It was a new-look Conference USA in 2023 and it certainly played that way with Liberty and New Mexico State representing the conference in the championship game. The Liberty Flames finished the 2023 as the only undefeated Group of Five program and turned heads nationally in doing so.
Here are the top honors on the 2023 CFN All-Conference USA Team.
Conference USA Football Team Honors for 2023
Follow along with all of the CFN All-Conference teams all the same for individual honors from each conference: All-Americans | ACC | B1G | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC | FBS Ind. | AAC | MAC | Mountain West | Sun Belt
- Player of the Year
Kaidon Salter, QB, Liberty - Offensive Player of the Year
Clay Webb, G, Jacksonville State - Defensive Player of the Year
Trevor Williams, LB, Sam Houston - Specialist of the Year
Smoke Harris, Louisiana Tech - Newcomer of the Year
Sam Brumfield, Middle Tennessee - Coach of the Year
Jamey Chadwell, Liberty
All-Conference USA Offense
- Quarterback of the Year
Kaidon Salter, Liberty - Running Back of the Year
Quinton Cooley, Liberty - Wide Receiver of the Year
Kris Mitchell, FIU - Tight End of the Year
Sean Brown, Jacksonville State - Offensive Tackle of the Year
Zuri Henry, UTEP - Offensive Guard of the Year
Clay Webb, Jacksonville State - Offensive Center of the Year
Andrew Meyer, UTEP - Offensive Lineman of the Year
Clay Webb, Jacksonville State - Offensive Line of the Year
UTEP Miners - Offensive Newcomer of the Year
Shomari Lawrence, FIU
2023 First-Team All-Conference USA Offense
QB: Kaidon Salter, Liberty
RB: Quinton Cooley, Liberty
RB: Malik Jackson, Jacksonville State
WR: Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky
WR: Kris Mitchell, FIU
WR: Kelly Akharaiyi, UTEP
TE: Sean Brown, Jacksonville State
FLEX: CJ Daniels, Liberty
OT: Zuri Henry, UTEP
OG: Clay Webb, Jacksonville State
OC: Andrew Meyer, UTEP
OG: X’Zauvea Gadlin, Liberty
OT: Xavier Bausley, Jacksonville State
2023 Second-Team All-Conference USA Offense
QB: Diego Pavia, New Mexico State
RB: Torrance Burgess Jr., UTEP
RB: Deion Hankins, UTEP
WR: Cyrus Allen, Louisiana Tech
WR: Smoke Harris, Louisiana Tech
WR: Trent Hudson, New Mexico State
TE: Bentley Hanshaw, Liberty
FLEX: Monte Watkins, New Mexico State
OT: Phillip Houston, FIU
OG: Justin Mayers, UTEP
OC: Jordan White, Liberty
OG: Elijah Klein, UTEP
OT: Louie Canepa, New Mexico State
2023 Third-Team All-Conference USA Offense
QB: Austin Reed, Western Kentucky
RB: Star Thomas, New Mexico State
RB: Shomari Lawrence, FIU
WR: Perry Carter, Jacksonville State
WR: Noah Smith, Sam Houston
WR: Holden Willis, Middle Tennessee
TE: River Helms, Western Kentucky
FLEX: Elijah Metcalf, Middle Tennessee
OT: Chase Mitchell, Liberty
OG: Bert Hale, Louisiana Tech
OC: Treylen Brown, Jacksonville State
OG: Quantavious Leslie, Western Kentucky
OT: Shiyazh Pete, New Mexico State
2023 Honorable Mention All-Conference USA Offense
QB: Nicholas Vattiato, Middle Tennessee
QB: Keegan Shoemaker, Sam Houston
RB: Tyre Shelton, Louisiana Tech
RB: Kejon Owens, FIU
RB: Billy Lucas, Liberty
RB: Aaron Bedgood, Liberty
WR: Jeremiah Ballard, UTEP
WR: Jonathan Brady, New Mexico State
WR: Justin Olson, Middle Tennessee
WR: Dalvin Smith, Western Kentucky
WR: Easton Messer, Western Kentucky
WR: Dean Patterson, FIU
TE: Eliah Sohn, Sam Houston
TE: Rocky Beers, FIU
FLEX: Treon Sibley, Liberty
FLEX: John Gentry, Sam Houston
OT: Dakota White, Louisiana Tech
OT: Carson Bruno, Louisiana Tech
OG: Keylan Rutledge, Middle Tennessee
OG: AJ Vaipulu, New Mexico State
OC: Canaan Yarro, New Mexico State
OC: Vincent Murphy, Western Kentucky
OG: Wesley Horton, Western Kentucky
OG: Jonathan Graham, Liberty
OT: Will O’Steen, Jacksonville State
OT: Jacqui Graham, Middle Tennessee
All-Conference USADefense
- Defensive Lineman of the Year
Chris Hardie, Jacksonville State - EDGE Defender of the Year
Chris Hardie, Jacksonville State - Defensive Interior of the Year
Izaiah Reed, New Mexico State - Linebacker of the Year
Trevor Williams, Sam Houston - Cornerback of the Year
