Saving the best for last

By Scott Goode, assistant athletic director for sports information

The 2016 football season began with the announcement that it would be the last for head coach Ronnie Huckeba. After 40 seasons coaching football, including 31 at Harding and 10 as the Bisons’ head coach, Huckeba would step down at the end of the season and his second-in- command, defensive coordinator Paul Simmons, would take over the program.

But for a season that began with an announcement about a “last,” the 2016 Bisons will forever be remembered for their “firsts.”

“I had really high expectations about how this season would turn out,” Huckeba says. “But even at that, the end result exceeded my expectations. The season was just a wonderful, blessed ending to my coaching career, and I could not have asked for it to have been better.”

This team was Bison football’s first to complete an undefeated regular season. This team was Harding’s first to claim an outright conference championship. This team was the University’s first to earn the right to host an NCAA Division II playoff game, first to win an NCAA playoff game, first to win an NCAA playoff road game, and first to end the season ranked in the American Football Coaches Association Top 10.

Prior to the 2016 season, Harding’s best start to a football season came in 2002 when the Bisons opened 6-0. To equal that achievement, the team had to get through two of its traditionally toughest rivals.

Coming off a 47-7 blowout of University of Arkansas-Monticello to move to 4-0, Harding hosted Ouachita Baptist University, who had defeated the Bisons three-straight times in Searcy. Harding trailed 20-17 midway through the fourth quarter when senior quarterback Park Parish broke away on a 75-yard run that set up his game-winning 2-yard touchdown run.

The following week, Harding traveled to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, to take on Henderson State University, the defending Great American Conference champion. The Reddies had won five of the last six games against the Bisons, and Harding had only one road win in Arkadelphia since 2002. This time, the game was over by halftime. The Bisons scored four second-quarter touchdowns, including two in the half’s final 14 seconds, and won 35-3.

“When we walked off the field at halftime of the Henderson State game, we had a renewed expectation for how the season was going to turn out,” Huckeba says. “At that point, everyone looked at each other and said, ‘OK, this is going to be really special.’”

On Oct. 15, 2016, the Bisons entered their seventh game of the season with a chance to break the previous record. After falling behind Southeastern Oklahoma State University 17-14 after the first quarter, the Bisons scored five touchdowns in the second quarter and blew out the Savage Storm 63-17.

Two weeks later, Harding clinched a tie for the GAC Championship with a 42-27 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State University in front of a Homecoming crowd of more than 5,000 fans. The Bisons were on the road in Alva, Oklahoma, the next Saturday taking on Northwestern Oklahoma State University for a chance to clinch the outright championship.

In a drizzling rain, Harding shut down Northwestern’s offense and defeated the Rangers 24-7 to claim the championship.

Harding had three previous conference titles, but all three were shared. The Bisons finished with a 5-1 record in the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference three times, sharing the conference championship with Southern State College (Southern Arkansas University) in 1972 and University of Central Arkansas in 1976 and 1989.

In 57 seasons of intercollegiate football since Harding reinstated the program in 1959, the Bisons had never had an undefeated regular season.

In its regular-season finale against Arkansas Tech University, Harding left no doubt that it was the top team in the GAC, defeating the Wonder Boys 42-7 and moving to 11-0.

With the regular-season championship and the undefeated regular season under its belt, Harding awaited its postseason fate. The Bisons also advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2012 and 2014 but had to play both games on the road. This season, the NCAA selection committee pegged Harding as the No. 3 seed in NCAA Super Region 3, giving the Bisons their first home playoff game since 1992, when they hosted Central State (Ohio) in the NAIA playoffs.

Harding hosted University of Central Missouri, the No. 6 seed and a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, and defeated the Mules 48-31. It was Harding’s first NCAA Division II playoff victory and the first win in the postseason since the Bisons defeated Langston University 30-27 in the Cowboy Bowl in Lawton, Oklahoma, on Dec. 6, 1972.

