McGuffey, a senior from Riverton, Wyo., who finished second last year, edged tailbacks Damian Beane of Shepherd College and Kavin Gailliard of American International College. Gailliard finished second in the voting, 85 points behind McGuffey.

Gailliard led Division II in scoring, rushing and all-purpose yards. Beane rushed for 1,623 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior and is the fourth player in Division II history to rush for 1,000 yards in all four seasons.

A three-year starter, McGuffey has a 33-4 career record at Northern Colorado. He led the Bears to the 1997 Division II national championship and playoff berths the other two seasons.

This season, McGuffey helped Northern Colorado to an 11-2 record and a share of the North Central Conference Championship.

He was ranked second nationally in passing efficiency with a 173.0 rating, completed 189-of-296 passes for 2,893 yards and 31 touchdowns. He ranked fifth nationally in total offense, with a 275.5 average.

McGuffey holds Northern Colorado records for touchdown passes (75), career total offense (7,744), career passing yards (6,975), passing yards in a season (2,893), total offense in a season (3,031), pass completion percentage in a game (81 percent) and consecutive pass completions (11).

McGuffey also was selected the GTE Academic All-American of the Year for his 3.86 grade-point average in biochemistry. And earlier this week, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame awarded him an $18,000 postgraduate fellowship.

The Harlon Hill Trophy is named after the small-college player from Killen, Ala., who went on to a nine-year career in the NFL and played in the Pro Bowl three times. Last year's winner was running back Brian Shay of Emporia State.