Valdosta State sophomore quarterback Rogan Wells was named one of nine finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year by the Great American Conference on Wednesday.

Wells, a native of Fort Mill, S.C., is one of nine finalists and one of two from Super Region 2, as Bowie State senior quarterback Amir Hall also is a finalist. The sports information directors at the 166 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions nominate and vote on the award. The initial nominations were 37 from across the country and nine from Super Region 2.

The winner of the 2018 award will be announced Friday, Dec. 14 and the winner will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club awards banquet Jan. 10.

Along with Wells, the finalists include Jaleel McLaughlin of Notre Dame College and Chance Stewart of Hillsdale out of Super Region 1. Hall from Super Region 2, and there are three finalists from Super Region 3 with Jayru Campbell of Ferris State, Ka’Ronce Higgins of Southern Arkansas and Braxton Marshall of Emporia State, due to a tie in voting. Super Region 4 has Markus Jones from Angelo State and Gabriel Watson of Sioux Falls. In all, there are five quarterbacks, two running backs, one wide receiver and one defensive lineman. There are five seniors, two juniors, one sophomore and one freshman. Three of the finalists, including Wells, all are competing in this weekend’s quarterfinal round (McLaughlin, Campbell).

Wells has had an outstanding sophomore campaign for the 11-0 Blazers as the team prepares for the NCAA quarterfinal at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium against No. 3-seed Lenoir-Rhyne. He was named Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year, first-team all-conference and was named GSC Offensive Player of the Week a league-high five times during the regular season.

He has started all 11 games for the No. 3-ranked Blazers this season and is part of the nation’s leading scoring offense at 53.5 points per game. The Blazers have scored 44 or more points in each game this season and have scored 60 or more points twice, with a season-high 66 points in the 66-16 win against Bowie State last weekend in the second round of the NCAA postseason.

Wells ranks 17th nationally in passing efficiency at 154.5, while ranking 15th nationally and first in the GSC in passing yards per completion at 14.89. He is fourth nationally in points responsible for (240) and fourth in points responsible for per game (21.8). He is second in the GSC and 45th nationally in rushing touchdowns with 10, while ranking 25th nationally and first in the GSC in total offense at 272.5 yards per game.

For the season, Wells is 160 of 292 passing (.548) with just four interceptions and 30 touchdown passes. He has 2,383 yards passing and a clip of 216.6 yards passing per game. Wells is second on the team in rushing with 610 yards for a 55.5 average per game and a 6.0 average per carry on 101 attempts. He has a team-high 10 rushing touchdowns.

As a team, the Blazers are third nationally in total offense at 537.5 yards per game, while ranking 27th nationally in passing offense at 266.8 yards per game for first in the GSC. VSU is 11th nationally and first in the GSC in rushing offense at 270.6 yards per game. The Blazers are seventh nationally and first in the league in passing efficiency at 163.39.

In his career, Wells has 217 rushes for 1,102 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, while throwing 281 of 509 for 3,788 yards and seven interceptions. He has played in 20 games with 17 starts.

Wells is looking to become the third Blazer to win the prestigious award as former Blazer Dusty Bonner won the award in 2000 and 2001, while Chris Hatcher won it in 1994. A total of 16 quarterbacks have won the award since its inception in 1986.

The Hill Trophy is named for the late Harlon Hill, the former North Alabama standout who excelled with the Lions from 1950-53 before going on to fame in the NFL with the Chicago Bears.

Tickets are on sale for the game Saturday against Lenoir-Rhyne in the VSU Athletics ticket office located in the athletic department of The Complex, online at www.vstateblazers.com, on the football schedule page or by calling 229-333-SEAT.