SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its football players of the week Monday for all games played Oct. 21. Samford quarterback Devlin Hodges and defensive back Omari Williams earned Offensive Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week honors, respectively, while Western Carolina kicker Joshua Gibson was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Devlin Hodges, Samford, R-Jr., QB, Kimberly, Ala.
Samford quarterback Devlin Hodges threw for 427 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 24-21 win at No. 5 Wofford on Saturday, helping hand the Terriers their first loss of the season. The redshirt junior from Kimberly, Alabama, was 37-for-54, completing touchdown passes of 9, 11 and 23 yards on the day en route to his second 400-yard game of the season and sixth of his career, extending his SoCon record in that category. The contest also marked the fifth time this season that Hodges has thrown for at least three touchdowns. He leads the league in passing yards (2,326) and touchdowns (20) on the year.
Other nominees: Grant Drakeford (The Citadel), Antonio Wilcox (Furman), Chandler Curtis (Mercer), Darrell Bridges (Chattanooga), Terryon Robinson (Western Carolina) and Joe Newman (Wofford).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Omari Williams, Samford, Sr., DB, Birmingham, Ala.
Samford defensive back Omari Williams helped secure the Bulldogs’ 24-21 road win over No. 5 Wofford on Saturday, intercepting a pass in the corner of the end zone with six seconds left in the contest. After Samford had taken a three-point lead with 1:28 to play, the senior from Birmingham, Alabama, picked off the Terriers’ third-down attempt for his second interception of the season and ninth of his career. Williams also added nine tackles on the day, six of which were solo stops, and two pass breakups.
Other nominees: Aron Spann III (The Citadel), Joe Farrar (Furman), Lee Bennett (Mercer), Taylor Reynolds (Chattanooga), Allan Cratsenberg (VMI), A.J. Newman (Western Carolina) and Mason Alstatt (Wofford).
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Joshua Gibson, Western Carolina, Jr., K, Andrews, N.C.
Western Carolina kicker Joshua Gibson accounted for 14 points in the Catamounts’ 26-7 win at VMI on Saturday, hitting the first four field goals of his career. The junior from Andrews, North Carolina, went 4-for-4 on the day, connecting from 22, 40, 38 and 43 yards. He also added a pair of extra points on the afternoon as the Catamounts improved to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the league. The four field goals were the most for a Catamount kicker since 2002.
Other nominees: Jon Croft Hollingsworth (Furman), Chandler Curtis (Mercer), Jordan Weaver (Samford) and Brandon Dowdell (Chattanooga).
2017 Southern Conference Football Players of the Week
Offense
Sept. 4 Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina
Sept. 11 Detrez Newsome, Western Carolina
Sept. 18 Dominque Allen, The Citadel
Sept. 25 Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina
Oct. 2 Devlin Hodges, Samford
Oct. 9 Andre Stoddard, Wofford
Oct. 16 Brandon Goodson, Wofford
Oct. 23 Devlin Hodges, Samford
Defense
Sept. 4 Malik Rivera, Wofford
Sept. 11 Devin Watson, Wofford
Sept. 18 Dylan Weigel, ETSU
Sept. 25 Keion Crossen, Western Carolina
Oct. 2 Tahjai Watt, Western Carolina
Oct. 9 Lee Bennett, Mercer
Oct. 16 John Brannon III, Western Carolina
Oct. 23 Omari Williams, Samford
Special Teams
Sept. 4 Luke Carter, Wofford
Sept. 11 Cole Fisher, Mercer
Sept. 18 Austin Barnard, Samford
Sept. 25 JJ Jerman, ETSU
Oct. 2 Logan McCarter, Furman
Oct. 9 Luke Carter, Wofford
Oct. 16 Jon Croft Hollingsworth, Furman
Oct. 23 Joshua Gibson, Western Carolina
-www.SoConSports.com-