CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Four Charleston Southern football players were recognized on the 2023 Big South-OVC Football All-Conference teams announced Tuesday afternoon by the conference office.

Linebacker Malik Barnes earned All-Conference First Team recognition while Running Back TJ Ruff andoffensive lineman Darius Meeks received Second Team honors. Offensive lineman Jacob Tylski laid claim to an All-Academic selection for his work on the field and in the classroom to round out the honors for Charleston Southern.
 
"I could not be happier for Malik, Darius, TJ and Jakob for being recognized by the conference," said Head Coach Gabe Giardina. "All three are great players but even better people. They have done amazing job putting the time in during the off season to be recognized to the coaches and media in this conference for their on field performance.

Barnes led the Charleston Southern defense with 72 total stops on the year, recording eight tackles five different times this year: Western Carolina, Bryant, Tennessee State, Robert Morris and Gardner-Webb. Barnes also recorded four total sacks, two of which coming in the final contest of the year at Gardner-Webb.The linebacker also recorded 10 tackles for loss, with 2.5 at home in a win over Lindenwood stood as the season high for Barnes.
 
Ruff started in all 11 contests for Charleston Southern, amassing 691 yards on the ground on 158 carries and seven scores. Ruff also scored multiple touchdowns two times this season, against Western Carolina and Tennessee State. His average of 62.8 yards per game was a team high, and he eclipsed the 100-yard mark in the home win over Lindenwood. 
 
Meeks started all 11 games on the offensive line serving as an anchor on an experienced unit. Meeks was also joined by Tylski on the honors lists, as he started all 10 of the games he appeared in this year. The duo on the offensive line again served as mainstays in a line that saw multiple combinations throughout the year due to injuries.
 
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, Gr., 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, Jr., 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, Jr., 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, Gr., Southeast Missouri
DB   Lake Ellis, Sr., Bryant
DB   Jamari Brown, Gr., Gardner-Webb
DB   JaMichael McGoy, R-Soph., UT Martin
DB   Jeremiah Josephs, Gr., Tennessee State
 
SPECIALISTS
PK   DC Pippin, Sr., 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