Offensive tackle Tim Anderson of Ferris State University is the winner of the 2025 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award, presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club. Anderson, who will play in this weekend’s DII football championship semifinals as his Bulldogs host Newberry, is the fourth Ferris State player to receive the award, all coming since 2019, joining Caleb Murphy (2022), Dylan Pasquali (2021) and Austin Edwards (2019). Harding offensive tackle Jake Mitchell, also playing in the semifinals, was this year’s runner-up in the voting, with Ashland defensive end Michael Shimek third, marking the highest finish by finalists from both of those programs.
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Anderson has led GLIAC champion Ferris State to a 14-0 record. The Bulldogs lead DII with 53.8 points per game in 2025, rushing for 306.5 yards per game and 63 touchdowns on the ground. A three-year starter at right tackle, Anderson was named D2CCA First-Team All-Super Region Three, First-Team All-GLIAC and the GLIAC offensive lineman of the year in 2025. Anderson is part of an offensive line that includes his twin brother, Bob, along with Dayne Arnett, Jarvis Windom and Ben Przytula; together they have allowed only 17 sacks in 14 games while helping quarterback Chase Cooper rush for more than 1,000 yards.
The Gene Upshaw Award is nominated by and voted on by the nation’s NCAA Division II sports information directors. All nominees are seniors or graduate players/transfers and are lineman on either side of the ball at either offensive tackle, guard or center; or defensive tackle, guard or end. The award is named in honor of the late Gene Upshaw, who was not only an All-Pro lineman for the Oakland Raiders, but later served as the executive director of the NFL Players Association for 25 years. Upshaw, a former standout offensive lineman at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M Kingsville), was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 in his first year of eligibility.
