LITTLE ROCK, Ark. --- Tusculum College defensive end Caushaud Lyons has been named a nominee for the Cliff Harris Award, which recognizes the top small college defensive player in the country. The award is presented by The Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright, Lindsey & Jennings LLP.

The Cliff Harris Award is presented to the nation's top small college defensive player of the year representing more than 5,000 defensive players from almost 500 NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities. Lyons is one of the 106 nominees for the Harris Award, including 51 from Division II. Of the DII honorees, five are from the South Atlantic Conference including Lyons, Tanner Botts (Lenoir-Rhyne), Michael Gruber (Brevard), Nick Napolitano (Wingate) and Jason Taylor (Catawba).

Lyons, a 6-5, 295-pound senior from Ellenwood, Georgia, recorded one of the finest seasons ever by a TC defensive lineman. He led the Pioneers with 89 tackles this year, which are a new school single-season record for a defensive lineman. Of those stops, 19 were for loss, which are the second most in TC history and most by a Pioneer lineman. The 2014 All-SAC first team honoree is averaging 8.1 tackles per game, which are most in the SAC and Region for defensive lineman and fourth most in the nation (NCAA II).

In 2014, he recorded 10 or more tackles on four occasions, including a career-high 15 stops against Carson-Newman. A week later, he posted seven tackles, including four for loss and two sacks in Tusculum's 14-10 road win at Wingate. Against the Bulldogs, he made five quarterback hurries and broke up a pass. He was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week and the Tennessee Sportswriters Association College Player of the Week.

Lyons wraps up his collegiate career with 181 tackles, which are a new Tusculum record for a defensive lineman. His 28 career tackles for loss are 10th in school history and second most by a TC lineman. His 13 career sacks are tied for seventh in program history (3rd for defensive lineman). He also was credited for two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four passes defended, including an interception.

The Cliff Harris Award is named in honor of the former the Dallas Cowboys standout who was a six-time Pro Bowl selection and played in five Super Bowls. Harris played his collegiate career at NCAA II Ouachita Baptist University.

A prestigious selection committee made up of former college and professional football greats will select the winner. In addition to the Cliff Harris Award overall winner, the top vote getter from each division will also be announced.

Finalists for the award will be released in two weeks and the Cliff Harris Award winner will be announced on Dec. 24 and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's annual awards banquet in February 2015.

The inaugural winner of the award was Lindenwood University cornerback Pierre Desir, who was selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. Ten percent of the 2013 Cliff Harris Award finalist class made NFL rosters this season.

Tusculum finished the season with a 6-5 overall record, including a 4-3 league mark to finish in sole possession of third place in the conference. After starting the year 1-4, the Pioneers rebounded by winning five of their final six contests, including a four-game winning streak to conclude the 2014 campaign.

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