2020-21 G-MAC Football All-Conference Awards
In two victories to end the abbreviated spring 2021 season, the Hillsdale College football team set the tone up front with big performances from both the offensive and defensive lines.
If the All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference teams, released today by the conference office, are any indication, the rest of the league has taken notice.
Six of the Chargers' 11 All-G-MAC honorees come from the offensive and defensive lines, including three first and second-team honorees from Hillsdale's five-man offensive front this season.
Leading the way for the Charger offensive honorees is junior right guard Cole Johnson, who earned first-team All-G-MAC honors for the spring season after taking home honorable mention recognition as a sophomore.
He was joined by two linemates on either side, both of whom earned second-team All-G-MAC honors in their first season as full-time starters – senior right tackle Hunter Pearson and junior center Jack McCarthy.
The trio on the right side helped the Chargers finish the season as the second-best rushing team in the conference, paving the way for 181 yards on the ground for a Hillsdale running back rotation that changed on a nearly weekly basis due to injuries. The group also was solid in pass protection, giving up six sacks, the third fewest in conference play.
The defensive line was just as highly regarded for Hillsdale in the spring 2021 season as the offensive unit, also leading with three All-G-MAC honors.
Junior captain Nate Chambers was a first-team All-G-MAC pick at defensive tackle, building on honorable mention honors in 2019. Chambers was a versatile piece up front for the Chargers, finishing with two sacks, two and a half tackles for loss and a fumble recovery in four games in the spring 2021 season.
Two of Chambers' linemates also earned third-team All-G-MAC honors. Junior nose tackle Joe Royer finished with 1.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss as well for the Chargers, earning his third All-G-MAC honor after being named honorable mention in 2018 and 2019, and junior defensive end Kyle Parran picked up his first All-G-MAC honor after tying for the team lead with 2.5 sacks and adding in three tackles for loss as well.
The sole non-lineman to earn first-team All-G-MAC honors was junior strong safety Zach Herzog, who joined an exclusive club by becoming just the fifth Hillsdale player to earn back-to-back first-team All-G-MAC honors since the Chargers joined the conference in 2017. Herzog was a force for the Chargers in the secondary, leading the team with 36 tackles in four games, and chipping in 1.5 tackles for loss and an interception.
Senior LB/S and captain Alex Anschutz also earned second-team All-G-MAC honors for the second-straight season as well for the Chargers, for a season where he contributed 32 tackles and two pass break-ups.
Senior punter Jack Shannon also earned second-team honors for the Chargers, his second All-G-MAC honor after earning honorable mention honors in 2018. Shannon had the G-MAC's longest punt (69 yards), led the conference in average yards per punt (44.2) and set a new G-MAC record for average yards per punt in a game with 48.4 yards per punt in Hillsdale's April 3 game against Tiffin.
Two Chargers joined Parran and Royer in receiving third-team honors. Sophomore linebacker Kyle Kudla earned his first All-G-MAC recognition by making the third team, following a season where he finished tied for second on the team with 32 tackles, led the Chargers in sacks (2.5) and tackles for loss (4), forced a fumble and intercepted a pass.
Redshirt freshman tight end Michael Harding also earned third-team All-G-MAC honors for the Chargers. Harding was third on the team as a receiver with eight catches and was one of two Hillsdale players to record a receiving touchdown for the Chargers in the spring. He also made a significant impact as a blocker, joining the offensive line in helping pave the way for a strong performance on the ground in all four contests.
Building excitement for the future, 10 of Hillsdale's 11 All-G-MAC honorees this spring are returning for the fall season in 2021. Hillsdale will kick off the fall 2021 campaign with a trip to Michigan Tech on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m., and plans to play a full 11 game schedule.