Howard Payne junior quarterback Landon McKinney and teammate graduate student Korey Kelley were named Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, to headline the 2023 American Southwest Conference football awards, the ASC office announced Thursday after a vote of the league’s head coaches.

Landon McKinney – Offensive Player of the Year – Quarterback
Senior quarterback Landon McKinney, a three-time All-Conference selection that was also named First Team All-Conference as a quarterback, delivered league-leading numbers in passing with 248 completions on 405 attempts for a 61.2 percentage. He logged 3,214 yards total with 77 his longest throw of the season. He averaged 321.4 yards per game on passing and was 144.0 efficiency rating. He threw 7 interceptions and led the Yellow Jackets to the number one passing offense in the league with 377.9 yards on average and a league-most 33 touchdowns. He broke the HPU career passing completions record with 659 as well as career TD passes with 86. McKinney was a two-time ASC Player of the Week this fall.

Korey Kelley – Defensive Player of the Year – Safety
Kelley, who played one season with the Yellow Jackets as a graduate student after earning all-conference accolades with East Texas Baptist in his undergraduate, would guide an improved defense that finished with 232 points allowed and 23.2 on average. Kelley highlighted a defense that led the ASC in interceptions with 14 and was the top individual with six himself. He was second in the ASC for tackles with 93 and 42 solo tackles. He had one ASC Player of the Week.

Jordan Carroll – First Team Offense – Wide Receiver
Graduate wide receiver Jordan Carroll appeared in all ten games leading HPU in receptions with 58. He totaled 871 yards and an ASC best 10 touchdowns including a season-high nine receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns versus Austin College. This is Carroll’s second year in a row receiving All-Conference honors.

Gus Charles – First Team Offense – Wide Receiver
Junior wide receiver Gus Charles played in all ten games for the Yellow Jackets leading them in receiving yards with 948 yards on 55 receptions. Averaging 17.2 yards per catch, Charles hauled in eight touchdowns as well. He recorded a season-high of six receptions for 172 yards and one touchdown versus Hardin-Simmons.

Deon Collins – First Team Offense – Wide Receiver
Senior wide receiver Deon Collins appeared in all ten games for HPU totaling 535 receiving yards on 41 receptions. Collins caught six touchdowns along with averaging 13 yards per reception. He recorded a season-high 118 yards on eight receptions and one touchdown versus Texas Lutheran.

Casey Dufner – First Team Offense – Tight End
Graduate tight end Casey Dufner played in all ten games for the Yellow Jackets averaging an ASC-best 19.9 yards per reception. Dufner totaled 338 receiving yards on just 17 receptions. He recorded a career-high 114 receiving yards and one touchdown versus Sul Ross State.

Chase Iverson – Second Team Offense – Offensive Line
Senior offensive lineman Chase Iverson appeared in seven games for the Yellow Jackets. Iverson was a key piece to an offensive line that helped produce the top offense in the ASC. He helped lead a rushing attack that totaled 812 yards and 12 touchdowns.

KD Bookman – Second Team Defense – Defensive Back
Sophomore defensive back KD Bookman played in all ten games for HPU recording 41 tackles, 28 solo, tallying 6.5 tackles for loss as well. Bookman totaled 12 pass breakups and had an interception in an 85-0 win versus Lyon College. He was a key piece in a Yellow Jacket defense that led the ASC in interceptions.

Justin Tesno – Third Team Offense – Offensive Line
Senior offensive lineman Justin Tesno appeared in all ten games for the Yellow Jackets as an anchor for an offensive line that helped produce the top offense in the ASC. Tesno assisted a rushing attack that finished with 812 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Dominik Reed – Third Team Offense – Center
Sophomore center Dominik Reed played in all ten games for HPU assisting a rushing attack that totaled 812 yards and 12 touchdowns. Reed was a key part in an offensive line that was helped produce the top offense in the ASC.

Jessie Paris – Third Team Defense – Linebacker
Senior linebacker Jessie Paris appeared in all ten games for the Yellow Jackets finishing second in tackles with 66, 24 solo. Parris totaled 6.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback hits as well. This is his second year in a row receiving All-Conference honors.

Peyton Lowe – Third Team Defense – Linebacker
Senior linebacker Peyton Lowe played in all ten games for HPU recording 37 total tackles, 14 solo. Lowe had 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack for three yards. He recorded one pass breakup and one quarterback hit as well. This is Lowe’s fourth time receiving All-Conference honors. He was ASC Defensive Player of the Week one time this season.

KC Cornelious – Third Team Defense – Defensive Back
Junior defensive back KC Cornelious appeared in all ten games for the Yellow Jackets recording 42 total tackles, 20 solo, with 1.5 for a loss. Cornelioius finished second for HPU in interceptions with two with four pass breakups as well.

Kadarius Carr – Honorable Mention Defense – Defensive Back
Sophomore defensive back Kadarius Carr played in all ten games for HPU recording 27 tackles, 10 solo, with one for a loss. Carr finished second for HPU in pass breakups with ten and had an interception versus UMHB.

Kage Gilbreath – Outstanding Sportsman Team of the Year – Tight End
Junior tight end Kage Gilbreath played in all ten games for the Yellow Jackets while also being a key part to special teams for HPU. As the deep snapper, Gilbreath recorded nine total tackles. On offense he had six receptions for 63 yards including a touchdown versus Lyon College.