SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its SoCon Football Players of the Week presented by GEICO on Monday, for games Oct. 26. Wofford quarterback Joe Newman repeated as Offensive Player of the Week, while ETSU defensive back Artevius Smith was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Furman kicker Grayson Atkins was tabbed the Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Joe Newman, Wofford, Sr., QB, Riverdale, Ga.
Wofford quarterback Joe Newman earned his second straight weekly honor after running for 66 yards and three touchdowns and throwing for 134 yards in the Terriers’ 35-34, overtime win over Chattanooga, which entered the contest alone in first place in the SoCon standings. The senior from Riverdale, Georgia, had a 3-yard TD run in the second quarter and a 10-yard scoring run in the third to give Wofford a 21-14 lead. After the Mocs took a 28-21 lead with 2:08 left in regulation, Newman led Wofford on a 13-play, 65-yard scoring drive in just 1:49 to force overtime. There, Newman ran for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play and UTC failed to convert a two-point conversion attempt in its OT possession as the Terriers moved into a tie for first in the league standings.
Other nominees: Brandon Rainey (The Citadel), Quay Holmes (ETSU), Yahsyn McKee (Mercer), Chris Oladokun (Samford), Ailym Ford (Chattanooga) and Tyrie Adams (Western Carolina).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Artevius Smith, ETSU, R-Sr., DB, Birmingham, Ala.
ETSU defensive back Artevius Smith earned his second weekly award of the season with a well-rounded performance in the Bucs’ 24-17 loss at Samford. The redshirt senior, playing in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, had 10 tackles on the day, seven of which were solo and one of which went for a loss. Smith also had two pass breakups and an interception, returning the goal-line pick 20 yards to kickstart an ETSU scoring drive that bridged the first and second quarters and tied the game at 7. Smith recorded double-digit tackles for the second time this season, while the interception was his fourth in five games.
Other nominees: Willie Eubanks III (The Citadel), Eric Jackson (Mercer), Armond Lloyd (Samford), Marshall Cooper (Chattanooga), Jayden Pauling (Western Carolina) and Jireh Wilson (Wofford).
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Grayson Atkins, Furman, Jr., K, Inman, S.C.
Furman kicker Grayson Atkins earned his third weekly award of the season and the sixth of his career for his performance in the Paladins’ 28-7 win over Western Carolina in rainy conditions. The junior from Inman, South Carolina, punted twice on the day, placing both inside the WCU 20-yard line, and kicked off five times, averaging 64.6 yards per kicked and recording four touchbacks to run his season total to 30 on 46 kickoffs. Atkins scored eight points on the afternoon, converting both point-after attempts and going 2-for-3 on field-goal tries. He connected from 55 yards in the first quarter to match the school record for distance and extend his own school mark to 18 consecutive field-goal makes before a bad snap on a 33-yard attempt brought that streak to a halt. Atkins rebounded with a 40-yard make on the final play of the first half to send the Paladins into the break with a 13-7 lead.
Other nominees: Jacob Godek (The Citadel), Colin Brewer (Chattanooga) and Luke Carter (Wofford).
2019 SoCon Football Players of the Week presented by GEICO
Offensive
Sept. 2 Chris Oladokun, Jr., QB, Samford
Sept. 9 Darren Grainger, R-Fr., QB, Furman
Sept. 16 Chris Oladokun, Jr., QB, Samford
Sept. 23 Chris Oladokun, Jr., QB, Samford
Sept. 30 Liam Welch, Jr., QB, Samford
Oct. 7 Devin Wynn, Jr., TB, Furman
Oct. 14 Alex Ramsey, R-Jr., RB, VMI
Oct. 21 Joe Newman, Sr., QB, Wofford
Oct. 28 Joe Newman, Sr., QB, Wofford
Defensive
Sept. 2 Marshall Cooper, Sr., LB, Chattanooga
Sept. 9 Kaleb Tucker, Sr., DB, VMI
Sept. 16 Braden Gilby, R-Fr., LB, Furman
Sept. 23 Jireh Wilson, Sr., LB, Wofford
Sept. 30 Artevius Smith, R-Sr., DB, ETSU
Oct. 7 Ty Boeck, So., LB, Chattanooga
Oct. 14 Marquise Blount, So., LB, The Citadel
Oct. 21 Marquise Blount, So., LB, The Citadel
Oct. 28 Artevius Smith, R-Sr., DB, ETSU
Special teams
Sept. 2 Grayson Atkins, Jr., K, Furman
Sept. 9 Sean-Thomas Faulkner, R-So., DB, The Citadel
Sept. 16 Jacob Godek, Sr., K, The Citadel
Sept. 23 Grayson Atkins, Jr., K, Furman
Sept. 30 Mitchell Fineran, So., PK, Samford
Oct. 7 Grant Clemons, Sr., K, VMI
Oct. 14 Grant Clemons, Sr., K, VMI
Oct. 21 Jacob Godek, Sr., K, The Citadel
Oct. 28 Grayson Atkins, Jr., K, Furman
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