Josh Harris makes the grade

NAIA announces 259 scholar athletes

Soph. is Lions #2 QB, lone scholar rep 

WAXAHACHIE, Texas  --  The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced that 259 football student-athletes have been named 2012 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes, including one from Southwestern Assemblies of God University.

Alan Grosbach, the NAIA’s Manager of Communications and Sports Information, released the list from Roma, Georgia, site of the national championship game.

SAGU junior quarterback Josh Harris, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Victorville, California, was the lone representative from the Lions. He played his prep career for the Victor Valley High School “Jackrabbits.”

“Josh is an intelligent, mature young man who is representative of the young men SAGU wishes to have in our athletic programs,” said Head Coach and Athletic Director Jesse Godding.

In order to be nominated by an institution's head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status to qualify for this honor.

Click here for the entire list of NAIA Scholar-Athletes.

During the season completed two of three passes in limited action as the backup to Reid Golson (Grandview, Tx / Howard Payne Univ., Grandview HS). His passing yardage totalled 23.

As a runner in the spread option attack, Harris would just as soon run over defenders than away from them. He got into two games at QB for the Lions, who posted a 4-6 record in the fall.

Harris ran the ball three times for 23 yards. His 7.7 yards per rush was the most on the team excluding a fake punt that Rockie Davis (Santa Fe, Tx / Santa Fe HS) turned into a 28-yard gain.  

Victorville, a city of 115,000 in the Mojave Desert, is 85 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The personable Harris is one of seven players on the SAGU football team who are from California.

The Marian University (Ind) Knights (12-1) defeated the Morningside College (Iowa) Mustangs (13-1) in overtime, 30-27, to win the NAIA’s 57th title.

The game was played at Barron Stadium, the home to Shorter University, formerly in the NAIA.

SAGU will begin spring training in April before breaking for the summer. Summer camp commences in August. The Lions schedule will be announced when completed.

Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. of at 469-658-2847.

2012 Central States Football League teams

Next year Oklahoma Baptist University joins the CSFL.