SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference named its Football Player of the Week awards presented by GEICO for all games played Sept. 18. Samford running back DeMarcus Ware was named the Offensive Player of the Week, while Chattanooga linebacker Ty Boeck and placekicker Aaron Sears were named 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: DeMarcus Ware, Sr., RB, Samford, Olive Branch, Miss.
Samford running back DeMarcus Ware ran 26 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 42-37 win at Western Carolina on Saturday. The senior from Olive Branch, Mississippi, scored the first two touchdowns of the day, the first on a 44-yard run and the second on a 4-yard scamper to make it a 14-0 game at the end of the first quarter. Ware added his third score of the day with 6:27 left in the game, scoring on another 4-yard run. Ware also caught three passes for 11 yards.
 
Other nominees: Raleigh Webb (The Citadel), Quay Holmes (ETSU), Ailym Ford (Chattanooga), Korey Bridy (VMI) and Rogan Wells (Western Carolina).
 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ty Boeck, Jr., LB, Chattanooga, Soddy Daisy, Tenn.
Chattanooga linebacker Ty Boeck had a season-high 13 tackles in the Mocs’ 28-23 loss to SEC East leader Kentucky on Saturday. With the Wildcats at the UTC 30-yard line in the second quarter, the junior from Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, had a strip sack for 8 yards, with the Mocs recovering the fumble. Boeck led a defensive unit that held Kentucky 12 points, 140.5 rushing yards and 45 passing yards below its seasonal averages.
 
Other nominees: Dominick Poole (The Citadel), Jalen Porter (ETSU), Wade White (Samford), Stone Snyder (VMI), Kareem Taylor (Western Carolina) and Joe Beckett (Wofford).
 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Aaron Sears, Fr., PK, Chattanooga, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Chattanooga placekicker Aaron Sears scored 11 of the Mocs’ 23 points in their loss to Kentucky. The freshman from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts and hit a pair of extra points as the Mocs led the SEC East leader early in the fourth quarter. The rookie hit his first field goal of the day with 8:47 left in the second quarter, a 27-yarder that pulled UTC within four at 14-10. Sears added a career-long 43-yarder for the only scoring of the third quarter to make it a one-point game, then capped his personal 9-0 run with a 30-yard make with 13:27 left in the game to put UTC on top 16-14.
 
Other nominees: Montrell Washington (Samford), Jack Culbreath (VMI) and 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
 
Defensive
Sept. 6             Stephen Scott, So., LB, ETSU
Sept. 13            Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., DE, Chattanooga
Sept. 20            Ty Boeck, Jr., LB, 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