LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Brevard College football defensive standouts Dante Anderson and Steffon Canady have been selected as nominees for the seventh annual Cliff Harris Award, an award given to the nation's top small college defensive player. 

Anderson and Canady represent two of only 71 players in all of NCAA DIII Football to receive consideration for the award. 

Anderson, a native of Hartwell, Georgia, culminated a breakout 2019 season with a USA South All-Conference First Team selection. The junior defensive back tallied 81 total tackles, one sack, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and a blocked kick in what was a career year for Anderson. 

Canady, a native of Glendale, Arizona, was selected as the 2019 ECAC Scotty Whitelaw Bowl Most Valuable Player following a record day where the junior linebacker recorded four sacks in Brevard's 42-28 victory over Carnegie Mellon University. Canady set the new single-season school record for sacks with 11.6. The junior totaled 66 tackles, 14 tackles-for-loss, and a forced fumble en route to a USA South All-Conference Second Team nod. 

Anderson and Canady helped lead a Brevard defense that set numerous school records and ranked first in the USA South Conference in multiple statistical categories. Brevard set new single-season school records and led its conference with 19 interceptions, 23 turnovers, 105 points allowed, and 11.7 points-per-game allowed. Moreover, Brevard allowed the third-fewest rushing yards-per-game and scored four touchdowns on defense, which was tied for the lead in the USA South.

In addition to these conference-leading numbers, BC's 19 interceptions finished the regular season tied-for-third in all of NCAA DIII Football, trailing just Redlands (23) and Martin Luther (21) while being tied with four other schools.

Brevard's vaunted defense finished the 2019 campaign with 21 interceptions, 25 total turnovers, 133 points allowed, and 13.3 points allowed-per-game.

Finalists for the Cliff Harris Award will be selected on December 20, with the winner being announced on December 23 and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's annual awards banquet on January 9, 2020. 

Alongside the overall winner, the top vote-getters from each division (DII, DIII, NAIA) will be announced as well on December 23. 

For more information about the Cliff Harris Award and to read about Cliff Harris' inspiring story about his journey from an overlooked high school player from Des Arc, Arkansas and one scholarship offer to then NAIA Ouachita Baptist University to five Super Bowls and six Pro Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, please visit www.CliffHarrisAward.com.

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