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Harding University’s season came to a close Saturday night in Texas with a hard-fought loss to Michigan’s Ferris State University. You could blame injuries to key players, but the 42-21 score in favor of Ferris State never told the full story. Harding fans showed up in force, filling both sides of the stadium with black and gold and making their presence impossible to miss. The atmosphere was electric from kickoff to the final whistle, with cheers and pride echoing across the stands.
Even without a trophy at the end of the night, this team left the field having represented Harding University with heart, faith and class. The journey to the national championship was shaped by years of hard work and a deep commitment to something bigger than football. To understand how the Bisons reached this stage, you have to look past the final score and focus on the people and values that carried them here.
Harding University head football coach Paul Simmons, 2025 Don Hansen National Coach of the Year, often reminds his players that winning titles is not the ultimate goal. Instead, the program’s mission is simple and steady: honor God. That Christ-centered focus is what the team calls “The Brotherhood,” and it shapes everything about Harding football. The culture is built on love as motivation, not fear or pressure, creating something meaningful for players, coaches and fans alike.
Since taking over in 2017, Paul Simmons has led Harding football through the most successful stretch the program has ever known. With a 93–16 career record, including an undefeated season in 2023 which led to the program’s first NCAA Division II National Championship, Simmons has brought consistency that few programs can match. But for Simmons, success has never been measured only by wins. Each season, each challenge and each step forward is seen as another opportunity to honor God and invest in the people around him. At Harding, faith and football aren’t competing priorities. They move forward together.
The focus to honor God isn’t reserved for Sundays or celebrated only after wins. It’s woven into daily life. Each season begins with Bison Church, and every new player, coach and staff member receives a personalized Bible provided by an anonymous donor. Scripture lines the locker room and practice facilities, and prayer and devotionals are part of every practice and every game day. Spend just a few minutes around this program and it becomes clear that Harding football operates a little differently.
That intentional culture also draws players to Harding from across the country. The university is known for attracting students from all 50 states, and the makeup of the football team reflects that same diversity. Every player plays an important role, regardless of where they come from. When Simmons recruits, he isn’t just looking for talent. He’s looking for young men who will buy into the mission and fit into the culture he’s built.
Arkansas Stars Lead the Brotherhood
A big part of what makes this Harding team special is who these players are and where they come from. Several of the team’s junior and senior leaders (along with over 30 of their teammates) grew up right here in Arkansas, playing on Friday nights around the state before eventually finding their way to Searcy. They were shaped by Arkansas coaches, communities and high school programs, and now they’ve come together as part of one of the most successful teams in Harding’s history. While this team is made up of players from all over the country, here in Arkansas, it’s hard not to be a little partial. Seeing so many Arkansas players thrive within Simmons’ vision makes this season feel especially meaningful, and it’s hard not to feel a bit extra pride knowing how many of them first learned the game on Arkansas high school fields.
Cole Keylon – 15 | Harrison, Arkansas
A Harrison native, Cole Keylon stepped off the Goblin field and onto the Bison field, where he grew into one of the most successful quarterbacks in the program’s history. Keylon has been at the center of Harding’s rise over the past several seasons, leading the team through historic winning streaks and perfecting the team’s flexbone offense. What stands out most isn’t just his success, but the way he carries himself. Teammates and coaches point to his calm leadership and steady presence, qualities that reflect the values Harding emphasizes both on and off the field. Keylon’s historic win over Newberry State tied him with Grand Valley State’s Cullen Finnerty (2003-06) for the most wins by a starting quarterback in NCAA history.
Andrew Miller – 8 | Searcy, Arkansas
Andrew Miller, along with his legendary handlebar moustache, is about as homegrown as it gets. A Harding Academy graduate, he grew up just minutes from campus and became a key figure in one of the most successful offenses in Division II football. Miller’s name is now tied to school and conference records, and he has received national recognition for his play, but his impact goes beyond accolades. He runs with purpose, plays unselfishly and leads by example. Miller is a finalist for the 2025 Harlon Hill Trophy and was named to the 2025 AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team, the Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America Team and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-America Team.
