BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Following the program’s third consecutive league championship, 13 University of Tennessee at Martin football players garnered all-conference honors from the Big South-OVC Football Association.
Headlining the list of awards as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors was sophomore Aidan Laros being named the inaugural Big South-OVC Football Association Special Teams Player of the Year. In addition to the marquee honor, Laros was one of seven first team honorees while the Skyhawks claimed six second team selections.
UT Martin’s first team selections include running back Sam Franklin, offensive tackle Gavin Olson, offensive tackle Lamar Morgan, offensive guard Drake Carroll, defensive end Daylan Dotson, defensive back Oshae Baker and punter Laros. The second team featured wide receiver DeVonte Tanksley, offensive center Vance Van Every, outside linebacker Giovanni Davis, linebacker Jaylon Sharpe, defensive back JaMichael McGoy, Jr. and kick returner Narkel LeFlore.
Franklin built upon a strong season in which he was named OVC Freshman of the Year in 2022 by flirting with a historical season. The running back rushed 223 times for 1,378 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season – finishing just 34 yards shy of the program’s single-season rushing record. A finalist for the 2023 Walter Payton Award, he ranked second nationally with his 1,378 yards while sitting third in the FCS with 125.3 rushing yards per game. He eclipsed the 100-yard rushing plateau in seven contests – including a pair of 200-yard performances against Missouri State (259 yards) and North Alabama (221 yards). Finding the endzone 11 times – ranking eighth in the program’s single-season history – his most electric performance came against Missouri State by tallying a season-high three rushing touchdowns.
Olson wrapped up his decorated career by garnering his third all-conference honor in the past three seasons – adding a pair of first team honors (2022 and 2023) and a second team (2021) selection for his career. Along with starting 51 career games on the offensive line, he tallied 74 knockdowns while grading out at 84 percent or better in 827 snaps. As a team, the Skyhawks ranked eighth nationally with 222.0 rushing yards per game and 14th in the FCS with 1.09 sacks allowed per game. On top of his athletic accomplishments, he was also named to the inaugural Big South-OVC Football Association All-Academic Team.
Morgan also picked up his third consecutive all-conference honors after garnering a pair of second team selections in 2021 and 2022. As a three-year starter at right tackle, he has started 34 games while recording 823 snaps in 2023. This season he notched 74 knockdowns and graded out at 82 percent or better in every game. The team ranked eighth nationally with 222.0 rushing yards per game and 14th in the FCS with 1.09 sacks allowed per game.
After missing all of last season with an injury, Carroll took control of the starting job at right guard and never looked back on his way to all-conference honors. While starting in all 11 games for the Skyhawks, he helped anchor an offensive unit which ranked eighth in rushing yards (222.0) and 14th in sacks allowed (1.09). Individually, he posted 63 knockdowns and graded out at 82 percent or better in 821 snaps.
Dotson lived up to his preseason hype by maintaining his status as a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award after a strong season on the defensive line. He finished the campaign with 51 total tackles while adding 19.5 tackles for loss which ranked fourth nationally. Along with his work in the defensive backfield, he also registered 7.0 sacks, 17 quarterback hurries, seven pass breakups, a forced fumble and a recovery. He recorded multiple TFLs in eight games – including a season-best 4.0 tackles and two sacks against Eastern Illinois – while notching a season-high 10 tackles and four quarterback hurries against Missouri State.
Baker earned his first all-conference honor after starting at various positions in the defensive secondary over the past three seasons. The cornerback racked up 49 total tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss while ranking fifth in the Big South-OVC with 11 passes defended – including 10 breakups and one interception. During his standout career, he has registered 32 passes defended while ranking second in program history with 28 pass breakups.
