Football

Brown, Charles and Patterson Lead 2024 ASC Football Awards and All-Conference Selections

DALLAS, Texas – East Texas Baptist freshman quarterback Kaden Brown and Howard Payne  senior wide receiver Gus Charles were named Co-Offensive Players of the Year and Hardin-Simmons senior linebacker Charlie Patterson was named Defensive Player of the Year, to headline the 2024 American Southwest Conference football awards, the ASC office announced Thursday after a vote of the league's head coaches.
 
Brown, who was also named First Team All-Conference as a quarterback, delivered league-leading numbers in passing with 176 completions on 251 attempts for a 70.1 percentage. He logged 2,376 yards total with 78 as his longest throw of the season. Brown averaged 264.0 yards per game on passing and was 178.3 efficiency rating. He threw just 2 interceptions and led the Tigers to the number one passing offense in the league with 273.7 yards on average and a second-ranking 23 touchdowns. Brown was a three-time ASC Player of the Week this fall.

Charles, who was also named First Team All-Conference as a wide receiver, led the league in receiving with 52 total receptions for a total of 940 yards. He averaged 117.5 yards per game while scoring five touchdowns. Charles tied with one other in the conference for longest reception with an 82-yard-long catch. He also received ASC weekly honors this season.
 
Patterson, earning First Team All-Conference in his first year with the Cowboys, would guide a defense that finished with just 175 points allowed and 17.5 on average. The linebacker led the conference in sacks with eight solo for 67 yards. Patterson also recorded 70 total tackles on the season with an ASC-high 12.5 tackles for loss of 74 yards. He put up a season-high 13 tackles and three sacks in a game and added a quarterback hurry on the season.
 
Hardin-Simmons senior offensive tackle Khalil Spivey earned Offensive Lineman of the Year and was on the All-ASC First Team. Spivey was a key part in helping the Cowboys to 2,234 offensive yards and total 61 touchdowns. HSU had the second best offensive efficiency with a 168.3 result. Spivey served as team captain as he led the Cowboys to the ASC Champion title this season.
 
Hardin-Simmons senior defensive lineman Braden Hargrove claimed Defensive Lineman of the Year and is a two-time All-ASC honoree that was part of the First Team Defense this year. He was part of a defense that only allowed 17.5 points per game and held teams to just 295.1 yards on average. Hargrove totaled 26 tackles with 11 solo tackles. He recorded 6.5 tackles for a loss of 17 yards while adding two sacks. Hargrove also totaled three blocked kicks in the 2024 campaign.
 
Hardin-Simmons senior return specialist Dameon Gomes was named Special Teams Player of the Year. Gomes is a two-time All-ASC honoree and is second in the nation in punt return yards with 286 and a 19.1 average per game. He is also fifth in the nation in kickoff returns with 31.9 yards on average. Gomes totals three kickoff return touchdowns with scores of 94, 90 and 83 yards.
 
Hardin-Simmons running back Braylon Henry and Mary Hardin-Baylor defensive end Gaige Sanders earned Co-Freshman of the Year honors. Henry ranked fourth in the league for total rushing yards average of 56.4 and totaled 564 yards with nine touchdowns. Sanders totaled 12 tackles with six solo and 5.5 tackles for a loss of 34 yards. He also added 3.5 sacks for a total of 30 yards and a forced fumble and recovery.
 
Hardin-Simmons Head Coach Jesse Burleson was tabbed Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year after leading the Cowboys to a 10-0 overall record and perfect 6-0 conference record. The Cowboys captured the ASC automatic qualifier bid for the second straight season and return to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, receiving a first-round bye as they rank second in the nation.
 
Twenty-seven student-athletes made a return appearance to the all-conference team.
 
Each ASC team is represented on the Outstanding Sportsmanship Team of the Year, with a head coach nominating a student-athlete from his team that embodied that characteristic on the field.

