By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With one of the top defensive units in the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association, it was no surprise on Tuesday as Tennessee Tech claimed five all-conference selections on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive lineman Daniel Rickert and defensive back Tim Coutras were named to the All-Big South/OVC first-team defense, while defensive lineman Hudson Tucker and linebackers Jacquez McGowan and Aaron Swafford were on the second-team defense. Kicker Hayden Olsen was named to the combined conferences' All-Academic Team.
The all-conference teams were voted on by the head football coaches and sports information contacts.
The Golden Eagles finished the 2023 campaign ranking fourth in the Big South-OVC in scoring defense (25.27 points per game), first in total defense (306.09 yards per game), third in rushing defense (114.09 yards per game, eight straight games to close the season with fewer than 100 rushing yards in regulation) and third in passing defense (192.00 yards per game).
Tech also finished third in interception returns with 12 and fourth in fumbles recovered with seven, while also tying Gardner-Webb with four defensive touchdowns with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries returned for scores. The Golden Eagles also yielded the fewest first downs to opponents with 155 (14.09 per game) and held opponents to a 32.28 third-down completion rate -- the best in the Big South-OVC.
Rickert, a redshirt sophomore from Nolensville, finished the season with 49 total tackles, including 14.5 for-loss and nine sacks. He also broke up three passes, recorded four quarterback hurries, forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles – including one for a touchdown.
He was named an honorable mention for FedEx Ground FCS National Defensive Player of the Week following the Robert Morris game, where he had two strip sacks as both fumble recoveries went back for touchdowns – one for him and another for fellow honoree Swafford – along with seven tackles.
Rickert finished second in the conference in sacks and fourth in tackles-for-loss. He ranked 22nd in the country in tackles for loss, 12th in sacks and 18th in fumbles recovered.
Coutras, a junior from Nolensville, finished the year with 55 tackles, including 4.5 for-loss. He also picked off four passes – including one for a touchdown – while also breaking up two passes and forcing a fumble. He finished the season ranked 14th in interceptions per game.
Coutras had a season-high nine tackles in the 44-41 overtime heartbreaker to UT Martin, while also intercepting two passes against Robert Morris, returning one for a touchdown. He also picked off passes against Furman and South Carolina State.
McGowan and Swafford finished the season tied for the team lead in tackles with 72 stops each. McGowan, who earns all-conference recognition for the second year in a row after an appearance on the OVC's All-Newcomer Team last season, also recorded 3.5 tackles-for-loss with 2.5 sacks, while breaking up two passes and intercepting a pass and returning it 85 yards for a touchdown against North Alabama.
The Valdosta, Ga., native had 10 tackles against North Alabama, while collecting nine tackles in both the Gardner-Webb and Tennessee State games to close out the 2023 campaign.
Swafford started the season with a bang as the Decatur native had 12 tackles against Furman with a fumble recovery. In addition to his 72 stops, he recorded seven tackles-for-loss, including three sacks, while forcing a fumble, recovering two fumbles – including one for a score at Robert Morris, with two pass breakups and two quarterback hurries.
Against Tennessee State, Swafford intercepted two passes for 52 yards, both picks leading to touchdown drives as the Golden Eagle defense shut out the Tigers for the team's first shutout win since 2013, first in the series and just the fourth shutout for Tech since 2000.
Swafford also ranks 18th nationally in fumbles recovered.
Tucker, a Kingland, Ga., native, finished the campaign with 21 tackles, including nine tackles-for-loss with six sacks, while hurrying the quarterback three times. He had 1.5 sacks against Kennesaw State and Tennessee State, while also collecting four tackles against both North Alabama and Kennesaw State.
Olsen, with a 3.85 cumulative grade point average in exercise science and physical wellness, finished the season hitting seven of 11 tries, including a career-long 54-yard kick against UT Martin – tied for the second-longest field goal in program history with Nick Madonia and Haidar Zaidan. He was also named an honorable mention for the FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week.
The Buford, Ga., native was also perfect on PATs, going 24-of-24 this season to extend his career streak to 90-for-90, standing him 10 away of tying the Ohio Valley Conference record of 100 consecutive PATs, set by Middle Tennessee's Garth Petrilli between 1991 and 1993.
