FRISCO, Texas – Sophomore defensive back Anthony Ruffin and junior defensive lineman Tylo Phillips have been named 2021 All-Southland Conference announced league officials Tuesday morning. Both players received third-team recognition.
 
"I'm really excited for both young men," said LU head coach Blane Morgan. "These two guys take every aspect of the game with a great deal of importance, whether it is in the weight room or on the practice field. I thought these two performed more consistently on the field than anyone else and you like to see those guys get honored. I believe they would be the first to tell you that all the credit goes to their teammates, but they are great players and teammates."
 
In a year filled with adversity and uncertainty, the Cardinal selections to the conference's postseason team become the first two players in program history to receive the honor during the spring after COVID forced the Southland to push the season to the spring semester.
 
The Cardinals were picked to finished last in the league in the preseason poll, but Phillips and Ruffin helped guide the Cardinals two wins during their six-game conference schedule which included a victory over rival McNeese in Lake Charles and a home victory over Northwestern State.
 
Ruffin played in and started all six games in the Cardinals' secondary. He finished the year ranked fourth in the league in passes defended, and tied for tops in the Southland in interceptions, despite having played fewer games than the two he tied with. Ruffin also led the team and finished 12^th in the league with 43 tackles on the season (7.2 pg), including 22 solo stops. He recorded a season-high nine stops in the finale against Southeastern Louisiana, but his best game of the year came against nationally ranked Sam Houston where he recorded a team-high eight tackles – including one for a loss – and picked off a pass.
 
"From the get go, Ruffin has really impressed me," said Morgan. "He's a lot like Tylo in the fact that he is a fun guy to be around. He just comes to practice everyday and works hard. You love to be around guys like that. Coming into the year he hadn't really played a lot of snaps but he just continued to improve and you could see his confidence grow each week."
 
A leader on the Cardinals defensive front, Phillips came in and locked up a starting role with the team during his first season. The Collinsville, Miss. native played in and started all six games for the Red and White. He recorded 20 total tackles during the 2021 six-game schedule, and ranked among the league leaders with 3.5 tackles for a loss, including 1.5 sacks.
 
"Tylo was a transfer who overcame adversity and really did a fine job adjusting to the new environment," said Morgan. "He is really close to his family, so any time you're as far away from home as he is it can be a burden but he handled it all really well."