LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
Gaudy offensive numbers were not the order of the day in the 2023 black college football season.
There were only three 1,000-yard rushers, one 1,000-yard receiver and just two 3,000-yard passers.
However, a couple of offensive per- formers distinguished themselves and they are the leaders of the 2023 Black college SportS page “Baad team” of gridiron all-stars and the 2023 BCSP co- Offensive Players of the Year.
Lincoln (Pa.) sophomore wide receiver Malachi Langley was the lone HBCU pass catcher to top 1,000 receiving yards this season. Langley teamed with fellow sophomore quarterback Isaiah Freeman to form a dynamic duo that helped propel Frank Turner’s Lions into the thick of the CIAA North Division race. Lincoln dropped its final three games of the season to the top three teams in the division (Virginia Union, Virginia State and Bowie State), but showed with the Freeman-to-Langley connection they will be contenders in the future.
Langley finished with 46 catches for black-college bests of 1,042 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. His average of 22.7 yards per catch was second best among HBCU receivers and his 104.2 receiving yards per game were fifth in NCAA Div. II football.
Langley is sharing the 2023 BCSP Offensive Player of the Year award with Texas Southern senior running back LaDarius Owens.
While the TSU Tigers struggled to a 3-8 overall mark, Owens shined. The 5-9, 180-pounder rushed for over 100 yards in eight games while finish- ing the season topping the 100-yard mark in seven straight contests. In two of those games – vs. West division foes Southern and Alcorn State – he rushed for 205 and 211 yards respectively. He posted three games with three TDs en route to finishing with a black-college best 1,369 rushing yards with 11 TDs. Owens also led all black college players with 1,848 all-purpose yards (168.0 ypg.), third best in the FCS. He averaged a whopping 6.8 yards per carry.
Joining Owens in the first team backfield is North Carolina Central senior quarterback Davius Richard and the 2022 BCSP co-Offensive Player of the Year, Virginia Union junior running back Jada Byers.
Richard was the most prolific dual- threat HBCU quarterback as he threw for 2,177 yards and 21 touchdowns and ran for another 630 yards and 18 TDs while leading the Eagles to an NCAA playoff berth.
Byers, after topping 1,800 rushing yards in 2022, finished behind Owens with 1,186 rushing yards and 16 rushing TDs despite missing two games.
Joining Bailey as a first team receiver is Edward Waters sophomore Johnny Jones. He finished with an HBCU-best 71 receptions, 7.1 catches per game, tied for eighth in Div. II football, for 855 yards and six TDs.
Holding down the other three skill positions are South Carolina State tight end Keshawn Toney (20 rec. 244 yds., 4 TDs) North Carolina A&T redshirt senior kick returner Taymon Cooke and Benedict graduate place- kicker Tom Picirillo.
Cooke led all black college returners and tied for the FCS-best with three kickoff returns for touchdowns. His 34.2-yard average on 16 returns was the best in HBCU football and second best in the FCS. Picirillo hit on 16 of 19 field goals and 55 of 59 extra-point kicks to pace Tiger scorers and lead all HBCU place kickers with 103 points (8.6ppg.).
MEAC Lineman of the Year, NC Central center Toricelli Simpson III anchors the first team “Baad Team” offensiveline. He is flanked by Benedict grad all-American lineman Mitchell Romig, Virginia Union’s CIAA Line- man of the Year, senior Justin Meade, second team all-CAA tackle Tariq Stewart of NC A&T and Florida A&M first-team all-SWAC and Box- to-Row all-American graduate tackle Cameron Covin.
FIRST TEAM – OFFENSE
QB – Davius Richard, Sr., NC Central; RB – Jada Byers, Jr. Virginia Union; LaDarius Owens, Sr., TXSOU; WR – Malachi Bailey, So., LINCP; Johnny Jones, So., EWC; TE – Keshawn Toney, Gr., SCST OL – Tariq Stewart, Gr., NC A&T; Toricelli Simpson III, Jr., NCCU; Justin Meade, Gr., VUU; Mitchell Romig, Gr., BEN; Cameron Covin, Gr., FAMU; PK – Adrian Olivo, Sr., NCCU; KR – Taymon Cooke, r-Sr., NCA&T
SECOND TEAM – OFFENSE
QB – Jeremy Moussa, Gr., FAMU; RB – Joel Felder, Jr., WVSU; Brandon Marshall, Gr., FVSU; WR – Keshane Hinckley, r-Sr., BSU; Jacquez Jones, Jr., Lane; TE – Travaunta Ab- ner, Jr., MILES; OL – Nick Taiste, r-Jr., SCST; Jamree Meyer, So., VUU; Joshua Simon, Gr., ALBST; Deontae Graham, Gr., JSU; Eric Dunn, Jr., r-Sr., PVA&M; PK – Tom Picirillo, Gr., BEN; KR – Barry Elliott, Jr., Gr., FSU
THIRD TEAM – OFFENSE
QB – Isaiah Freeman, So., LINCP; RB – Elijah Burris, Jr., HAMP; Jawarm Howell, Fr., SCST; WR – Kisean Johnson, So., ALST; Antonio Meeks, So., TUSK; TE – Kalen Carver, r-Jr., VUU; OL – Michael Todd, r-Jr., FSU; Ryan Atkins, Gr., UAPB; Anim Dankwah, Gr., HOW; Jemel Jackson, Jr., FVSU; Brandon Hardy, Sr., Hampton; PK – James Lowery, r-Jr., TNST; KR – Brandon Codrington, Sr., NCCU;
