December 12, 2019
By Mike Montfort, Navarro College Sports Editor
Sophomore quarterback Parker McNeil was named the NJCAA’s Offensive Player of the Year today.
McNeil, named Tuesday an NJCAA two-time, First-Team All-American, overcame rib injuries and led coach Scott Parr’s Bulldogs from a 0-3 start to the 2019 Southwest Junior College Football Conference Championship in a 36-35 win over New Mexico Military Institute.
In 2019, McNeil led or shared NJCAA statistical categories of completions (236), attempts (368), passing yardage (3,485), per-game yardage (348.5) and touchdown passes (29). He also finished third in completion percentage (64.1) and in passing efficiency (165.3) while rewriting all Navarro and 24-year-old SWJCFC career passing category records.
“Parker McNeil is the epitome of what we want our Navarro College players to be,” head coach Scott Parr said. “Parker was a great leader on and off the field, a good student and teammate. God blessed him with the many gifts it takes to be a great quarterback, however, his competitiveness was second to none. It was an honor and privilege to coach Parker McNeil.”
McNeil, named last month as the SWJCFC’s Offensive Player Of The Year, becomes the third Navarro Bulldog to earn an NJCAA National Football Player Of The Year award since 2000 when the organization began presenting Offensive and Defensive honors, joining 2014 running back Ke’aun Kinner and 2009 linebacker Brad Graham as winners.
McNeil, the only SWJCFC quarterback to throw for more than 6,000 career yards (3,150 in 2018 and 3,485 in 2019) becomes only the fourth player since 1970 to duplicate NJCAA pass yardage championships. The other three two-time winners are Jimmy Oliver, Pearl River CC, Ms. (2004-2005); Tony DeLeon, Vermilion College, Mn., (1991-1992); and Lynn Lewis, Dixie State, Ut., (1973-1974).
McNeil became the SWJCFC’s career leader in completions, attempts and pass yardage during a 30-of-56, 465-yard, four-TD effort in the final regular-season game against Trinity Valley. In that game, he surpassed Blinn’s Terrance Cain (2007-08) in completions and pass yardage, and Navarro’s Eric Rekieta (2000-01) in attempts. In the SWJCFC semifinal win at TVCC, his tiebreaking 53rd touchdown pass eclipsed a conference career mark by the Cardinals’ Jerod Evans (2014-15).
Against TVCC during the 2018 season, McNeil re-set Navarro’s single-game, pass yardage record to 552 yards on 29-of-45 passing with six touchdowns.
That was one of two 500-yard-plus games by McNeil during his 21-game Navarro career.
He had some other significant numbers, including six games or more than 400 yards passing – five during the 2019 season. He also had six games with 4 or more TD passes – three games each season.
Almost lost in time is the fact that McNeil had five consecutive 300-yard plus passing games with 15 touchdowns during his first five games as Navarro’s starting quarterback.
PARKER McNEIL / Navarro
Two-Year Career Totals (2018-19)
G PC PA YARDS TD INT PCT PER PG Outcome
2018 11 249 403 3150 27 14 61.8 12.7 286.4 NJCAA 1st Team All-American
2019 10 236 368 3485 29 8 64.1 14.8 348.5 NJCAA 1st Team All-American
Total 21 485 771 6635 56 22 62.9 13.7 316.0 2-Time NJCAA Pass Yards Champ
Parker McNeil’s Career-High Games
Completions Attempts Yards TD Passes
30 v TVCC-1, 2019 56 v TVCC-1, 2019 552 v TVCC, 2018 6 v Cisco, 2019
30 v Cisco, 2019 48 v Blinn, 2018 508 v Cisco, 2019 6 v TVCC, 2018
29 v Kilgore, 2018 47 v Kilgore, 2018 465 v TVCC-1, 2019 5 v Kilgore, 2018
29 v TVCC, 2018 47 v Cisco, 2019 419 v GMC, 2019 5 v Tyler, 2019
45 v TVCC, 2018 402 v Tyler, 2019