SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its Football Player of the Week awards presented by GEICO on Monday for all games played Oct. 30. Western Carolina quarterback Rogan Wells was named the Offensive Player of the Week, while Catamount placekicker Richard McCollum was tabbed the Special Teams Player of the Week. Mercer safety Lance Wise was named the Defensive Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Rogan Wells, Gr., QB, Western Carolina, Fort Mill, S.C.
Western Carolina quarterback Rogan Wells accounted for 357 yard of total offense and five touchdowns in just over two quarters of work in the Catamounts’ 41-21 win at Wofford on Saturday. The graduate transfer from Fort Mill, South Carolina, was 21-for-30 passing for 309 yards and four touchdowns, completing 70 percent of his passes and turning in a pass efficiency rating of 200.52 on the day, departing after just one series in the third quarter. He had scoring throws of 72, 9, 27 and 3 yards. Wells also added a team-best 48 yards rushing on six carries, scoring on a 32-yard run less than three minutes into the game.
 
Other nominees: Tyler Cherry (The Citadel), Fred Davis (Mercer), Liam Welch (Samford), Ailym Ford (Chattanooga), Seth Morgan (VMI) and Irvin Mulligan (Wofford).
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Lance Wise, So., S, Mercer, Marietta, Ga.
Mercer safety Lance Wise had 10 tackles and an interception return for a touchdown in the Bears’ 34-7 win at The Citadel on Saturday. The sophomore from Marietta, Georgia, recorded nine solo stops on the afternoon and his 34-yard interception return for a score with 4:27 remaining made it a three-possession game. Wise helped Mercer hold the Bulldogs to their lowest point total of the season, their lowest rushing total (170 yards) and their fewest total yards (282) against an FCS opponent.
 
Other nominees: Willie Eubanks III (The Citadel), Nelson Jordan (Samford), Jay Person (Chattanooga), Ethan Caselberry (VMI) and Kareem Taylor (Western Carolina).
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Richard McCollum, R-So., PK, Western Carolina, Sanford, N.C.
Western Carolina placekicker Richard McCollum accounted for 11 points in the Catamounts’ 41-21 win at Wofford, converting all five extra-point attempts and going 2-for-2 on field goals. The redshirt sophomore from Sanford, North Carolina, connected on field-goal tries of 37 and 23 yards to move to 10-for-10 on the season. McCollum, the only player in the FCS with a perfect field-goal percentage, also stretched his consecutive PATs streak to 40 in a row. He is tied for 16^th in the FCS with 1.43 field goals per game.
 
Other nominees: Devron Harper (Mercer), Aaron Sears (Chattanooga) and Jerry Rice (VMI).
 
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
Nov. 1              Rogan Wells, Gr., 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
Nov. 1              Lance Wise, So., S, Mercer
 
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
Nov. 1              Richard McCollum, R-So., PK, Western Carolina