Written by the LSWA
BATON ROUGE – LSU’s Heisman Trophy winner senior quarterback Jayden Daniels along with members of the 11-win Tulane Green Wave squad were among those capturing the top honors on the 2023 Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana college football team.
The team was voted on by an LSWA panel of football media along with the sports communications/media relations staff members of the state colleges and universities. The nominations were submitted by each school and the only voting restriction was that the football communications staff member voting could not vote for their own nominees.
Daniels received every possible vote as both the first team quarterback and as Offensive Player of the Year after his season in which he picked up the majority of the sport’s major awards in 2023 including the Heisman, Unitas, Davey O’Brien and Walter Camp Awards as well as Player of the Year as selected by the Southeastern Conference and the Associated Press.
Willie Fritz was named the state’s top coach as he finished his coaching stint at Tulane being named the AAC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season as the Green Wave won 11 games, marking the fifth time that a Tulane program has won 10 or more games in a season.
Tulane’s Patrick Jenkins, a first-team All-American on the defensive line, was named the state’s top defensive player, while the Green Wave’s star running back Makhi Hughes was the choice as freshman of the year as a stellar campaign.
Nicholls sophomore quarterback Pat McQuaide was named the state’s newcomer of the year for first-year non-freshman state players.
The voters also selected two 11-player teams on both offense and defense as well as a group of three specialists for each team (kicker, punter, return specialist).
Daniels led the nation in nearly every category dedicated to a quarterback for the Tigers, who will face Wisconsin in the Jan. 1 ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa. He became the only QB in FBS history to rush for 200 yards (234) and pass for 350 yards (372) in the same game against Florida. He finished the year with 3,812 passing yards and 1,134 rushing yards with 40 passing touchdowns and 50 total scores.
The senior from San Bernadino, California became the third Heisman Trophy winner in LSU Football history joining Billy Cannon (1959) and Joe Burrow (2019).
The defense’s top play, Jenkins was named a first-team All-American and AAC Defensive Player of the Year for the Green Wave. The junior from New Orleans had 32 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.
Jenkins also posted a forced fumble and fumble recovery for Tulane as his sack total was tied for fifth in the conference.
Hughes had a strong season at running back, rushing for 1,290 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry to earn the top freshman honors. The Birmingham, Alabama native earned freshman All-American honors and was named the AAC Rookie of the Year.
His conference leading rushing total included seven 100-yard rushing games, including a season-high of 166 against UTSA.
McQuaide, who came to Nicholls from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, earned newcomer honors in helping Nicholls to the FCS playoffs in 2023. The All-Southland selection threw for 2,196 yards and 13 touchdowns on the year with two 300-yard games.
The highlight of the season came in the final game of the regular season when the Solon, Ohio native threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns with a rushing score in the River Bell Classic win over Southeastern.
The Fritz era ended for Tulane with 54 total wins, the second-highest total in the program’s history and the undefeated record in league regular season play marked only the fourth time that the Green Wave went through a conference schedule unblemished.
The Green Wave concluded its 2023 season earlier this week in the Military Bowl.
Nine schools in the state had first-team selections (25 players including special team): Tulane 7, LSU 6, Nicholls and Louisiana Tech 3 each, Louisiana 2 and Southeastern, Grambling, Southern, and McNeese 1 each.
LSWA All-Louisiana College Football
First Team Offense
Pos/Name, School/Class/Hometown/Notes
OL/Mark Barthelemy, Nicholls/Sr./Opelousas, La./SLC Offensive Lineman of Year
OL/Will Campbell, LSU/So./Monroe, La./First Team All-SEC
OL/Sincere Haynesworth, Tulane/Sr./Pearland, Texas/First Team All-AAC, HM CFN A-A
OL/Emery Jones, LSU/So./Baton Rouge, La./Second Team All-SEC
OL/Cameron Wire, Tulane/Sr./Gonzales, La./First Team All-AAC
TE/Neal Johnson, Louisiana/Sr./Mesquite, Texas/29 rec., 5 TDs, 3rd Team All-SBC
WR/Malik Nabers, LSU/Jr./Lafayette, La./86 rec., 1,546 yds, 14 TDs, First Team A-A
WR/Brian Thomas, LSU/Jr./Walker, La./60 rec., 1,079 yds, 15 TDs, Second Team All-SEC
RB/Collin Guggenheim, Nicholls/Jr./Kenner, La./833 yds, 11 TDs, All-SLC First Team
RB/Makhi Hughes, Tulane/Fr./Birmingham, Ala./1,290 yds, 7 TDs, Frosh A-A, AAC Rookie of Year
QB/Jayden Daniels, LSU/Sr./San Bernadino, Calif./3,812 pass, 1,134 rushing yds, 50 TDs, Heisman winner
First Team Defense
Pos/Name, School/Class/Hometown/Notes
DL/Sundiata Anderson, Grambling/Sr./College Park, Ga./60 tackles, 11.5 TFL, First Team All-SWAC
DL/CKelby Givens, Southern/So./Shreveport, La./61 tackles, 7 sacks, First Team All-SWAC
DL/Darius Hodges, Tulane/Jr./Montgomery, Ala./25 tackles, 7.5 sacks, HM A-A, First Team All-AAC
DL/Patrick Jenkins, Tulane/Jr./New Orleans, La./32 tackles, 5.5 sacks, First Team A-A, AAC POY
LB/Micah Davey, McNeese/So./Baton Rouge, La./153 tackles, 2.0 sacks, First Team All-SLC
LB/Jesus Machado, Tulane/Jr./Miami, Fla./98 tackles, 1 Int., HM A-A, AAC LB of Year
LB/Harold Perkins, LSU/So./New Orleans, La./71 tackles, 5.5 sacks, Second Team All-SEC
DB/Ian Conerly-Goodly, Southeastern/So./Covington, La./109 tackles, 1 Int., First Team All-SLC
DB/Tyler Morton, Nicholls/Jr./St. Rose, La./63 tackles, 4 Int., First Team All-SLC
DB/Lance Robinson, Tulane/Sr./New Orleans, La./39 tackles, 4 Int., HM A-A, AAC CB of Year
DB/Willie Roberts, Louisiana Tech/Sr./Fort Worth, Texas/38 tackles, 12 PBU, 1 int.