The victory over Central Missouri left Harding as one of 16 teams remaining in Division II playoffs. The Bisons next traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to take on the University of Sioux Falls, an undefeated team and the champion of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

With 10:10 left in the game, Harding trailed Sioux Falls 24-14. The Bisons scored on their next drive but still trailed 24-21 with only 4:17 remaining. Harding forced Sioux Falls to punt and took over at the Bison 13-yard line with no timeouts left. The team drove 57 yards, and with 6 seconds left in the game, junior kicker Tristan Parsley booted a game-tying 47-yard field goal, 11 yards farther than his previous career high.

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In overtime, linebacker Benjamin Shields intercepted a pass on Sioux Falls’ second play. The Bisons took over, and Parsley nailed a 35-yard field goal to win the game 27-24 and send the team to the national quarterfinals.

“The win over Central Missouri, an MIAA team, was really important for our program and for our conference,” Huckeba says. “Then we went on the road and beat the Northern Sun champion the way that we did. That is something that nobody associated with that game will ever forget.”

Harding’s season came to an end the following week in a 35-0 loss to Division II’s top-ranked team, Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri.

Harding spent much of the 2016 season ranked in the top 10 in Division II and landed at No. 6, the highest the Bisons have ever been ranked in the national poll.

“We had so many outstanding things happen this season, but every week it just felt like we were playing another game,” Huckeba says. “It distracted me from thinking about the end. I just thought about this week, this team, and whom we were going to play. It was a wonderful way to go through the season.”

Harding’s success in the victory column was also apparent in the Division II statistical rankings. Using its flexbone offense, a triple-option based attack that dates back to the 1960s and is very heavy on running the football, the Bisons led Division II with 362.8 rushing yards per game and scored 61 rushing touchdowns, the third-highest recorded total in Division II history.

The team’s unique offense style drew much of the attention, but Harding’s defense, with Simmons as the coordinator, was among the nation’s best.

As the regular season came to a close, Harding led Division II in rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense.

With the team’s success, individual honors rolled in. Huckeba became the University’s first football coach to be selected as the American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year.

Huckeba said that he was very humbled by winning the honor.

His team had 18 members named to the All-Great American Conference team. Parish was the GAC’s Offensive Player of the Year, and senior defensive lineman Trevon Biglow was the Defensive Player of the Year.

Eight players received All-Super Region 3 honors, and Biglow, who led the GAC in sacks, tackles for loss and forced fumbles, became only the fourth Bison to earn AFCA All-America.

Huckeba ended his head coaching career at Harding with a 69-40 overall record, and his .633 winning percentage is the best by a Harding football coach. He guided the Bisons to four postseasons in his last five years.

“We made such wonderful memories this year, but the brotherhood of Bison football is special,” Huckeba says. “And it’s special whether you go 13-1 or 5-6. When our guys come back, they always talk about relationships. It is not all about how many wins you put up, although that makes it very, very special. Our success this season really blessed our old Bisons.”

Huckeba will continue his relationship with Harding in his new role in the advancement office.

“I am really excited about that,” Huckeba says. “A big part of that is developing relationships and building on relationships that have already been developed.”

As the new year begins, Simmons will officially become the 13th head coach in Harding football history and the sixth since 1959.

Simmons finished his 11th season as an assistant coach at Harding. He coached the defensive line in his first 10 seasons, added the title of assistant head coach in 2008, and has been defensive coordinator since 2010.

“I am so pleased that Coach Simmons will lead the program,” Huckeba says. “He has been my right-hand man since I became head coach and has been a major reason for our success.”

In 2010, Harding’s defense led the nation and set a school record with 43 sacks. In the last six seasons, the Bisons have led the conference in total defense five times and scoring and rushing defense four times.

“Coach Simmons has the needed experience to lead our program,” athletic director Greg Harnden says. “He is a great recruiter, fundraiser and a great example for our young men. Harding is extremely fortunate to have Coach Simmons on our staff and ready to take the reins of the football program.”

Simmons was a three-time All-America honoree at Harding as a linebacker and defensive end. He compiled 415 career tackles and 18 sacks and was inducted into the Harding Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.

“Harding football has been an unbelievable blessing in my life,” Simmons says. “A great deal of who I am as a Christian man, father and husband, I learned during my time playing football here at Harding. I am extremely grateful for and humbled by this opportunity.”

2017 will be another season of firsts.