SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its Football Player of the Week awards presented by GEICO on Monday for all games played Nov. 20. ETSU swept the offensive and defensive honors for the second straight week, with quarterback Tyler Riddell being named the Offensive Player of the Week and Alijah Huzzie tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week. Western Carolina wide receiver/punt returner Daquan Patten earned the Catamounts’ second straight Special Teams Player of the Week honor. The awards are selected by the league office and are the final ones of the 2021 season.
 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Tyler Riddell, R-Fr., QB, ETSU, Tampa, Fla.
ETSU quarterback Tyler Riddell turned in his most complete game of the season when it mattered most, leading the Bucs past No. 23/21 Mercer 38-35 to clinch the SoCon title, their first outright and second overall. The redshirt freshman from Tampa, Florida, completed a career-best 26 of 29 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns, with his .897 completion percentage checking as the 10^th-best in a game in SoCon history and tops by a player with at least 20 attempts. Riddell also added a 1-yard touchdown run to give him four total TDs on the day.
 
Other nominees: Jaylan Adams (The Citadel), Dominic Roberto (Furman), Ty James (Mercer), Liam Welch (Samford), Tyrell Price (Chattanooga), Rogan Wells (Western Carolina) and Peyton Derrick (Wofford).
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Alijah Huzzie, R-Fr., DB, ETSU, Franklin, Ga.
Defensive back Alijah Huzzie claimed ETSU’s third straight weekly defensive honor after a big day in which he had eight total tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble in the 38-35 win over No. 23/21 Mercer that clinched the SoCon title for the Bucs. After forcing a first-quarter fumble that Mercer would retain, Huzzie intercepted his first pass of the day with 36 seconds left in the first half and ETSU leading 21-10. The Franklin, Georgia, native’s next pick came with ETSU trailing 35-31 late in the contest. With just over five minutes left, Huzzie intercepted a Mercer pass at the ETSU 25 and returned it 51 yards, setting up a short field that would eventually lead to the Bucs’ go-ahead touchdown with just 1:47 left.
 
Other nominees: Destin Mack (The Citadel), DiMarcus Clay (Furman), Lance Wise (Mercer), Seth Simmer (Samford), Ivan Hogans (Western Carolina) and Joe Beckett (Wofford).
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Daquan Patten, 5th, WR/PR, Western Carolina, Columbia, S.C.
Western Carolina wide receiver/punt returner Daquan Patten posted 109 all-purpose yards and two total touchdowns in the Catamounts’ 52-24 win at VMI, highlighted by a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown less than four minutes into the contest that made it 14-0 in favor of the visitors. Patten’s big play was the fifth-longest punt returned for a TD in the FCS this season. The Columbia, South Carolina, native also had one rush for 4 yards and three catches for 27 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown catch in the last minute of the contest.
 
Other nominees: Matt Campbell (The Citadel), Jacob Saylors (ETSU).
 
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
Nov. 8              Dominic Roberto, R-So., RB, Furman
Nov. 15             Jacob Saylors, Jr., RB, ETSU
Nov. 22             Tyler Riddell, R-Fr., QB, ETSU
 
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
Nov. 8              Donovan Manuel, R-So., LB, ETSU
Nov. 15             Donovan Manuel, R-So., LB, ETSU
Nov. 22             Alijah Huzzie, R-Fr., DB, ETSU
 
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
Nov. 8              Tyler Keltner, So., K, ETSU
Nov. 15             Calvin Jones, Fr., WR/RS, Western Carolina
Nov. 22             Daquan Patten, 5^th, WR/PR, Western Carolina