Mercer picked in middle of SoCon pack, puts eight on preseason teams

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com
 

          The crown of favorite is on Chris Hatcher’s head.

          The Maconite and Samford head coach is expected to end the regular season as champion of the Southern Conference, as per polls by conference coaches and media.

          The polls and preseason all-conference teams were released Wednesday.

          Mercer was picked to finish fourth by the media and sixth by the

coaches. The Bears went 5-6 last season, 4-4 in the conference, losing three games by single digits.

          Eight Bears were picked for all-conference honors, led by first-teamers offensive lineman Austin Sanders, tight end Sam Walker, wideout Marquise Irvin and linebacker LeMarkus Bailey. Running back Tee Mitchell, defensive lineman Isaiah Buehler, defensive back Eric Jackson, and punter Matt Shiel made the second team.

          Samford tied for second last year and made the FCS quarterfinals. The Bulldogs went 8-4 and spent the season ranked. They’re led by returning All-Americans Devlin Hodges, Ahmad Gooden and Kelvin McKnight.

          Hodges and Gooden were last year’s offensive and defensive players of the year and are the preseason picks this year.

          Wofford had more players picked, 10, than anybody else, followed by Mercer, and then Samford with seven.

          Chattanooga and Samford are the first two teams in action, the Mocs welcoming Tennessee Tech and the Bulldogs entertaining Shorter on Aug. 30.

          Mercer opens the season on Sept. 1 at Memphis, with the home opener a week later against Jacksonville.

Coaches Poll

Team (1st-place votes)    Total
1. Samford (7)                    63
2. Wofford (1)                     53
3. Furman (1)                     52
4. Western Carolina           39
5. Chattanooga                  34
6. Mercer                           32
7. The Citadel                    28
8. ETSU                             15
9. VMI                                8

Media Poll

Team (1st-place votes)    Total
1. Samford (20)                   204
2. Furman (2)                      174
3. Wofford (1)                      163
4. Mercer                             133
5. Western Carolina            114
6. Chattanooga                    88
7. The Citadel                      83
8. ETSU                               53
9. VMI                                  23

2018 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Devlin Hodges, R-Sr., QB, Samford
Defensive Player of the Year: Ahmad Gooden, R-Sr., DL, Samford

First team offense
QB Devlin Hodges, R-Sr., Samford
RB Kealand Dirks, R-Sr., Furman
RB Andre Stoddard, Sr., Wofford
OL Tyler Davis, Sr., The Citadel
OL Austin Sanders, R-Jr., Mercer
OL Nick Nixon, Jr., Samford
OL Zach Weeks, R-Sr., Western Carolina
OL Michael Ralph, Jr., Wofford
TE Sam Walker, R-Sr., Mercer
WR Marquise Irvin, Sr., Mercer
WR Kelvin McKnight, Sr., Samford

First team defense
DL Nasir Player, R-Jr., ETSU
DL Ahmad Gooden, R-Sr., Samford
DL Isaiah Mack, R-Sr., Chattanooga
DL Miles Brown, Sr., Wofford
LB Elijah McKoy, So., Furman
LB LeMarkus Bailey, R-Sr., Mercer
LB Datavious Wilson, Jr., Wofford
DB Aron Spann III, Sr., The Citadel
DB Aaquil Annoor, Sr., Furman
DB Marvin Tillman, Sr., Western Carolina
DB Devin Watson, Sr., Wofford

First team specialists
PK Luke Carter, Jr., Wofford
P Ian Berryman, R-Sr., Western Carolina
RS Brandon Dowdell, So., Chattanooga

Second team offense
QB Tyrie Adams, R-Jr., Western Carolina
RB Tee Mitchell, Sr., Mercer
RB Tyrell Price, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Drew McEntyre, Jr., The Citadel
OL Matt Pyke, R-Sr., ETSU
OL Reed Kroeber, R-So., Furman
OL Malcolm White, R-Jr., Chattanooga
OL Brad Davis, So., VMI
OL Nathan Dalton, R-Sr., Western Carolina
OL Andrew Miles, R-Sr., Western Carolina
OL Justus Basinger, Jr., Wofford
TE Jake Walker, So., Furman
WR Thomas Gordon, Jr., Furman
WR Chris Shelling, Jr., Samford
WR Bingo Morton, R-Sr., Chattanooga

Second team defense
DL Ja’Lon Williams, Jr., The Citadel
DL Jaylan Reid, R-Sr., Furman
DL Isaiah Buehler, R-Sr., Mercer
DL Mikel Horton, Jr., Wofford
LB Noah Dawkins, Sr., The Citadel
LB Dylan Weigel, R-Sr., ETSU
LB Christian Stark, Sr., Samford
DB Eric Jackson, R-Jr., Mercer
DB Darius Harvey, R-Sr., Samford
DB Kareem Orr, Sr., Chattanooga
DB Mason Alstatt, Jr., Wofford

Second team specialists
PK JJ Jerman, Sr., ETSU
P Matt Shiel, Gr., Mercer
P Luke Carter, Jr., Wofford
RS Quan Harrison R-Jr., ETSU

NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. Ties in the voting resulted in additional spots at OL, WR and P on the second teams.