SEMO’s DeLaurent, Norman receive Conference Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year honors

SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent scrambles out of the pocket and looks downfield for an open receiver against Western Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Houck Field.

Kaiden Karper ~ kkarper@semoball.com

The final season of quarterback Paxton DeLaurent and linebacker Bryce Norman’s legendary Southeast Missouri State football careers has been as advertised, and it’s only fitting that the senior duo is now pulling in some prestigious accolades.

DeLaurent was named the 2024 Big South-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Offensive Player of the Year and Norman was named the 2024 Big South-OVC Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday.

This season marks the first time in program history that a pair of Redhawks won both the league's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year accolades.

“Just tremendous examples for our university players,” head coach Tom Matukewicz said. “Future Hall of Fame inductees, and I just can't say enough about them. They will leave here champions and we're going to miss them.”

After guiding the nation’s seventh-best passing offense, DeLaurent has continued to establish himself as one of the country’s premier signal callers after becoming the first quarterback in program history to earn conference Offensive Player of the Year honors. This season, the Camdenton product shattered four SEMO single-season passing records and five career passing records, including career passing yards (7,996) and career passing touchdowns (59). DeLaurent is also one of 35 finalists for the 2024 Walter Payton Award, which is given to the top offensive player in FCS football.

SEMO quarterback Paxton DeLaurent looks downfield for an open target against Tennessee Tech on Saturday, Oct. 12, at Houck Field. (Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com)

“I'd say resilience and perseverance,” DeLaurent said of where he has grown the most as an individual from the game of football over the years. “Just having a belief that you can set out to do what you do, but knowing it's going to take real commitment, real work. I think a relationship with the Lord has been where my confidence came from through that, but also you have to be driven, wake up every single day, and stay committed, even when things look rough. Like, I just saw a flashback. It was like a year ago today when I was in a sling doing leg extensions in a hotel while we were playing in Bryant. I think that just sets why I’ve been able to accomplish a lot of things. It's just each day, every day getting better.”

The ironman of SEMO’s defense, Norman became the fifth Redhawk to be recognized as the conference Defensive Player of the Year after turning in yet another highly productive campaign. He is also a finalist for the 2024 Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the most outstanding defensive player in FCS football.

The Jackson native, who has a career-high 126 tackles (6th in FCS) under his belt in 2024, is on pace to become the first SEMO player to lead his team in tackles four consecutive years. In his decorated career, Norman currently has 398 tackles (187 solo), 36 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and seven forced fumbles to his name.

“I just think it's more of a team award,” said Norman, who was also named first-team All-Big South-OVC for the third straight year. “I mean, if the d-line is not doing a great job or the secondary is not doing a great job, it doesn't really give me freedom to fly around and make the plays that I do. So, I kind of give most of the credit to them. And I think we played well as a defense this year. I think that's more of a team award than a personal award.”

Southeast Missouri State linebacker Bryce Norman prepares for a play against Northwestern State on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Houck Field. (Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com)

Along with Norman and DeLaurent, eleven other Redhawks were named All-Big South-OVC performers, including four other first-team selections in wide receiver Dorian Anderson, defensive back Khalani Riddick, kicker DC Pippin, and offensive lineman Kobe Sixkiller.

“Having these guys encouraging me every day and putting my best foot forward every day, it’s hard to look these guys in the eye and not do that,” Sixkiller said. “During the recruiting process when I talked to Coach Tuke and the guys you can really just tell the message was different.

“The message of SEMO football is to use the game to make better men. That just screamed to me.”

Also joining the party are second-team selections in wide receivers Tristan Smith and Cam Pedro, true freshman offensive lineman Carter Guillaume, edge rusher McCoy Casey, defensive lineman Nasim Cairo, and defensive backs Justus Johnson and Ty Leonard.

SEMO fans will get a chance to see the Redhawks compete at Houck Stadium for the final time this season when Matukewicz’s team kicks off their FCS playoff run on Saturday, Nov. 30, at home against No. 12 Illinois State. The game is set to begin at 11 a.m. CT and will air on ESPN+.