Player News - Jackson Taylor a Cliff Harris Award Finalist

Junior linebacker Jackson Taylor has been named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award which is presented to the small college defensive player of the year. The award was created by the Little Rock Touchdown Club and is presented to the top defensive player among NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA schools as chosen by head coaches and a committee of college and professional football greats.

Taylor was named second team All-American by both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the Associated Press (AP) and first team All-Super Region 1 by the Division 2 Conference Commissioner's Association. Taylor is a three-time All-PSAC East linebacker and two-time PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year.

Jackson Taylor (Photo Gina Chapman)

Among the 68 finalists, 26 are from Division II, 20 are from Division III and 22 are from NAIA schools. The Cliff Harris Award winner being announced on December 30. The trophy will be presented to the recipient at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet on January 13, 2023.

Cliff Harris Award - Little Rock Touchdown Club Announces 2022 Cliff Harris Award Finalists

West Chester Athletic Site - Jackson Taylor Named Finalist for Cliff Harris Award

Player News - Jackson Taylor a Cliff Harris Award Nominee

Junior linebacker Jackson Taylor has been named a nominee for the Cliff Harris Award which is presented to the small college defensive player of the year. The award was created by the Little Rock Touchdown Club and is presented to the top defensive player among NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA schools as chosen by head coaches and a committee of college and professional football greats.

Taylor was named second team All-American by both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the Associated Press (AP) and first team All-Super Region 1 by the Division 2 Conference Commissioner's Association. Taylor is a three-time All-PSAC East linebacker and two-time PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year.

Jackson Taylor (Photo Gina Chapman)

Among the 172 nominees, 63 are from Division II, 72 are from Division III and 37 are from NAIA schools. Finalists will be announced soon, with the Cliff Harris Award winner being announced on December 30. The trophy will be presented to the recipient at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet on January 13, 2023.

Cliff Harris Award - Little Rock Touchdown Club Announces 2022 Cliff Harris Award Nominees

Player News - Jackson Taylor - More Awards, More Offers

Junior linebacker Jackson Taylor has been named second team All-American by both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the Associated Press (AP). Earlier this month, he was named to the Division 2 Conference Commissioner's Association All-Super Region 1 first team. Taylor is a three-time All-PSAC East linebacker and two-time PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year.

Jackson Taylor (Photo Gina Chapman)

In related news, Taylor, who has entered the NCAA transfer portal, has reported that he has received offers for regional FCS schools Albany and Delaware.

West Chester Athletic Site - Jackson Taylor Named Second Team AFCA All-America

West Chester Athletic Site - Jackson Taylor Brings Home Another All-America Citation

AFCA - The 2022 AFCA DII Coaches' All-America Teams

AP News - Mines QB Matocha, Ferris DE Murphy lead D-II All-Americans

Player News - Oscar Uduma Enters Transfer Portal

Sophomore linebacker Oscar Uduma has reported that he has entered the transfer portal. He joins running back Ja'Den McKenzie and linebacker Jackson Taylor, who entered in late November, and running back Maurice Mazzccua who entered earlier that month.

Uduma started the season at linebacker, then spent some time at safety before moving back to linebacker for the second half of the year. He finished the season fifth on the team in tackles with 43 including 6.0 tackles for loss. Uduma notched two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception this past season. His biggest highlight of his freshman campaign was an interception at Shepherd to thwart a Ram scoring opportunity.

Meanwhile, McKenzie has reportedly received offers Eastern Illinois, Norfolk State while Taylor has reportedly received interest from Eastern Illinois, Norfolk State, Tennessee Martin, and Tennessee State. All are members of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.

Thank you to my coaches and the rest of the West Chester football program. I have learned so much about myself during my time here. After much consideration I have decided to enter the ncaa transfer portal with 2 years of eligibility left. I look forward to new opportunities. pic.twitter.com/6dU4uuOvP5

— Oscar Uduma (@OscarUdumaa) December 7, 2022

Player News - More Academic Honors for Liggitt, Methlie, Miller

Senior defensive end Zach Liggitt, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Patrick Methlie, and redshirt freshman tight end Thatcher Miller have been named to the Philly SIDA Academic All-Area Squad. Two weeks ago, the three were named to the 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District 2® Football Team for Division II.

Liggit, a first team All-PSAC East selection, finished the season with 24 total tackles, three forced fumbles and two pass breakups. His eight sacks on the season is among the top five in the PSAC. After redshirting last season, Methlie started all ten games in which he played, leading the Golden Rams to the third best rushing attack in the conference. Miller had 11 catches for 262 yards and four touchdowns in his first collegiate season of play.

The team is voted upon by the sports information offices of 30 institutions from the Philadelphia metropolitan area. In order for a student-athlete to be eligible for Academic All-Area honors, he must be in at least his second year at the school and carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or better.

