth on the team, and recorded one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and a conference-leading 1.4 passes defended per game.
Seniors Clay Colvin and Logan Bailey both earned second-team nods after blocking for one of the top offenses in the country. The pair of seniors anchored a line that thrived on protecting their backfield, allowing just 1.36 sacks per game and 4.6 tackles-for-loss per game, both tops in the conference. They also paved the way for a rushing offense that ranked second in the conference at 221.4 yards per game and were key to Findlay's offense that scored 37.7 points per game, second in the league and 27th in the country.
Brian Benson, who was named as a Don Hansen All-American last season, had another great year out of the Oilers' backfield that, for years, has produced some of the best running backs in the region. The Mansfield Senior earns third team after a year in which he rushed 150 times for 889 yards which ranked third in the conference. His 98.8 rush yards per game were second-best in the league. Benson, who picked up six yards per carry, found the end zone three times this season and now has 19 touchdowns in his career and almost 2,000 yards.
Earning third team honors, Flowers exploded onto the scene with a ten-catch, 156-yard performance in his debut with the Oilers back on September 5. On the year, the Lima, Ohio native would post six 100+ yard games at receiver, finishing with 985 yards on 65 receptions, both second in the conference. The Pitt/ICC transfer scored seven touchdowns this season and picked up more than 15 yards per catch.
Despite an injury-plagued senior year, tight end Luke Stuffel has earned third team all-region honors. In seven games, Stuffel, a second-team honoree last season, recorded 19 receptions for 208 yards. In the red zone, Stuffel was almost unguardable as the 6-6, 268-pound target scored four touchdowns.
Senior Neal Davis has earned third team honors after playing center for the Oilers and captaining and offensive line that was the most experienced in the region. Davis never missed a start in four seasons for Findlay, taking the field in all 46 games in his career.