Victory Sports Network presents it’s 2017 NAIA Football All-American team.  The squad is headlined by several players that saw action in the NAIA Championship and the winning coach, again.  The 2017 season ended in Daytona, Florida with St Francis of Indiana defeating Reinhardt in the 62nd NAIA title game, 24-13

Winning his third NAIA championship and second in a row, St Francis head coach Kevin Donley is the 2017 VSN National Coach of the Year.  Besides taking home another trophy, he is the only NAIA football coach to win 300 games, ending the year with 315 ‘W’s, good for ninth all-time in college football.

The main cog in the USF offense, Justin Green, a 5-9, 195 junior running back is the VSN Offensive Player of the Year.  He ran for over 2,000 yards, 29 touchdowns and played his best in the biggest games.  The junior led the Cougars to their best season ever, a 14-0 record and a second national title as they celebrate their twentieth season of college football.

The VSN Defensive Player of the Year is also a Cougar, junior linebacker Piercen Harnish, 6’ 224.  A three-time MSFA Mid-East first teamer, Harnish had 130 tackles, grabbed one interception, seven TFL and 3 sacks.  He was the leader of the best defense in the MSFA in numerous categories.

Senior receiver/returner Charles Duckworth of Point, GA is the VSN Special Teams Player of the Year for 2017.  Not only was he a top receiver for the Sky-Hawks with over 900 yards receiving, he was a kick-off return nightmare for opposing teams with three returns for touchdowns and a 30.2 average per return.

With only 32 spots available for the VSN NAIA All-American team, we understood many deserving players would be very close to making the final cut, but be left off.  There was a glut of talent at nearly every position, especially along the offensive and defensive lines.  Several players who made various All-American teams in 2016 were under consideration again this year; but we believe these 32 players had the best seasons at their positions in 2017.