In his first year with the UT Martin program Laros led the FCS in punting by averaging 47.2 yards per attempt while setting a new program record. Overall he punted 51 times with a long punt of 70 yards (done twice), 18 of his punts were 50 yards or longer, 16 were downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and he only had seven touchbacks. Laros also handled kicking duties, making 10-of-16 field goals (with a long of 43) and converting 43-of-45 point after attempts. He ranked sixth in the Association in scoring (6.67 points/game).
Tanksley picked up his second straight all-conference second team honor after pacing the Skyhawk receiving core. He finished the season with 54 receptions for 698 yards and four touchdowns – quadrupling his scoring output from a season ago. He ranked fourth in the Association with 4.91 receptions per game while sitting sixth with 63.45 receiving yards per game. He eclipsed 100 receiving yards in two contests, posting a season-best 120 yards against Houston Christian while also racking up 115 yards in a road win at Tennessee Tech.
After joining the Skyhawks as a mid-year transfer last season, center Vance Van Every started all 11 games at the center position en route to all-conference second team honors. Along with posting a consistent center-quarterback exchange, he blocked for an offense which ranked eighth nationally in rushing yards (222.0) and 14th in sacks allowed (1.09). He recorded 68 knockdowns and graded out at 84 percent in 832 snaps.
Davis garnered his first all-conference nod after disrupting opposing offenses all season from the outside linebacker position. He compiled 38 total tackles – including 9.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Additionally, he tallied four quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and a forced fumble. He notched multiple tackles for loss against Missouri State (2.5) and Samford (2.0) while adding two sacks and a forced fumble in a standout performance in the season finale.
Sharpe wrapped up his first season as a full-time starter by garnering second team honors. The linebacker started all 11 games and compiled 63 total tackles to pace the team while adding 6.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He also added two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. His best games came against No. 1 Georgia and North Alabama when he recorded a season-best eight tackles in both contests. He also notched 3.0 tackles for loss – including a pair of sacks – against Gardner-Webb.
McGoy jumped into a starting role at defensive back and ranked among Association leaders in passes defended on the way to an all-conference second team selection. The cornerback tallied 27 total tackles on the season while ranking second in the league with 14 passes defended – including 12 pass breakups and two interceptions. He posted a season-best five tackles in wins against Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech while snagging interceptions against Missouri State and Southeast Missouri.
Following a couple seasons at the Division II level, LeFlore left his mark in his debut campaign as a Skyhawk by earning a second team slot as a kick returner. He finished the season with 18 kick returns for a total of 470 yards – averaging 26.11 yards per return – which ranked 14th nationally. One of his best games came against Houston Christian when he returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. The all-purpose performer also rushed for 382 yards and four touchdowns – including a standout performance against Southeast Missouri in which he tallied 147 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
2023 BIG SOUTH-OVC FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS AND ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB Zevi Eckhaus, Jr., Bryant
RB Sam Franklin, R-Soph., UT Martin
