Defensive Line Coach Tre'von Biglow works with the defensive line at the First Security Stadium duringpractice on Oct. 30, 2 018. Biglow was named the GreatAmerican Conference Defensive Player ofthe Year in 2 016. I photo by Sterling McMichael Strength and Conditioning Coach Ty Powell encourages players at the First Security Stadium during practice on Nov. 1, 2018. The Seattle Seahawks drafted Powell in the 2013 NFL Draft. I photo by Sterling McMichael Great American Conference Defensive ·Player of 2017 & Seattle Seahawks' draft pick re.turn to Harding as football coaches. F ormer Bison football players Tre'von Biglow and Ty Powell joined the football coaching staff before the start of the 2018 season. Biglow coached the defensive line while Powell led strength and conditioning for freshman and coached strong safeties. "I think most people probably don't realize this, but I think we're probably the only university in America where every single coach on the staff all played here," Head Football Coach Paul Simmons said. "lt means a great deal to me that both of those guys had a desire to come back." Biglow played for the Bisons from 2013 co 2016 as a defensive lineman. Having played in 45 games, Biglow recorded 24.5 sacks, second all-time in program history, and 43.5 tackles for loss, third all-rime in program history. In his senior season, he was named Great American Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Biglow worked with the defensive line as a student assistant in 2017. "We're excited about Tre'von being here, and he's been such a huge pare of our football program as a player and is now getting co invest in student athletes," Athletic Director Jeff Morgan said. "Noc only was he a great player for us, but also, I think if you talk to him, he always talks about how this place changed his life and the transformation he was able to go through here. He has a deep love for this place." Biglow said the transition from player to coach was smooth. "I chink when you do anything going a hundred miles an hour, you're not thinking about the past, you're thinking about how you can make the most of your present time right now," Biglow said. "I haven't missed football much because I don't feel like I left." Powell's career at Harding was quite impressive over the course of two seasons. He recorded 40 tackles --- 15.0 were for a loss and 8.5 of which were sacks. After finishing his time with the Bisons, Powell declared himself for the NFL Draft. He participated in the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine where he finished in the cop 10 in five of the six categories for defensive linemen. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2013 NFL Draft and later signed with the Buffalo Bills where he played on special teams and as a linebacker for three seasons. From 2016 to 2018, Powell coached strength and conditioning at the University of North Texas where he worked in multiple sports for both men and women. While Powell enjoyed coaching at the University of North Texas, he had the desire to return to Harding and "pay it forward," helping athletes in the same way people helped him during his time as a student. "I felt like God was tugging on my heart so that I needed to come back to Harding and be that intentional man that people were for me," Powell said. Simmons believed Powell was a natural leader for the players on the team. "Ty, his specialty, really his love, is being in the weight room, and we've given him this freshman class and told him, 'Hey, these guys, they're yours --- their attitude, their work ethic, the way they treat each ocher, their academics. You're going to have a certain level of accountability for all of it,"' Simmons said. "He really has embraced that. All of those guys are certainly already beginning to take on an identity that's a reflection of who he is as a leader, as a worker, as an encourager." Biglow and Powell's influence on the players and staff directly impacted the ream's success this past season. story by Zach Bissell 207 I FACULTY & STAFF FEATURE
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