VIDEO: Baker for Harlon Hill 

FLORENCE, Ala. - Carson-Newman senior running back Damian Baker (Columbus, Miss.) looks to become the Eagles' second Harlon Hill finalist in as many years and the fourth overall. The Harlon Hill Committe announced Baker's candidacy Monday afternoon.  

Voting for the award commences this week among Division II sports information directors before the finalists are revealed next week. Running back Andy Hibbett was named a a finalist last year. 

Baker was a first team All-SAC selection and South Atlantic Conference offensive player of the year. The senior  finished the season with 1,403 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns.  Those figures are both seventh in their respective categories for a single year. 

finished the regular season ranked in the top 25 in the nation in five rushing categories.  He closed out the regular season slate with 1,349 rushing yards to rank No. 9 in Division II, while his 122.6 rushing yards per game was good for No. 15 in the country.  Baker piled up 7.2 yards per carry to rank No. 5 in the nation and his 17 rushing touchdowns are No. 12 in D-II. 

The tailback averaged 9.8 points per game to finish at No. 20 in the nation to help the Eagles rank No. 11 in the country as a team with 41.8 points per outing. 

Baker accounted for 132.4 all-purpose yards per game for the Eagles to fuel a team rushing attack that is currently No. 4 in the nation with 332 yards per game.  He turned in six 100-yard rushing games this season, including 249 yards on the ground vs. Mars Hill on Sept. 26 – the seventh highest single game tally in Carson-Newman history.  Baker was just three yards shy of his second 200-yard game this season vs. Tusculum in the season finale as he notched 197 rushing yards.

Baker is the 12^th Eagle to earn offensive player of the year honors from the league office.  He is the first such honoree since Brandon Haywood in 2012.  Baker is Carson-Newman's first running back to garner the accolade since Heath Hawkins in 1998 and the seventh overall.