SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its Football Player of the Week awards presented by GEICO on Monday for all games played Oct. 23. Western Carolina quarterback Carlos Davis was named the Offensive Player of the Week, while Chattanooga claimed a pair of awards for the second straight Monday, with Rashun Freeman and Aaron Sears tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week and Special Teams Player of the Week, respectively. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Carlos Davis, R-So., QB, Western Carolina, Baltimore, Md.
Western Carolina quarterback Carlos Davis accounted for 423 yards of total offense as the Catamounts topped The Citadel 45-31 on the road for their first win of the season. The redshirt sophomore from Baltimore, Maryland, threw 40 passes and completed a career-high 31 of them for a 77.5 percent completion rate and a career-best 401 yards and three touchdowns. The 400-yard passing game was just the ninth in program history and was part of the Catamounts’ 577 yards of total offense, their second-best total of the season. Davis threw touchdown passes of 7, 40 and 10 yards in the first half as WCU built a 28-3 lead en route to the first win of the Kerwin Bell era.
 
Other nominees: Raleigh Webb (The Citadel), Quay Holmes (ETSU), Fred Payton (Mercer) and Cole Copeland (Chattanooga).
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Rashun Freeman, Sr., DB, Chattanooga, Ooltewah, Tenn.
Chattanooga defensive back Rashun Freeman helped the Mocs shut down Samford’s high-flying offense in a 55-13 road win. The senior from Ooltewah, Tennessee, had five tackles on the day, one of which was for a loss, and intercepted a pass and returned it 2 yards for a touchdown for his first career pick-six. Freeman also had a pass breakup on the afternoon, helping Chattanooga hold the Bulldogs 26.7 points, 216.7 passing yards and 291.5 total yards below their season averages. Samford came into the contest ranked fourth in the FCS in total offense but was held to just 200 yards on the day.
 
Other nominees: Donovan Manuel (ETSU), Parker Stokes (Furman), Isaac Dowling (Mercer), Ricky Palao (Western Carolina) and Joe Beckett (Wofford).
 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Aaron Sears, Fr., PK, Chattanooga, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Chattanooga placekicker Aaron Sears earned his second weekly honor of the season after scoring a season-high 13 points in the Mocs’ 55-13 win at Samford. The freshman from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was 7-for-7 on point-after tries and went 2-for-2 on field goals, connecting from 21 yards to stretch UTC’s lead to 17-3 early in the second quarter and adding a 40-yarder in the third to push the advantage to 34-3. Now with 10 made field goals on the season, Sears is just the third Chattanooga freshman in program history to reach double digits in a season and one back of the team’s freshman record set by Rodney Allen in 1989.
 
Other nominees: Richard McCollum (Western Carolina).
 
2021 SoCon Football Players of the Week presented by GEICO
Offensive
Sept. 6             Hamp Sisson, Jr., QB, Furman
Sept. 13            Jacob Saylors, Jr., RB, ETSU
Sept. 20            DeMarcus Ware, Sr., RB, Samford
Sept. 27            Liam Welch, Gr., QB, Samford
Oct. 4               Fred Davis, R-Fr., RB, Mercer
Oct. 11             Devin Wynn, Sr., TB, Furman
Oct. 18             Tyrell Price, Sr., RB, Chattanooga
Oct. 25             Carlos Davis, R-So., QB, Western Carolina
 
Defensive
Sept. 6             Stephen Scott, So., LB, ETSU
Sept. 13            Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., DE, Chattanooga
Sept. 20            Ty Boeck, Jr., LB, Chattanooga
Sept. 27            Stone Snyder, Jr., LB, VMI
Oct. 4               Dominick Poole, Fr., CB, The Citadel
Oct. 11             Lance Wise, So., S, Mercer
Oct. 18             Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., DE, Chattanooga
Oct. 25             Rashun Freeman, Sr., DB, Chattanooga
 
Special teams
Sept. 6             Montrell Washington, Sr., WR/KR, Samford
Sept. 13            Timmy Bleekrode, So., PK/P, Furman
Sept. 20            Aaron Sears, Fr., PK, Chattanooga
Sept. 27            Tyler Keltner, So., K, ETSU
Oct. 4               Atkins Roberts, So., K/P, Wofford
Oct. 11             Jerry Rice, R-So., K, VMI
Oct. 18             Zach Williams, Jr., PK, Samford
Oct. 25             Aaron Sears, Fr., PK, Chattanooga