2024 All-ASC Football Teams and Awards

Individual Awards
Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Kaden Brown, East Texas Baptist
Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Gus Charles, Howard Payne
Defensive Player of the Year: Charlie Patterson, Hardin-Simmons
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Khalil Spivey, Hardin-Simmons
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Braden Hargrove, Hardin-Simmons
Special Teams Player of the Year: Dameon Gomes, Hardin-Simmons
Co-Freshman of the Year: Braylon Henry, Hardin-Simmons
Co-Freshman of the Year: Gaige Sanders, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Coach of the Year: Jesse Burleson, Hardin-Simmons
 
Two-time Coach of the Year

Outstanding Sportsman Team of the Year
Pos. Name Cl. University Hometown
DB Brooks Brock Sr. East Texas Baptist Meridian, Miss.
QB Jack Helsley Jr. Hardin-Simmons Keller, Texas
WR Jerry Day, Jr. Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor West Monroe, Louis.
P/WR Jackson Coulson Gr. Howard Payne Georgetown, Texas
 

First Team Offense
Pos. Name Cl. University Hometown
WR Trayjen Llanas-Wilcox 2   So. East Texas Baptist Cameron, Texas
WR Gus Charles 2 Sr. Howard Payne Houston, Texas
SB Zay Thomas 2 Jr. East Texas Baptist Karnack, Texas
SB Kris Sims Jr. Hardin-Simmons Arlington, Texas
SB TJ Rone 2 So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Houston, Texas
TE Brock Gibson 2 Sr. Hardin-Simmons Wink, Texas
OG Bode Walters  Jr. Hardin-Simmons Marion, Texas
OG Garrett Tittle Jr. Hardin-Simmons Caldwell, Texas
OG Eric Teutsch So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Canyon Lake, Texas
OT Khalil Spivey 2 Sr. Hardin-Simmons Abilene, Texas
OT Nathan Morris 2 Jr. East Texas Baptist Sugar Land, Texas
OT Kyle Wente Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor San Antonio, Texas
C Hayden Philpot 2 Jr. Hardin-Simmons Decatur, Texas
QB Kaden Brown Fr. East Texas Baptist Midlothian, Texas
RB Noah Garcia 2 Jr. Hardin-Simmons Abilene, Texas
RB Kamerin Ferguson Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Decatur, Texas
RB Paul Woodard 2 So. East Texas Baptist Freeport, Texas
RS Dameon Gomes 2 Sr. Hardin-Simmons Mansfield, Texas
K Grayson Bearden 2 Jr. Hardin-Simmons Abilene, Texas

First Team Defense
Pos. Name Cl. University Hometown
DL Mason Cavness Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Alpine, Texas
DL Jahkamian Carr 4 Sr. East Texas Baptist Longview, Texas
DL Dominick Williams 2 Jr. East Texas Baptist Houston, Texas
DL Braden Hargrove 2 Sr. Hardin-Simmons Georgetown, Texas
LB Charlie Patterson  Sr. Hardin-Simmons Auburn, Ill.
LB Durand Hill 3 Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Buda, Texas
LB Kaiden Roden So. Hardin-Simmons Quinlan, Texas
LB Keewan Grismore 2 Jr. East Texas Baptist League City, Texas
DB Harrison Foster Jr. Hardin-Simmons Sweetwater, Texas
DB Samuel Steffe Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Aledo, Texas
DB Mike Akinbisola So. Hardin-Simmons Houston, Texas
DB Jacob Korrodi  Sr. Howard Payne San Antonio, Texas
DB KC Cornelious 2 Sr. Howard Payne Forney, Texas
P Whitten Weems  Fr. East Texas Baptist Crawford, Texas
 

Second Team Offense
Pos. Name Cl. University Hometown
WR Tailon Garrett 2 Jr. Hardin-Simmons Dallas, Texas
WR Jerry Cephus  Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Little River, Texas
TE Hayden Curry So. East Texas Baptist Pearland, Texas
TE Christopher Gacayan II2 So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Axtell, Texas
OG Devon Jolly So. East Texas Baptist Grand Prairie, Texas
OG Elijah Mankins 2 So. East Texas Baptist Midlothian, Texas
OT Carson Gaido Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Georgetowm, Texas
OT Destin Smith So. East Texas Baptist Patterson, Louis.
C Zachary Wilkinson Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Houston, Texas
QB Kyle Brown Jr. Hardin-Simmons Cedar Park, Texas
RB Braylon Henry  Fr. Hardin-Simmons Lorena, Texas
RB Hymond Drinkard Jr. East Texas Baptist Richmond, Texas
RB Asa Osbourn Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Denison, Texas
RS Justin Qualls Fr. East Texas Baptist Houston, Texas
K Edwin Lopez  So. Mary Hardin-Baylor The Colony, Texas