RB Geno Hess, Sr., Southeast Missouri
RB MJ Flowers, R-Fr., Eastern Illinois
WR Ryan Flournoy, Sr., Southeast Missouri
WR Noah Robinson, R-Jr., Robert Morris
WR Jeff Caldwell, Soph., Lindenwood
WR Eli Mirza, Jr., Eastern Illinois
TE Chaese Jackson, Gr., Robert Morris
OL Gavin Olson, Gr., UT Martin
OL Zack Gieg, Jr., Southeast Missouri
OL Chad Strickland, Gr., Eastern Illinois
OL Lamar Morgan, Sr., UT Martin
OL Drake Carroll, Gr., UT Martin
OL Ahmad Assad, Sr., Bryant
DEFENSE
DL Terrell Allen, Sr., Tennessee State
DL Daylan Dotson, Jr., UT Martin
DL Daniel Rickert, Jr., Tennessee Tech
DL Ty French, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL Kenny Dyson, Sr., Bryant
LB Bryce Norman, Jr., Southeast Missouri
LB William McRainey, Gr., Gardner-Webb
LB Monroe Beard III, Jr., Tennessee State
LB Elijawah Tolbert, Jr., Eastern Illinois
LB Malik Barnes, Sr., Charleston Southern
DB Blake Ruffin, R-Soph., Eastern Illinois
DB Tim Coutras, Jr., Tennessee Tech
DB Oshae Baker, Jr., UT Martin
DB Russell Dandy, Gr., Eastern Illinois
DB Ja’Kai Young, R-Soph., Gardner-Webb
SPECIALISTS
PK James Lowery, R-Jr., Tennessee State
P Aidan Laros, R-Soph., UT Martin
LS AJ Covan, Gr., Gardner-Webb
KR Spencer Redd, Sr., Lindenwood
PR Dalyn McDonald, Sr., Southeast Missouri
AP Jayden Brown, Soph., Gardner-Webb
SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB Pierce Holley, Gr., Eastern Illinois
RB Narii Gaither, Sr., Gardner-Webb
RB Jordan Gant, R-Fr., Tennessee State
RB TJ Ruff, Soph., Charleston Southern
WR Matt Prochaska, Sr., Bryant
WR Anthony Frederick, Sr., Bryant
WR DeVonte Tanksley, R-Jr., UT Martin
WR Justin Thomas, Gr., Eastern Illinois
TE Konor Lathrop, Sr., Bryant
OL Gabriel Thompson, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
OL Jamichael Watts, Sr., Bryant
OL Darius Meeks, Soph., Charleston Southern
OL Sebastian Pares, Jr., Eastern Illinois
OL Vance Van Every, Jr., UT Martin
OL JaQuan Adams, R-Fr., Gardner-Webb
DEFENSE
DL Giovanni Davis, Jr., UT Martin
DL Michael Otty, Soph., Bryant
DL Kobe McClendon, Soph., Lindenwood
DL Joel Barrows, R-Jr., Eastern Illinois
DL Hudson Tucker, Sr., Tennessee Tech
LB Jaylon Sharpe, R-Jr., UT Martin
LB Jacquez McGowan, Soph., Tennessee Tech
LB Aaron Swafford, Jr., Tennessee Tech
LB Ethan Stuhlsatz, Soph., Lindenwood
LB Brendan Jackson, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB Lawrence Johnson, Sr., Southeast Missouri
DB Lake Ellis, Sr., Bryant
DB Jamari Brown, Gr., Gardner-Webb
DB JaMichael McGoy, Jr., R-Soph., UT Martin
DB Jeremiah Josephs, Gr., Tennessee State
SPECIALISTS
PK DC Pippin, Jr., Southeast Missouri
P Jackson Foster, Jr., Tennessee State
LS Carson Buchanan, Jr., Tennessee State
KR Narkel LeFlore, Jr., UT Martin
AP Anthony Frederick, Sr., Bryant
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Darnel Shillingford, DL, Gr., Bryant
Jacob Tylski, OL, Gr., Charleston Southern
Chad Strickland, OL, Gr., Eastern Illinois
William McRainey, LB, Gr., Gardner-Webb
Gareth Warren, OL, Jr., Lindenwood
Luke Beltavski, OL, Jr., Robert Morris
Paxton DeLaurent, QB, Jr., Southeast Missouri
Deveon Bryant, QB, Gr., Tennessee State
Hayden Olsen, K, Sr., Tennessee Tech
Gavin Olson, OL, Sr., UT Martin
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zevi Eckhaus, QB, Jr., Bryant
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Terrell Allen, DL, Sr., Tennessee State
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Aidan Laros, PK/P, R-Soph, UT Martin
OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
MJ Flowers, RB, R-Fr., Eastern Illinois
CO-DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Eriq George, DL, Fr., Tennessee State
Jermarian Jackson, DB, R-Fr., Robert Morris
COACH OF THE YEAR
Chris Wilkerson, Eastern Illinois
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
William McRainey, LB, Gr., Gardner-Webb
