SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference announced its SoCon Football Players of the Week presented by GEICO for all games played Feb. 27. Samford quarterback Liam Welch was named the Offensive Player of the Week, VMI linebacker Connor Riddle was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Chattanooga punter Gabe Boring was tabbed Special Teams Player of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Liam Welch, Samford, Sr., QB, Augusta, Ga.
Samford quarterback Liam Welch accounted for five touchdowns and turned in his first career 300-yard passing day as the Bulldogs dropped Western Carolina 55-27 on Saturday. The senior from Augusta, Georgia, was 26-for-36 through the air for 311 yards and two touchdowns and carried the ball 18 times for 83 yards and three scores in finishing with 394 yards of total offense. In all, Welch completed seven passes of 20 yards or more and led the Bulldogs on eight touchdown drives for their first win of the season.
 
Other nominees: Cooper Wallach (The Citadel), Carter Peevy (Mercer), Reginald Henderson (Chattanooga), Reece Udinski (VMI) and Ryan Glover (Western Carolina).
 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Connor Riddle, VMI, R-Sr., LB, Stafford, Va.
VMI linebacker Connor Riddle had a career defensive day to lead the Keydets past No. 10 Furman, 14-13. The redshirt senior from Stafford, Virginia, had 13 tackles on the afternoon, with 4.5 of them going for 13 lost yards. Included in that total were 2.0 sacks for 8 yards, both of which came on Furman’s final drive as it was moving toward field-goal range. Riddle also broke up a third-down pass in the third quarter that forced a punt, helping set up VMI’s game-winning touchdown on the ensuing drive. Riddle, whose tackle, TFL and sack numbers were all career highs, was also named the Stats Perform FCS National Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Other nominees: Brian Horn (The Citadel), Yahsyn McKee (Mercer), Nathan East (Samford), Devonnsha Maxwell (Chattanooga), Ty Harris (Western Carolina) and John Beckley (Wofford).
 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Gabe Boring, Chattanooga, Jr., P, Pikeville, Tenn.
Chattanooga punter Gabe Boring punted three times for an average of 52.3 yards in Saturday’s 24-13 win over No. 11 Wofford, putting all three inside the Terriers’ 20-yard line. The junior from Pikeville, Tennessee, unleashed a career-long 72-yard punt with just 30 seconds left in the game to flip the field and ice the game. The punt was Chattanooga’s longest since 2013. Boring also kicked off four times for an average of 59.0 yards. The Mocs moved into the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 this week at No. 18 after the win.
 
Other nominees: Ethan Dirrim (Mercer), Ty King (Samford), Trey Rice (VMI), Richard McCollum (Western Carolina) and Walker Gliarmis (Wofford).
 
2020-21 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Feb. 22       Quay Holmes, R-Jr., RB, ETSU
March 1      Liam Welch, Sr., QB, Samford
 
Defensive
Feb. 22       Donovan Manuel, R-So., LB, ETSU
March 1      Connor Riddle, R-Sr., LB, VMI
 
Special teams
Feb. 22       Paxton Robertson, Fr., K, Western Carolina
March 1      Gabe Boring, Jr., P, Chattanooga