Kobe Singleton, Liberty - Safety of the Year
Kendrick Simpkins, Western Kentucky - Defensive Line of the Year
New Mexico State Aggies - Secondary of the Year
Liberty Flames - Defensive Newcomer of the Year
Sam Brumfield, Middle Tennessee
2023 First-Team All-Conference USA Defense
EDGE: Chris Hardie, Jacksonville State
DT: Izaiah Reed, New Mexico State
DT: Jordan Guerad, FIU
EDGE: CJ Bazile Jr., Liberty
LB: Trevor Williams, Sam Houston
LB: Tyrice Knight, UTEP
LB: Tyren Dupree, Liberty
CB: Kolbi Fuqua, Jacksonville State
CB: Kobe Singleton, Liberty
CB: Willie Roberts, Louisiana Tech
S: Kendrick Simpkins, Western Kentucky
S: Brylan Green, Liberty
FLEX: Sam Brumfield, Middle Tennessee
2023 Second-Team All-Conference USA Defense
EDGE: Praise Amaewhule, UTEP
DT: Gabriel Iniguez, New Mexico State
DT: Keenan Stewart, UTEP
EDGE: Alex Nobles, FIU
LB: Donovan Manuel, FIU
LB: Quae Drake, Jacksonville State
LB: Jesloard Boateng, Louisiana Tech
CB: Brian Blades, FIU
CB: Keonte Glinton, New Mexico State
CB: Preston Hodge, Liberty
S: Da’Marcus Crosby, Sam Houston
S: Larry Worth, Jacksonville State
FLEX: Tyrell Raby, Middle Tennesse
2023 Third-Team All-Conference USA Defense
EDGE: Maurice Westmoreland, UTEP
DT: Dion Wilson Jr., New Mexico State
DT: Sterling Webb, New Mexico State
EDGE: Issiah Nixon, Sam Houston
LB: Keyshaun Elliott, New Mexico State
LB: Reggie Peterson, FIU
LB: Kavian Gaither, Sam Houston
CB: Michael Richard, Louisiana Tech
CB: Anthony Johnson Jr., Western Kentucky
CB: Teldrick Ross, Middle Tennessee
S: CJ Christian, FIU
S: Tra Fluellen, Middle Tennessee
FLEX: Brandon Bishop, Liberty
2023 Honorable Mention All-Conference USA Defense
EDGE: Gabe Peterson, New Mexico State
EDGE: Quindarius Dunningan, Middle Tennessee
DT: Kendy Charles, Liberty
DT: Devin Baldwin, Jacksonville State
DT: Rason Williams II, Louisiana Tech
DT: Jayden Loving, Western Kentucky
EDGE: Jaylen Swain, Jacksonville State
EDGE: Buddha Peleti, New Mexico State
LB: Jerome Jolly Jr., Liberty
LB: Aaron Key, Western Kentucky
LB: Zach Zimos, Louisiana Tech
LB: Brevin Randle, Louisiana Tech
LB: James Neal, UTEP
LB: Desmyn Baker, Western Kentucky
CB: Kekoura Tarnue, Jacksonville State
CB: Cedric Woods, Louisiana Tech
CB: Hezekiah Masses, FIU
CB: Virgil Marshall, Western Kentucky
CB: Mehki Miller, New Mexico State
CB: Torey Richardson, UTEP
S: Jeremiah Harris, Jacksonville State
S: Quinton Reese, Liberty
S: Fred Perry, Jacksonville State
S: Oscar Moore, UTEP
FLEX: Caleb Weaver, Sam Houston
FLEX: Isaiah Downes, Sam Houston
All-Conference USA Special Teams
- Kicker of the Year
Colby Sessums, Sam Houston - Punter of the Year
Jack Dawson, Jacksonville State - Kick Returner of the Year
Aaron Bedgood, Liberty - Punt Returner of the Year
Smoke Harris, Louisiana Tech - Special Teamer of the Year
Trey Fields, Sam Houston - Kickoff Specialist of the Year
Buck Buchanan, Louisiana Tech - Special Teams Newcomer of the Year
Colby Sessums, Sam Houston
2023 First-Team All-Conference USA Specialists
PK: Colby Sessums, Sam Houston
KOS: Buck Buchanan, Louisiana Tech
P: Jack Dawson, Jacksonville State
KR: Aaron Bedgood, Liberty
PR: Smoke Harris, Louisiana Tech
ST: Trey Fields, Sam Houston
2023 Second-Team All-Conference USA Specialists
PK: Ethan Albertson, New Mexico State
KOS: Cory Munson, Western Kentucky
P: Jadon Cardell, Sam Houston
KR: Easton Messer, Western Kentucky
PR: Torrance Burgess Jr., UTEP
ST: Chris Johnson, Middle Tennessee
2023 Third-Team All-Conference USA Specialists
PK: Jacob Barnes, Louisiana Tech
KOS: Ethan Albertson, New Mexico State
P: Joshua Sloan, UTEP
KR: Malik Phillips, Sam Houston
PR: Dean Patterson, FIU
ST: Rocky Beers, FIU
2023 Honorable Mention All-Conference USA Specialists
PK: Lucas Carneiro, Western Kentucky
PK: Alen Karajic, Jacksonville State
KOS: Alen Karajic, Jacksonville State
KOS: Lucas Matias, FIU
P: Blake Ochsendorf, Louisiana Tech
P: Zach Haynes, New Mexico State
KR: Torrance Burgess Jr., UTEP
KR: Ross Fournet, FIU
PR: Jonathan Brady, New Mexico State
PR: Zack Dobson, Middle Tennessee
ST: Kenny Byrd, UTEP
ST: Bobby Salla Jr., FIU