West Chester Athletic Site - Three Golden Rams Named to Philly SIDA Academic All-Area Squad

Ursinus College - 2022 PhillySIDA Academic All-Area Football Team

Player News - Jackson Taylor Repeats as All-Region Selection

Junior linebacker Jackson Taylor has been named to the Division 2 Conference Commissioner's Association All-Super Region 1 first team. Taylor, the two-time PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year, was a second team All-Super Region 1 selection a year ago.

Jackson Taylor (Photo Gina Chapman)

The Division II Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.

West Chester Athletic Site - Jackson Taylor Named First Team All-Super Region 1

2022 D2CCA All-Super Region 1 Football Teams

Player News - McKenzie, Taylor Enter Transfer Portal

Junior running back Ja'Den McKenzie and junior linebacker Jackson Taylor have reported that they have entered the transfer portal. Both were team captains in 2022 and were expected to be captains again next season.

McKenzie is a three-time first team All-PSAC East selection and amassed 2,603 yards and 30 touchdowns rushing over three seasons. As a redshirt freshman in 2019, he was named PSAC East Freshman of the Year and Don Hansen Football Gazette Super Region 1 Freshman of the Year.

Taylor is also a three-time first team All-PSAC East selection and amassed 262 tackles, including 20 tackles for loss, over three seasons. He captured the PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year in both 2021 and 2022. Taylor was named third team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Super Region 1 after his redshirt freshman year in 2019, and after his second season in 2021, was named second team All-D2CCA Super Region 1, D2Football.com Elite 100 and honorable mention Don Hansen Football Gazette All-American.

pic.twitter.com/bvlmnu40DE

— Ja’Den McKenzie (@mckenzie25jaden) November 22, 2022

🐏🤝🏽🚀 pic.twitter.com/EUZ1GIgqiD

— Jackson Taylor #50 (@JETMASTER44) November 29, 2022

Player News - Liggitt, Methlie, Miller Earn Academic Honors

Senior defensive end Zach Liggitt, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Patrick Methlie, and redshirt freshman tight end Thatcher Miller have been named to the 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District 2® Football Team for Division II.

Liggit, a first team All-PSAC East selection, finished the season with 24 total tackles, three forced fumbles and two pass breakups. His eight sacks on the season is among the top five in the PSAC. After redshirting last season, Methlie started all ten games in which he played, leading the Golden Rams to the third best rushing attack in the conference. Miller had 11 catches for 262 yards and four touchdowns in his first collegiate season of play.

West Chester Athletic Site - Three Golden Rams Named to CSC All-District 2 Squad

College Sports Information Directors of America - Announcing 2022 CSC Academic All-District® Football and Volleyball Teams

Player News - Seven Golden Rams Named All-PSAC East

Seven West Chester Golden Rams were named to the 2022 PSAC East first and second teams. Three members of the offense and three players from the defense were recognized by the conference's coaches, while one player was tabbed for special teams play. In addition, freshman quarterback Cooper Jordan was named PSAC East Freshman of the Year and junior linebacker Jackson Taylor was named PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year. It marks the fifth consecutive season that the defensive honor has gone to a Golden Ram as it was won by Jarey Elder in 2019, and Tyler Morrisey in 2018 and 2017.

Named to the first team offense for the third consecutive season was junior running back Ja'Den McKenzie. Named to the first team defense was linebacker Jackson Taylor, who is also making his third appearance on the first team list, and defensive end Zach Liggitt.

Named to the second team offense were redshirt freshman offensive lineman Caelan Krasley, sophomore wide receiver D'Shaun Seals, and sophomore placekicker Sean Henry.

Named to the second team defense was redshirt freshman defensive lineman David Blay.

PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year Jackson Taylor (Photo Joan Gillen)

PSAC East Freshman of the Year Cooper Jordan (Photo Joan Gillen)

PSAC Football Site - Bagent, Taylor, Jordan, and McCook Earn Major Awards; 2022 All-PSAC East Football Teams Announced

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Lands Seven on All-League Squad; Taylor and Jordan Major Award Winners

Event News - November 17 Bill Zwaan Show

The Bill Zwaan Show will be held at Timothy's in the Parkway Shopping Center in West Chester on Thursday starting at 7:00pm. Golden Ram fans unable to attend the show can listen to it live on WCHE1520AM.COM.

According to the Bill Zwaan Show, junior running back Ja'Den McKenzie and junior linebacker Jackson Taylor will be the special guests on Coach Zwaan's show.

In West Chester's 36-27 win at Clarion, McKenzie had 59 yards on 13 carries and 13 yards on two catches. For the season, McKenzie is seventh in the PSAC in rushing with 706 yards on 177 carries and seven touchdowns. Also on Saturday, Taylor had ten total tackles, including a sack and a forced fumble. He's currently seventh in the PSAC in total tackles with 97, third in tackles for loss with 20.0 and leads the conference with four fumbles recovered.

Come out to Timothy's at 7:00pm to participate in the show live. Or send your questions for coaches or the players to the Bill Zwaan Show.

Ja'Den McKenzie
(Photo WCU Athletics)
Jackson Taylor
(Photo WCU Athletics)