There is no getting by Simon Fraser University’s Jordan Herdman.
The Clan red-shirt sophomore linebacker is putting the opposition ball carries on the deck at a record pace in just his second season of varsity football on Burnaby Mountain.
The Winnipeg native is currently second in the nation among all NCAA Division II tacklers.
Herdman made 19 tackles in SFU’s recent 21-6 loss to Great Northwest conference leader Azusa Pacific last weekend, giving him 148 for the season, including 62 solo stops. Herdman is only two tackles behind NCAA Division II leader Jared Koster of New Mexico Highlands, who has 150 after games last week. The two Div. II tacklers are currently tops in all of college football.
“(Jordan’s) performance is a reflection of how hard he works and how hard the guys around him are working. Together they have created an environment where he can be successful,” said SFU head coach Jacques Chapdelaine in a prepared press release.
Herdman is averaging nearly 15 tackles a game and is also eighth overall in tackles for a loss, with 15 so far this season, as well as two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
The 6-2, 230-pound Winnipeg native also led his high school in tackles for three consecutive seasons.
Two weeks earlier, Herdman won Great Northwest conference defensive player of the week honours with a record-setting number of tackles in a 33-17 loss at home to Humboldt State.
Herdman’s 27 total tackles, including 19 assisted stops, were both single-game conference records. His record-setting tackles also broke the former Great Northwest record of 128 stops set by Caleb Jessup of Western Washington back in 2008.
Herdman is also no slouch in the classroom, topping a long list of 43 student athletes on the Great Northwest academic all-conference football team.
The Clan linebacker posted a 3.99 grade point average in biomedicial physiology.
Brother Justin Herdman and teammate Andrew Pauls also made the honour roll in biomedical physiology.
In last week’s game against Azusa Pacific, Clan running back Stephen Spagnuolo had his third straight game with over 100 all-purpose yards, as the Notre Dame high school grad finished with 70 yards rushing and 76 yards receiving.
SFU quarterback Ryan Stanford completed 26 of 45 passes for 224 total yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
The Clan generated 285 yards of total offence compared to 402 yards by the first-place Cougars.
“We should be disappointed after a game like this because we had our chances but we can’t be discouraged,” added Chapdelaine. “We have to rebound. Once we started controlling the line of scrimmage we were much better. We just have to keep working hard and believe in ourselves.”
Herdman will have one last opportunity to add to his single-season tackle record.
The grid Clan close out the conference regular season schedule with their senior game against the Central Washington Wildcats this Saturday at 1 p.m. at Swangard Stadium.
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