• Complete Buck Buchanan Award Release and Voting Totals
Southeast Missouri State junior linebacker
Zach Hall is one of three players invited to the announcement of the 2018 STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the outstanding defensive player in college football’s Division I subdivision.
He joins Montana junior linebacker Dante Olson of Montana and Sam Houston State senior defensive end Derick Roberson as ones invited to the STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation on January 4 in Frisco, Texas, on the eve of the national championship game.
The Buchanan Award is named for Buck Buchanan, the Pro and College Football Hall-of-Famer and has been presented since 1995. Last season Jacksonville State senior Darius Jackson became the first OVC player to win the award. Other past winners include Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen, Arthur Moats and Kyle Emanuel.
A national panel of 153 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries voted on the Buck Buchanan Award following the regular season. Voters selected a Top 5 on their ballot.
Hall, the OVC Defensive Player of the Year, finished the season with 168 tackles, the most of any FCS player and a new Southeast Missouri single-season record. He averaged 13.6 tackles/game during 11 regular season games, a total that was second by 0.1 to Olson. In helping SEMO to its second-ever playoff berth, Hall was the leader of a defensive unit that currently ranks first nationally in turnovers gained (36), turnover margin (+1.85/game) and interceptions (23) and ranked third in defensive touchdowns (5). He also added 12.0 tackles-for-loss, 4.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two pass breakups, six quarterback hurries, a blocked kick and a safety. Hall was also 13th nationally in forced fumbles (0.31/game) and 51st in interceptions/game (0.3/game). He had a season-best 22 tackles in the season-opener against FBS foe Arkansas State, recorded double-digit tackles in 9 of 12 games and had 5 games of 15 or more tackles this season.