Braden Jay – 7 | Cabot, Arkansas
Braden Jay brings a sense of excitement every time he touches the ball. The former Cabot High School standout has become known for making the most of his opportunities, often turning routine plays into memorable moments. His efficiency and consistency have earned him recognition at the conference and national levels, while his academic achievements speak to the discipline he brings to everything he does. Jay represents the kind of well-rounded student-athlete that Arkansas high schools work hard to develop. Braden Jay was named to the 2025 Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America Team.
Ty Dugger – 20 | Searcy, Arkansas
Ty Dugger’s influence on this team is impossible to miss. Another Harding Academy graduate, Dugger, has been a leader throughout Harding’s recent success, not just on the field, but also through academic honors. He is respected not just for his play, but for the way he carries himself in everything he does. Dugger reflects the heart of Coach Paul Simmons’ vision: a player whose faith, character, and leadership matter just as much as anything that shows up on a stat sheet. Ty Dugger was named to the 2025 Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America Team, the Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-America Team and was a finalist for the prestigious Campbell Trophy®.
Troy Wiseman – 12 | Conway, Arkansas
A Conway High School graduate, defensive back Troy Wiseman found his place with the Bisons after beginning his college career elsewhere. Since then, Wiseman has become a dependable presence during some of the program’s biggest moments. His story is less about flash and more about persistence and growth, values that align closely with Harding’s team culture. Wiseman earned All-GAC honors this season and was named to the Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Super Region 4 Team.
Mike Ericson – 51 | Pea Ridge, Arkansas
Mike Ericson was a Pea Ridge High School standout who embraced a position change during his time at Harding. He has dominated as an offensive lineman and played a key role in the success of this season’s impressive average of 455.3 rushing yards per game. Ericson was named to the 2025 Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-America Team.
Making Arkansas Proud
These Arkansas-raised players, along with many other local boys we couldn’t mention, have an essential role in Harding’s success, but they are not the whole story. This team is made up of players from all over the country, each one contributing in meaningful ways to what has become one of the strongest programs in Division II football. Still, there is something special about watching so many leaders whose legacies began in Arkansas high school programs lead Harding on the national stage.
As some of these players graduate and prepare to move on to the next stage of life, a new group of players (including many from Arkansas) is waiting in the wings, ready to step into big shoes and carry the standard forward. Championships may draw attention, but what endures is the culture behind them. Or, as Coach Paul Simmons so clearly put it when describing what sets Harding apart:
“The real reason to choose Harding, and what separates Harding from everywhere else in the world, is the people and the relationships. If you choose us, you will have coaches that love you deeply, value you far beyond what you can do as a football player, and desperately want to see you grow into the Christian leader that God created you to be. You will have incredible teammates that will love you, [that will] sharpen you, hold you accountable and be men that you LOVE going to battle with. You will also have really incredible professors – men and women that are committed and deeply invested in the mission of Harding University. People who lead by washing feet…”
We watched this championship game from the stands with our nine-year-old son, George, who dreams of wearing black and gold someday. As we cheered, I couldn’t help but hope that one day he might follow a similar path, embracing Coach Paul Simmons’ legacy that calls players to honor God, be fully “all in” and choose to “face the storm” when his time comes to shine on the Bison football field.
Additional Arkansan’s to watch for in the coming year include G’Kyson Wright from Joe T. Robinson High School, Brady Barnett from Mountain Home High School, Kaden Henley a graduate of Shiloh Christian and transfer from University of Arkansas, Bodie Neal and Bo Simpson from Shiloh Christian, Carter Zimmerman from Southside High School (Fort Smith), Josh Lawrence from Sylvan Hills, Matt Colvin from Clarksville High School, Da’Shawn Chairs from Elkins High School, Mabry Vesser and Dane Williams from Rogers High School, Dax Goff from Booneville High School, Kaden Spencer from Fayetteville High School, Lucas McCain from Lake Hamilton High School, Kaynan Harris, Jack Citty, Griffin Thomas and Levi Mercer from Harding Academy, Elijah Carlton from Mountain View High School, Justin Sobczak and Jose Lopez from Cabot High School, and Darius Brown from Salem High School.
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