The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its 2023 All-Conference awards for football. Individually, Belhaven's Kolbe Blunt and Carlton Brown were named Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, while their coach, Blaine McCorkle, earned Coach of the Year honors. Methodist's Sajari Love was named Offensive Rookie of the Year, Greensboro's Larry Jones collected Defensive Rookie of the Year, and N.C. Wesleyan's Braxtyn Green grabbed Special Teams Player of the Year accolades to round out the individual honors. Additionally, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team, consisting of one member from each competing school who their coach felt displayed the best sportsmanship this season.

All honors are determined by votes from the football coach at each institution.

Blunt, a graduate student running back from Mobile, Alabama becomes the first Blazer to earn USA South football Offensive Player of the Year honors. Blunt led the Conference in rushing with 1,230 yards on 138 carries during the regular season, good for 123.0 yards per game. He led the League with 17 rushing touchdowns while also catching 15 passes for 124 yards. Against USA South opponents, Blunt again led the League in rushing yards (1,076) and touchdowns (14). For his efforts this campaign, Blunt earned First Team All-Conference honors as a running back for the second consecutive season. Finally, Blunt grabbed USA South Offensive Player of the Week honors twice this fall.

Love, a freshman running back from Jacksonville, Florida becomes the second Monarch to earn USA South football Offensive Rookie of the Year honors (Chris Roncketti, 2002). Love totaled 228 yards on the ground with two touchdowns during the regular season while also adding 12 catches for 101 yards. In League games, Love totaled 185 yards with two scores.

Brown, a Memphis, Tennessee graduate student defensive lineman becomes the second consecutive Blazer to earn USA South football Defensive Player of the Year honors (Connor Fordham, 2022). Brown led the League with 13.0 total tackles for loss, which included a Conference-best 6.5 total sacks, which resulted in pushing opposing offenses back 37 yards during the regular season. He was tied for the USA South lead in solo tackles for loss (10) and solo sacks (5). Against Conference foes, Brown had League-highs of 11.0 tackles for loss and nine solo tackles for loss while also adding five total sacks, four of which were of the solo variety. For his efforts this campaign, Brown earned First Team All-Conference honors as a defensive lineman for the second consecutive season and grabbed USA South Defensive Player of the Week honors twice.

Jones, a freshman defensive back from Rocky Mount, North Carolina becomes the second member of the Pride program to earn USA South football Defensive Rookie of the Year honors (Brick Crowder, 2006). During the regular season, Jones totaled 50 tackles, one of which was for a loss of three yards, three pass breakups, and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Additionally, Jones blocked two field goals during the fall. In League-play, Jones made 44 total tackles and came down with both of his interceptions. Finally, Jones was named USA South Defensive Rookie of the Week honors twice this season.

Green,  a Live Oak, Florida freshman punter/place kicker, becomes the first Battling Bishop to be named USA South Special Teams Player of the Year. Green made seven of his nine field goal attempts during the regular season which included a League-best, and program-record, 51-yarder. He also handled the punting duties and averaged 36.2 yards per punt with 13 of his 51 attempts downed inside the 20 yard line. Against USA South opposition, Green was 6-of-8 on field goals and averaged 35.0 yards per punt as a third of his attempts were downed inside the 20 yard line. For his efforts this fall, Green earned First Team All-Conference honors as a placekicker and Second Team accolades as a punter while being named Special Teams Player of the Week twice. 

McCorkle, in his sixth season at Belhaven, earns his first USA South Coach of the Year honor leading the Blazers to the program's first USA South championship. Picked to finish second in the USA South Preseason Coaches poll, Belhaven posted a 7-1 Conference record to earn a berth into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The seven Conference victories are a program record while the regular season record of 9-1 sets a new high for total wins in a season for the Blazers. Finally, Belhaven was very comfortable at home this fall as the Blazers went a perfect 5-0 Belhaven Bowl Stadium for the first time in program history.
 

Offensive Player of the Year		Defensive Player of the Year		Special Teams Player of the Year
Kolbe Blunt, Belhaven		Carlton Brown, Belhaven		Braxtyn Green, N.C. Wesleyan
Offensive Rookie of the Year		Defensive Rookie of the Year		Coach of the Year
Sajari Love, Methodist		Larry Jones, Greensboro		Blaine McCorkle, Belhaven

The 2023 USA South Football All-Conference Team:  
 

	First Team	Second Team
Running Back	Kolbe Blunt, Belhaven Kahari McReynolds, Huntingdon	Anthony Byrd, N.C. Wesleyan Keyshaun Pete, Methodist
Quarterback	Bryson Rollins, Maryville	Ethan Beamish, Brevard
Wide Receiver	Tyler England, Huntingdon Zackary Orr, Brevard Corey Russell, Maryville	Christian Drumgoole, N.C. Wesleyan Jacobey James-Grace, Belhaven Isaac McMullin, Southern Virginia
Tight End/H-Back/Fullback	Brooks Brymer, Belhaven	Ryan Buchanan, Greensboro
Offensive Line	Desmond Barnes, N.C. Wesleyan Kendrioun Boatman, Belhaven Jeremiah Buenrostro, Belhaven Cole McAlpin, Belhaven Guy Vilsaint, Huntingdon	Jonathan Acuff, Huntingdon Ernest Bencomo, Greensboro Tyler Dawson, Methodist Owen Sacks, Maryville David Turner, Belhaven
Defensive Line	Carlton Brown, Belhaven Robert Dorsey, Brevard Jonathan Harris, Maryville Robert Vickers, Huntingdon	Korey Anderson, Huntingdon Mike Bethea, Maryville Andrew Bradshaw, Methodist Charles Sias, N.C. Wesleyan
Linebacker	Wyatt Beck, Belhaven Casey Peppers, Huntingdon Max Steele, Greensboro	Tyler Bost, Maryville Colby Hyder, Southern Virginia Tucker Spence, Huntingdon
Cornerback	Dee Gray, Belhaven Jaden James, Greensboro	Denzel Greene, Huntingdon Jacoby Young, Huntingdon
Safety	Ronechie Carter, N.C. Wesleyan Josiah Raymond, Belhaven	William Paithorpe, Greensboro Miller Park, Huntingdon
Return Specialist	Ja'Shawn Harris, Greensboro	Tyler England, Huntingdon
Place Kicker	Braxtyn Green, N.C. Wesleyan	Will Edwards, Huntingdon
Punter	Andrew Norton, Belhaven	Braxtyn Green, N.C. Wesleyan
Honorable Mention
TJ Hersey, Belhaven Chancellor Lee-Parker, Brevard Alec Williams-Carr, Greensboro Connor Bradford, Huntingdon Devonte Scott, LaGrange Devon White, Maryville Bryson Ausby, Methodist Eric Cooper, N.C. Wesleyan Seth Dahl, Southern Virginia

 

All-Sportsmanship

Kody McCraney, Belhaven DJ Taylor, Brevard Omahr Ramirez, Greensboro Conner Bradford, Huntingdon To'Mari Vinson, LaGrange Braden Dunson, Maryville Josh Hill, Methodist Zachary Marquis, N.C. Wesleyan Inoke Kaufusi, Southern Virginia