SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced the 2016 football postseason awards today (Nov. 22). Selections include the coaches’ all-conference teams and specialty award winners in addition to the league’s all-freshman team.
As part of the balloting, coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players or themselves. Due to ties in the voting at offensive line, defensive back and return specialist, the all-conference second team features three additional members.
2016 Coaches All-Southern Conference Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year – Devlin Hodges, R-So., QB, Samford
Defensive Player of the Year – Keionta Davis, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year – Tyrie Adams, QB, Western Carolina
Jacobs Blocking Award – Isaiah Pinson, Jr., OL, The Citadel
Coach of the Year – Brent Thompson, The Citadel
First Team Offense
QB Devlin Hodges, R-So., Samford
RB Derrick Craine, Sr., Chattanooga
RB Lorenzo Long, Sr., Wofford
OL Nick Jeffreys, Sr., The Citadel
OL Isaiah Pinson, Jr., The Citadel
OL Corey Levin, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Jacob Revis, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Anton Wahrby, Sr., Wofford
TE Ryan Swingle, R-Jr., VMI
WR Karel Hamilton, Sr., Samford
WR Andrej Suttles, Sr., Furman
First Team Defense
DL Joe Crochet, Sr., The Citadel
DL Keionta Davis, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Miles Brown, So., Wofford
DL Tyler Vaughn, Jr., Wofford
LB Shaheed Salmon, Jr., Samford
LB Dale Warren, Jr., Chattanooga
LB Nakevion Leslie, Sr., Chattanooga
DB Dee Delaney, Jr., The Citadel
DB Kailik Williams, Jr., The Citadel
DB Omari Williams, Jr., Samford
DB Lucas Webb, Jr., Chattanooga
First Team Specialists
PK David Marvin, Jr., Wofford
P Ian Berryman, R-So., Western Carolina
RS DeAndre Schoultz, Sr., The Citadel
Second Team Offense
QB Alejandro Bennifield, Jr., Chattanooga
RB Tyler Renew, Sr., The Citadel
RB Detrez Newsome, Jr., Western Carolina
OL Kyle Weaver, Sr., The Citadel
OL Bret Niederreither, Sr., Mercer
OL Armando Bonheur, Sr., Samford
OL Josh Cardiello, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Andrew Lewis, Sr., VMI
(tie)OL Roo Daniels, Jr., Wofford
TE Duncan Fletcher, Sr., Furman
WR Kelvin McKnight, So., Samford
WR Marquise Irvin, So., Mercer
Second Team Defense
DL Isaiah Buehler, So., Mercer
DL Roosevelt Donaldson, R-Sr., Samford
DL Ahmad Gooden, R-So., Samford
DL Vantrel McMillan, Sr., Chattanooga
LB Tevin Floyd, Sr., The Citadel
LB Ryan Francis, Jr., VMI
LB Tyson Dickson, Sr., Western Carolina
DB Trey Robinson, Sr., Furman
DB Jamerson Blount, Sr., Samford
DB Montrell Pardue, Jr., Chattanooga
DB Trey Morgan, Sr., Western Carolina
(tie)DB Jaleel Green, Sr., Wofford
Second Team Specialists
PK Cody Clark, Sr., The Citadel
P David Marvin, Jr., Wofford
RS Mason Dermott, So., VMI
(tie) Detrez Newsome, Jr., Western Carolina
All-Freshman Offense
Drew McEntyre, OL, The Citadel
Ben Blackmon, OL, ETSU
Tim Coleman, OL, Furman
Thomas Gordon, WR, Furman
TaDarryl Marshall, WR, Samford
Nick Nixon, OL, Samford
Malcolm White, OL, Chattanooga
Javean Lara, WR, VMI
Daz Palmer, RB, VMI
Tyrie Adams, QB, Western Carolina
Walker Lanning, OL, Western Carolina
(tie) Aubrey Payne, TE, Western Carolina
All-Freshman Defense
Khafari Buffalo, DB, The Citadel
Jason Maduafokwa, LB, ETSU
Nasir Player, DL, ETSU
Will Coneway, LB, Mercer
Eric Jackson, DB, Mercer
Dorian Kithcart, DL, Mercer
Jalen Nash, DL, Samford
George Gbesee, DB, Wofford
Mikel Horton, DL, Wofford
Datavious Wilson, LB, Wofford
Jireh Wilson, LB, Wofford
All-Freshman Specialists
Jacob Godek, PK, The Citadel
Colin Brewer, P, Chattanooga
Connell Young, RS, Western Carolina
Notes:
- The Citadel’s Brent Thompson was named the league’s coach of the year after former coach Mike Houston took home the same honor last season. Thompson becomes the first coach to win the award in his first season since Paul Johnson at Georgia Southern in 1997.
- Western Carolina’s Tyrie Adams is the third Catamount to be named freshman of the year, joining wide receiver Lamont Seward (2000) and running back Michael Johnson (2009).
- Chattanooga’s Keionta Davis earned the league’s defensive player of the year award, marking the fourth time in the last five years the award has gone to a Moc. His former teammate Davis Tull earned the award in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
- Pinson is just the second Bulldog to win the Jacobs Blocking Award. Mike Sellers became the first player from The Citadel to win the award in 2012.
- Hodges becomes the first Samford Bulldog to win the offensive player of the year award as selected by the coaches. Former quarterback Andy Summerlin earned the Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Award given by the league’s media in 2013.
- Chattanooga led all schools with 11 all-conference selections. The Citadel placed 10 on the all-conference teams, while Samford had nine and Wofford earned eight honorees.
- Seven of the league’s nine schools had at least one first-team all-conference selection. Eight of the nine teams had multiple players named to the second team.