2018 AFCA Division II All-American Release
In the social media culture of 2018, the goat icon has frequently been associated with Charger senior wide receiver Trey Brock. And for good reason.
Wednesday morning, Brock's greatness was officially confirmed with his selection as a Division II First-Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.
The goat icon has become a substitute for the acronym Greatest Of All Time. And in the contest of the 126-year history of Hillsdale College football, Brock has produced the numbers that make the label appropriate. He will graduate from Hillsdale as the program's all-time leader in receptions (256), receiving yards (4,401) and touchdown receptions (40). But there are more to those records than just the numbers alone. The context of the margin of Brock's marks makes them truly remarkable.
Brock shattered Andre Holems's old career record for receiving yards in a career by an amazing 40 percent. He added 35 percent to the old touchdown receptions record for a career, which was held by Aaron Waldie (26).
During the 2018 season, Brock was simply brilliant. He caught 79 passes for 1,442 yards and 17 touchdowns, breaking the school's single-season receiving yards record. Those numbers were compiled despite playing just one series against Mercyhurst in week 1 and missing all of the week 2 matchup against Michigan Tech. He tallied eight 100-yard receiving games, highlighted by a 10-catch 156-yard, 4-touchdown performance on Nov. 3 against Tiffin, a win that clinched the outright Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship for the Chargers.
When the competition got tougher, so did Brock. In two playoff games, he totaled 342 receiving yards and 3 touchdown receptions, coming in a win over Kutztown and a loss to eventual regional champion Notre Dame College.
Brock exits Hillsdale also holding the school's single-game receiving yards record of 302, attained on Sept. 23, 2017 against Indianapolis. That was the highest receiving yard total by any wide receiver in all of NCAA Division II that season and stands as the only 300-yard receiving game in school history.
His combination of speed, toughness and body control made him an impossible player for most Division II defenses to adequately cover for all 60 minutes of a football game. He joined the program the same year as quarterback Chance Stewart, and they developed a chemistry that thrilled Charger fans for the past four seasons.
Later this month, Brock will finish his studies at Hillsdale College and will begin preparations for the 2019 NFL Draft. Sundays would be a fitting destination for this GOAT.
PHOTO: Todd Lancaster