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Published Dec 6, 2023
Three Alabama players earn SEC postseason awards
Jack Knowlton  •  TideIllustrated
Staff Writer

A trio of Alabama players earned individual SEC honors Monday. The awards were voted on by the league's coaches.

Crimson Tide linebacker Dallas Turner was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year after another outstanding season in Tuscaloosa. Turner finished second in the SEC in sacks with 9 this season, along 26 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. Turner is the fourth consecutive Alabama player to earn SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors, following Will Anderson Jr., Patrick Surtain II and Derrick Brown.

Will Reichard was voted Special Teams Player of the Year, after he went 20-for-23 on field goals and became the NCAA's all-time points leader this season. The graduate student was also perfect on extra points for the second straight campaign.

Alabama's talented cornerback Caleb Downs was named SEC Freshman of the Year. Downs was named SEC Newcomer of the Year when the All-SEC teams were released earlier this week. His 99 tackles ranks fourth in the SEC and led Alabama this season. He also had two interceptions, three pass deflections and a forced fumble in 2023.

Downs is the fourth Alabama player to earn SEC Freshman of the Year honors under Alabama coach Nick Saban, after Jaylen Waddle, Jalen Hurts and Julio Jones.

Among the other four SEC awards, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels earned Offensive Player of the Year after a statistically dominant season saw him selected as one of the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy. Georgia's Sedrick Van Pran was awarded the Jacobs Blocking Trophy. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz earned SEC Coach of the Year honors after leading Mizzou to a 10-2 record and a spot in the Cotton Bowl.

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