LITTLE ROCK, Ark. --- Tusculum University linebacker Wesley Scott has been named a nominee for the 2022 Cliff Harris Award, which recognizes the top small college defensive player of the year. The award is presented by The Little Rock Touchdown Club.

Scott, a 6-0, 210-pound junior from Hobe Sound, Florida, earned All-South Atlantic Conference Mountain Division first team honors while leading the Pioneers with his 96 total tackles, including a team-best 15 behind the line of scrimmage. He also recorded a sack, two pass break ups, six quarterback hurries and forced a fumble. In TU's 35-9 win over Emory & Henry, he returned an interception for a 35-yard touchdown, earning him SAC Player of the Week recognition.

He averaged 8.7 tackles per game, which was third in the conference and 39th nationally. His 1.1 tackles for loss per game average is also 12th-best in the SAC. He recorded 10 or more tackles on three occasions in 2022 including 14 at Barton, 13 at Mars Hill and 10 more against Carson-Newman.

He anchored a Tusculum defense which led the South Atlantic Conference in defensive touchdowns (4 – 8^th in NCAA II), passes intercepted (19 – 3^rd in NCAA II), team passing efficiency defense (93.02 – 4^th in NCAA II) and turnovers gained (25 – 16^th in NCAA II). The TU defense was also nationally ranked in six other categories including: 15^th in passing defense (159.6 ypg – 3^rd in SAC), 18^th in total defense (282.4 ypg – 3^rd in SAC), 21^st in first down defense (171 – 2^nd in SAC), 23^rd in scoring defense (17.9 ppg – 2^nd in SAC), 26^th in team tackles for loss (7.7 tpg – 2^nd in SAC), 35^th in 3^rd down defense (.328 – 3^rd in SAC) and 47^th in turnover margin (+0.36 – 2^nd in SAC).

Tusculum completed the 2022 season with an 8-3 record and finished runner-up in the SAC Mountain Division. TU's eight wins are tied for the third-most in a season in school history.