ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The 2022 Southern Conference Football Media Day took place Thursday at the Omni Grove Park Inn. All nine league coaches and Commissioner Jim Schaus were on hand to meet with the media and discuss the upcoming season, while Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver and Chattanooga alum Terrell Owens was the featured guest at the event’s luncheon.
The Citadel’s Brent Thompson, ETSU’s George Quarles, Furman’s Clay Hendrix, Mercer’s Drew Cronic, Samford’s Chris Hatcher, Chattanooga’s Rusty Wright, VMI’s Scott Wachenheim, Western Carolina’s Kerwin Bell and Wofford’s Josh Conklin were the coaches in attendance.
After morning meetings of coaches and school and league administrators, WSPA Sports Director Pete Yanity welcomed the media, coaches, Asheville dignitaries and school personnel to the luncheon before introducing Schaus, who spoke about the strength of the league, both on the field and on the whole. Yanity then welcomed Owens to the stage to answer questions and recount stories about his college and NFL careers.
Following the luncheon, the coaches were available to speak with the media in attendance in addition to rotating through a series of scheduled media and social media opportunities. Each coach, as well as Schaus and Owens, joined Yanity on-stage for one-on-one interviews that
will air Friday on ESPN+ at 10 a.m. ET.
The
SoCon preseason polls and all-conference teams were also revealed Thursday, with Chattanooga – coached by Rusty Wright, a college teammate of Owens at UTC – picked by the coaches and media to win the league. ETSU running back Jacob Saylors was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Chattanooga defensive lineman Devonnsha Maxwell was the preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The SoCon’s 2022 season gets underway with Mercer hosting Morehead State on Saturday, Aug. 27, for a week zero game, followed by four games on Thursday, Sept. 1, and four games on Saturday, Sept. 3.
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