LU's Harrington named to National Watch List

The honors continue to roll in for Lamar University junior running back Kade Harrington who is off to one of the best starts in the history of NCAA FCS football. That start has earned the Kingwood, Texas native a spot on the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS National Performer of the Year Watch list announced CFPA Executive Director Brad Smith Monday afternoon.

Harrington is one of only 32 players named to the watch list, which includes only seven running backs. Harrington joins McNeese State’s Daniel Sams and Sam Houston State’s Jared Johnson as the only three representatives from the Southland Conference. Both Sams and Johnson are quarterbacks for their respective schools.

A two-time NCAA FCS Offensive Player of the Week, and three-time Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week selection, Harrington has rewritten the LU and conference record books through the team’s first six games.

One of only two players to rush for 1,000 yards nationally this season, Harrington has recorded the school’s first, second, fourth and 12^th-best single-game rushing performances this season.

All four efforts coming in Southland games, the nation took notice when Harrington rushed for 230 yards, and set a new school record for all-purpose yards, in the Cards upset of No. 3 Sam Houston State in Huntsville.

Harrington followed that up with a 152-yard performance at No. 22 Southeastern Louisiana.

He took his production to another level when the Red and White returned home for the first time in more than a month to face Abilene Christian. Harrington destroyed the Wildcats’ defense for 347 yards and two scores on 28 carries. His 347-yard performance was not only a school and conference single-game record, but it was the 11^th-best single-game performance in FCS history, and ranked among the top 36 performances in the history of NCAA Division I football. Harrington was back at it again Saturday at Northwestern State recording 282 yards on 36 carries.

In addition to the long runs he’s posted, defenses haven’t been able to keep him out of the end zone. He has scored a school record 14 touchdowns this year, including 13 on the ground. He is coming off a school-record five TDs at Northwestern State, and currently leads the SLC and ranks second nationally with his 13 rushing scores.

Harrington leads the nation in total rushing yards, and yards per game at 185.8. Through the first six games of the season, he is averaging nearly nine yards per carry. Over the course of the team’s past four contests Harrington is averaging better than 252 yards per game. He has also rushed for more yards to this point in the season than six other conference schools, and has recorded more rushing touchdowns than seven league schools.

In addition to being named to the CFPA National Performer of the Year Watch list, Harrington was also named SLC Offensive Player of the Week by College Sports Madness.

The Cardinals return to action Saturday when they host Central Arkansas. The game against the Bears is slated to begin at 6 p.m. from Provost Umphrey Stadium. It will also be broadcast on ESPN3.