Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
FootballScoop Press Release
Jan. 13, 2020 - In recognition of the North Central College football program's exceptional prowess on offense during the Cardinals' run to the 2019 NCAA Division III national championship, offensive coordinator Brad Spencer '04 has been chosen as the recipient of the FootballScoop Division III Coordinator of the Year award, presented by AstroTurf.
Spencer is the first North Central coach to win the award, which was instituted in 2008. Spencer was one of four finalists for the award, joining Wheaton College defensive coordinator CJ Nightingale, University of Mount Union (Ohio) offensive coordinator Geoff Dartt and University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) defensive coordinator Larry Harmon. Finalists were chosen from nominations submitted by coaches, athletic directors and athletic department personnel. The previous winners of the award chose this year's winner.
The Cardinals ranked first among all 247 NCAA Division III teams in first downs (388) and red-zone offense (92.7%) in 2019 while ranking second in scoring offense (51.8 points per game) and total offense (551.3 yards per game) and third in team passing efficiency (194.84). North Central set new single-season program records for points (777), touchdowns (108), total yards (8,270), rushing yards (3,448) and passing yards (4,882) while also setting new single-game records for total offensive yards (699) and passing yards (522) in a 59-52 second-round playoff victory at Mount Union on Nov. 30.
North Central rewrote the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) record book on offense as well, setting new single-season standards for points (507), average points scored (56.3), touchdowns (69), offensive yards (5,188), offensive yards per game (576.4) and passing touchdowns (41) in conference play.
Wide receiver Andrew Kamienski established a new Division III single-season record with 31 touchdown receptions and led the nation in receptions (133) and receiving yards (2,016), becoming the second player in Division III history to total more than 2,000 yards in a single season. Running back Ethan Greenfield led all Division III players in rushing yards (2,169), all-purpose yards (2,580), rushing touchdowns (29) and total touchdowns (32) and was named the Most Oustanding Player of the national championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, after rushing for 130 yards and three TDs in the Cardinals' 41-14 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Quarterback Broc Rutter was named the winner of the Gagliardi Trophy, the premier individual award in Division III football, and the D3football.com National Offensive Player of the Year after completing 309 of 435 passes (71.0 percent) for 4,591 yards and 56 touchdowns, breaking his own single-season school records in each category. Rutter ranked second nationwide in yards, touchdowns and passing efficiency (199.9) and finished his career as the Division III all-time leader in passing yards (14,265). Rutter, Kamienski, Greenfield and offensive lineman Sharmore Clarke each were voted to multiple All-America teams.
A member of the North Central coaching staff since completing a four-year playing career for the Cardinals, Spencer has been the program's offensive coordinator since 2015 while also serving as the program's assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator. North Central has led the CCIW in total offensive yards in conference play each of Spencer's five seasons as coordinator and has won the last four CCIW Art Keller Offensive Player of the Year awards.
Spencer will receive his award at the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Convention later this month.
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