First Team Special Teams
Pos/Name, School/Class/Hometown/Notes
K/Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana/Jr./Clute, Texas/13-14 FGs, 46 Long, 46-47 PAT, T6 NCAA FG Pct.
P/Blake Ochsendorf, Louisiana Tech/Sr./Savage, Minn./45.7 average, 15th NCAA, 17 punts 50 or more
RS/Smoke Harris, Louisiana Tech/Sr., St. Francisville, La./283 PR yards, 1 TD, C-USA Leader
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jayden Daniels, LSU
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Patrick Jenkins, Tulane
Voting: Jenkins 17, Micah Davey (McNeese) 6, Logan Brimmer (La. Christian) 2; Willie Roberts (LA Tech) 2, Perkins (LSU) 1
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Makhi Hughes, Tulane
Voting: Hughes 21, Michael Richard (LA Tech) 7
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Pat McQuaide, Nicholls
Voting: McQuaide 11, Myles Heard (LA Tech) 9, Taevion Cunningham (La. Christian) 5, Shedro Louis (Tulane) 3
COACH OF THE YEAR: Willie Fritz, Tulane
Voting: Fritz 14, Drew Maddox (La. Christian) 7, Tim Rebowe (Nicholls) 5, Brian Kelly (LSU) 2
Second Team Offense
Pos/Name, School/Class/Hometown/Notes
OL/John Allen, Southeastern/Sr./Jackson, Miss./First Team All-SLC
OL/AJ Gillie, Louisiana/Jr./Natchitoches, La./Third Team All-SBC
OL/Cole LeClair, McNeese/Jr./Middleburg, Fla./Second Team All-SLC
OL/Evan Roussel, Nicholls/Jr./Lutcher, La./First Team All-SLC
OL/Charles Turner, LSU/Sr./Canton, Ohio/Started all games at center
TE/Jacob Ganote, La. Christian/Sr./Montz, La./30 Rec (team leader), 4 TDs, First Team All-SAC
WR/Chris Brazzell II, Tulane/Fr./Midland, Texas/44 rec., 711 yds, 5 TDs, Third team All-AAC
WR/Smoke Harris, LA Tech/Sr./St. Francisville, La./83 rec., 796 yds, 4 TDs
RB/Devin Briscoe, La. Christian/989 yds, 9 TDs, First Team All-SAC
RB/Jaylon Spears, Nicholls/So./New Orleans, La./753 yds, 6 TDs, SLC POY
QB/Michael Pratt, Tulane/Jr./Boca Raton, Fla./2,406 yds passing, 27 total TDs, AAC Off. POY
Second Team Defensive
Pos/Name, School/Class/Hometown/Notes
DL/Logan Brimmer, La. Christian/Sr./Boutte, La./40 tackles, 9.0 sacks, SAC Defensive POY
DL/Devean Deal, Tulane/So./El Paso, Texas/40 tackles, 4.0 sacks, HM All-AAC
DL/Adin Huntington, ULM/Jr./Stafford, Va./63 tackles, 8.5 sacks, Second Team All-SBC
DL/Arlen Williams, Southeastern/Sr./Boothville, La./40 tackles, 6 sacks, First Team All-SLC
LB/Jeslord Boateng, LA Tech/Sr./Dublin, Ohio/93 tackles, 9 TFL, 1 sack
LB/Herman Christophe IV, Southeastern/Sr./Plaquemine, La./85 tackles, 4 TFL, First Team All-SLC
LB/Greg Penn, LSU/Jr./Baltimore, Md./83 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 int.
DB/Jordan Carter, Southern/Grad./Bryans Road, Maryland/63 tackles, 4 int, First Team All-SWAC
DB/Jarius Monroe, Tulane/Sr./LaPlace, La./48 tackles, 3 int, First Team All-AAC
DB/Kam Pedescleaux, Tulane/Sr./Houston, Texas/52 tackles, 2 int, AAC Safety of the Year
DB/Andre Sam, LSU/Sr./Iowa, La./74 tackles, 3 int
Second Team Special Teams
Pos/Name, School/Class/Hometown/Notes
K/Damian Ramos, LSU/So./Baltimore, Md./12-15 FGs, 72-72 PATs
P/Austin Dunlap, Southeastern/Sr./Slidell, La./43.9 avg., 13 punts 50 yds or more
RS/Darius Lewis, Southeastern/Jr./New Orleans, La./221 PR yardage, long 44, First Team All-SLC PR
Honorable Mention
Offense
OL – Rashad Green (Jr., Baton Rouge, La.), Tulane; Bert Hale (Jr., Epps, La.), LA Tech;
TE – Lee Negrotto (Jr., Pass Christian, Miss.), Nicholls
Defense
LB – Andre “Bubba” Reed (Sr., Basile, La.) La. Christian
DB – Pop McGhee (Jr., Opelousas, La.) La. Christian; Kendarius Smith (Jr., Meridian, Miss.) Nicholls
Special Teams
RS – Zylan Perry (Fr., Franklin, La.) Louisiana