SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its Football Player of the Week awards for all games played Nov. 12 on Monday. Samford quarterback Michael Hiers was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Furman linebacker Braden Gilby was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Western Carolina placekicker Richard McCollum was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Michael Hiers, Jr, QB, Samford, Birmingham, Ala.
Samford quarterback Michael Hiers claimed his fifth weekly honor of the season and second straight after accounting for five touchdowns and 354 yards of total offense in the Bulldogs’ 35-24 win over No. 12/11 Chattanooga on Saturday. The junior from Birmingham, Alabama, improved upon his FCS-best completion percentage by going 37-for-47 (78.7 percent) for 353 yards and four touchdowns through the air, completing scoring passes of 22, 16, 5 and 80 yards on the day. Hiers also called his own number for a 1-yard TD run. Samford, which clinched at least a share of its first SoCon title since 2013 and the league’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, was named the Athlon FCS Team of the Week and Stats Perform FedEx Ground FCS National Team of the Week on Monday.
 
Other nominees: JJ Hudson (The Citadel), Jacob Saylors (ETSU), Tyler Huff (Furman), Devron Harper (Mercer), Ailym Ford (Chattanooga), Censere Lee (Western Carolina) and Jimmy Weirick (Wofford).
 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Braden Gilby, Sr., LB, Furman, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Furman linebacker Braden Gilby had 12 tackles, seven of which were solo stops, as the Paladins downed No. 11/14 Mercer on Saturday, 23-13. The senior from St. Petersburg, Florida, counted three tackles for loss for 12 yards among his defensive efforts, including a 9-yard sack. Gilby headlined a defensive unit that held the Bears, who entered the contest leading the league in scoring offense at 40.3 points per game and second in total offense at 463.0 yards per game, to just 13 points and 316 yards of total offense. Gilby also had one of five Furman sacks on the day, a total that matched what Mercer had allowed all season to that point, as the Paladins assured themselves of at least second place in the SoCon standings.
 
Other nominees: Rett Russell (The Citadel), Alijah Huzzie (ETSU), Ken Standley (Mercer), Isaiah Richardson (Samford), Kam Jones (Chattanooga), Samaurie Dukes (Western Carolina) and Micheal Mason (Wofford).
 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Richard McCollum, R-Jr., PK, Western Carolina, Sanford, N.C.
Western Carolina placekicker Richard McCollum earned his third weekly honor of the season after accounting for eight points in the Catamounts’ 20-17 win at ETSU on Saturday to secure the Blue Ridge Border Battle trophy. The redshirt junior from Sanford, North Carolina, kicked a pair of field goals on the afternoon, converting from 40 yards with 1:33 left in the second quarter to draw the Catamounts within four points at 14-10 and then drilling a walk-off 33-yarder as time expired in the contest to lift WCU to victory. McCollum also added a pair of extra points on the day, pushing his career total to 201 points, sixth in program history. With 33 made field goals in his career, he is just two shy of third place in Western Carolina lore.
 
Other nominees: Tyler Keltner (ETSU), Ian Williams (Furman), Trey Turk (Mercer), Bradley Porcellato (Samford), Jack Culbreath (VMI) and R.J. Khayo (Wofford).
 
2022 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Sept. 5       Michael Hiers, Jr., QB, Samford
Sept. 12      Preston Hutchinson, Sr., QB, Chattanooga
Sept. 19      Preston Hutchinson, Sr., QB, Chattanooga
Sept. 26      Michael Hiers, Jr., QB, Samford
Oct. 3         Jaylan Thomas, Sr., RB, Samford
Oct. 10       Jacob Saylors, Sr., RB, ETSU
Oct. 17       Dominic Roberto, R-Jr., RB, Furman
Oct. 24       Michael Hiers, Jr., QB, Samford
Oct. 31       Jimmy Weirick, 5^th, QB, Wofford
Nov. 7        Michael Hiers, Jr., QB, Samford
Nov. 14       Michael Hiers, Jr., QB, Samford
 
Defensive
Sept. 5       Reuben Lowery III, So., DB, Chattanooga
Sept. 12      Chandler Martin, R-Fr., LB, ETSU
Sept. 19      Hugh Ryan, R-Jr., FS, Furman
Sept. 26      Isaiah Richardson, Sr., DB, Samford
Oct. 3         Nathan East, Gr., LB, Samford
Oct. 10       Isaac Dowling, So., LB, Mercer
Oct. 17       Michael Campbell, Gr., CB, Mercer
Oct. 24       Kameron Brown, Jr., DB, Chattanooga
Oct. 31       Hugh Ryan, R-Jr., FS, Furman
Nov. 7        Reuben Lowery III, So., DB, Chattanooga
Nov. 14       Braden Gilby, Sr., LB, Furman
 
Special teams
Sept. 5       Richard McCollum, R-Jr., PK, Western Carolina
Sept. 12      Colby Kintner, Jr., K, The Citadel
Sept. 19      Ian Williams, R-So., PK, Furman
Sept. 26      Richard McCollum, R-Jr., PK, Western Carolina
Oct. 3         Tyler Keltner, Jr., K, ETSU
Oct. 10       Tyler Keltner, Jr., K, ETSU
Oct. 17       Matt Sochovka, Gr., DT, Furman
Oct. 24       Zach Williams, Sr., K, Samford
Oct. 31       Devron Harper, Jr., WR, Mercer
Nov. 7        Jerry Rice, R-Jr., PK, VMI
Nov. 14       Richard McCollum, R-Jr., PK, Western Carolina