 
Second Team Defense
Pos. Name Cl. University Hometown
DL LeBron Tah Fr. Hardin-Simmons York, Texas
DL Te'ron Brown Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Orange, Texas
DL Justin Hines-Moore Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Carrollton, Texas
DL Hayden Hays  Jr. Hardin-Simmons Royse City, Texas
LB Peyton Lowe 5 Gr. Howard Payne Gunter, Texas
LB Bron Melvin  Fr. East Texas Baptist Kirbyville, Texas
LB Kyle Zalick  Jr. East Texas Baptist Fort Worth, Texas
LB Tray Ervin  So. Hardin-Simmons Alpine, Texas
LB Joey Johnson 3 Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Dallas, Texas
DB Mason Cravens Jr. Hardin-Simmons Iowa Park, Texas
DB Da'marion Morris So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Orange, Texas
DB Kadarius Carr 2 Jr. Howard Payne Louisville, Miss.
DB Tyler Wilkins So. East Texas Baptist Huffman, Texas
DB Gavin Brzezinski So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Cedar Park, Texas
P Jackson Coulson Gr. Howard Payne Georgetown, Texas
P Edwin Lopez So. Mary Hardin-Baylor The Colony, Texas
 
 
Third Team Offense
Pos. Name Cl. University Hometown
WR Dozie Ifeadi Jr. Hardin-Simmons Tyler, Texas
WR AJ Williams III So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Spring, Texas
OG Zachary Pitts Sr. Howard Payne Huffman, Texas
OT Karman Turner Sr. Howard Payne Houston, Texas
C Dominik Reed 2 Jr. Howard Payne Argyle, Texas
QB Jake Wright  So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Houston, Texas
RS TJ Rone 2 So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Houston, Texas
K Pedro Cavazos So. East Texas Baptist Needville, Texas

Third Team Defense
Pos. Name Cl. University Hometown
DL Lance Robertson Jr. Howard Payne Malakoff, Texas
LB Kale Shaw  Sr. Howard Payne Canton, Texas
LB Johnny Smith-Rider 3 Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Fort Worth, Texas
DB Andrae Gibson So. East Texas Baptist McKinney, Texas
P Ethan Brumgard Fr. Hardin-Simmons Schertz, Texas
 
           
Honorable Mention Offense
Pos. Name Cl. University Hometown
WR Chase Walker Jr. East Texas Baptist Burleson, Texas
OG Joseph Montez Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor San Antonio, Texas
K Osvaldo Gomez Fr. Howard Payne Dallas, Texas
 
Honorable Mention Defense
Pos. Name Cl. University Hometown
DL Coby Walker Gr. East Texas Baptist League City, Texas
DL Conner Jones Jr. East Texas Baptist Magnolia, Texas
DL Mark Champion  Jr. Hardin-Simmons Edinburg, Texas
DL Cameron Hall So. Howard Payne The Woodlands, Texas
DL Jaden Elie Sr. Howard Payne Edgewood, Texas
DL Dillan Botts So. Mary Hardin-Baylor Houston, Texas
LB Cade Rochinski Jr. Howard Payne Montgomery, Texas
LB Trystin Brown Sr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Austin, Texas
DB Mason Stancliff Fr. East Texas Baptist Burleson, Texas
DB Neiman Sullen  Jr. East Texas Baptist Lake Charles, Louis.
DB Jaymarcus Wilson Sr. Hardin-Simmons Katy, Texas
DB KD Bookman Jr. Howard Payne Point Blank, Texas
DB Ethan Rayfield Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor Tenaha, Texas

Five-time All-Conference
4 Four-time All-Conference
Three-time All-Conference
Two-time All-Conference