" He il the once-tn-alifetime back that . every coach ~reaml of " ATU 28·10 Montice llo 48·14 Tarleton 46-49 A&M Kingsvill e 7-33 Southeast Okla. 17-14 NOltheastOkla . 10-35 Central Okla . 19-35 East Central 41-21 OBU 31 -28 SouthwestOkla. 42-33 " Chril' enthulialm Itarte~ with one perlon an~ jUlt went ~own the line. " FOOTBALL: Enthusiastic tailback bolsters team's season In a below-average football season for the Bisons, one bright spot throughout the season was tailback Chris Pierson. After a superstarcaliber season in '96, Pi erson, a senior political s~ience major from Garland,Texas, had another spectacular season in '97. Pierson came to the Harding programas a highly-recruited transfer from KilgoreJunio r College in Texas. He has lette red all du-ee years at Hard ing. Pie rson 's '96 season was highligh ted by 1,177 rushing ya rds, which made him the first Harding running back in 21 years to rush for more than 1,000 yards. He amassed those yards on o nly 171 carries for an average o f6.9yards pe r cany. The '97 season had its ups and downs,but Pierson'swent,athletic ability, sportsmanship and leadershipalwaysbroughtenthusiasmand unity to the team. "Chris has been an outstanding player, the kind of guy w ith enthusiasm fo r life and football that makes practice better, enthusiasm that iscontagious and rubsoffon teammatesand coaches, making the team better, " Coach RandyTribble sa id. Senior team captain Danny DeArman agreed wi th Tribble. "H aving Chrison the team was a good experience," DeAnnan said> "He a lways had a rea lly great attitude and was always excited. Chris' enthusiasmstarted with oneperson and just went down the line. " Las t year's stellar pe rformance led to an influx o f Na tional Foo tba ll League scouts o n campus to evaluate this eAtraordinary player. '''TheNFLscoutswere around to get a good look at him last spring," Tribble sa id. "They spent a lot of time evaluating his talent and came away looking at him as a good p rospect for p laying o n the next level. It looks like a lo t ofteams are going to be interested in Pierson. " Pie rson d id not disappo int the scouts this season. He had anomer 1,OOO-yard season and a six yardsper-<:anyaverage. The '97 season got off to a scary start for Pierson. On a team retreat at Camp Tahkodah during two-aclays, Pierson, his wife and his baby were in their ca ras it skidded offthe road and hit a tree. No one susta ined serious injury, but Pierson injured his ankle. "Chris had nagging injuries a ll year, including the leg injury, but he nevermissed practice orgames,and he didn'tgripe o r complain or ask for any special consideratio n ," Tribble said. Pierson was named Lone Sta r North ConferenceOffensive Player ofdle Weekforback-to-backgames -aga inst Arkansas Tech in the first game w ith 14 ca rries for 81 yards and two touchdowns; and the next week against UA-Monticello with 151 yards. "He is theonce-in-a-Iifetime back tha t every coach d reams of. It has been a pleasure to coach andwatch him play on Saturdays. Chris has been a real asset to the Harding football famil y, "Tribble sa id. - Lance Lemmonds FOOlbalL First ROtH L Tt1We,Dill/am, 1holl/p;on, Cu./flC, May. £trills. PierSQII, Perez. (1)iSTIl, Pt?m~l\ Hllrley, 8. Ragst/(I/e. SOCOlltiRow.Z. TriJXJIe.j. Tribble, CoIol/. Palto1Z. SlTOIId,Jarmrr/, Fager, Culli/IS, l3ebeJ, PcJk, ClI1mjllsoom, limier.B. Fralll.? Third Row; Gardller. Sdba. Esles, SI/arl. D. Walln; POll/ian,}. Harris. Han: Wet, CiJlinm. lXUe. RlIdesiD.FQU11bRoUt Caffey, I. Hams, GiIISOII, &lilJ:r, McIxlIIi(>/, Fanner. WalklCt. Alatf;n.DeAnnall,Ml/dar, Hu/Willson. N<'il. FiftbROtH ~l, A"droo".ftlCksot~ Grmle, BmzJe, Byrd, Hlltchison, Petrich, BrillsOll, Bemm, Nasmllab, GiUiam, Simpson. Stub Rom Hamblil~ Hamby. Simmons. Mashbllnl, Bensol/, }osefXJ, Hllckelxl, R. Tribble, S, Ragsdale. j. Frank. MOle. Hill, Pout'll, Holt, Robitaille. Set'(!lIIb Row: Saneifwid, 8ent'th, Tout")',Halley, lViIli(lllls, G/ltierrez, Griffitb, A. \r'allw, Bagley. H(Of!S. Gonzalez, Carter, BIOI/lit, Reet.'t?S. Eighth Row: Demillg,jolles, Robillson, Whinery, 'IifPS, Ho)'d, Tatum, NOU#Il , MUmlY. McCalleJl, 0x:W, 5I11 il/), Dalliels. Nillib Rom MaluOlC1]a, Gifford, MOISe, Hobby. R)(', Phillips, Harlow,joice, PredmOlt?, McOl/w. Wbite. Nietlum. PboIo by JiffMolI/¢l()lIIery. Sp o rrs 217 f1iJ!
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