SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference named its Football Player of the Week awards for all games played so far this season. Samford quarterback Michael Hiers was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Chattanooga defensive back Reuben Lowery III 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.
Making his Samford debut, quarterback Michael Hiers accounted for all four touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 27-17 upset of No. 6/8 Kennesaw State on Thursday. The junior transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College, playing in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, went 18-for-24 through the air, completing 75 percent of his passes for 289 yards and turning in a pass efficiency of 231.15. Hiers had touchdown tosses of 28, 6, 15 and 31 yards, with the latter two coming in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs rallied from a three-point deficit at the end of the third quarter. Thanks in part to Hiers’s efforts, the Bulldogs entered the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 at No. 25 on Monday.
 
Other nominees: Jacob Saylors (ETSU), Tyler Huff (Furman), Ty James (Mercer), Ailym Ford (Chattanooga) and Carlos Davis (Western Carolina).
 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Reuben Lowery III, So., DB, Chattanooga, Powder Springs, Ga.
Chattanooga defensive back Reuben Lowery III had five tackles and an interception return for a touchdown as the Mocs opened their season with a 31-0 win over Wofford on Saturday. Lowery’s 45-yard pick-6 early in the second quarter was the first interception of his career and made the score 17-0 in UTC’s favor, while four of his tackles were solo stops, including a 2-yard tackle for loss in the third quarter. The Powder Springs, Georgia, native helped Chattanooga to its first opening-day shutout since 2016 and its first shutout of a Division I opponent since 1995. The Mocs moved up one spot to No. 11 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 announced Monday.
 
Other nominees: Alijah Huzzie (ETSU), Cally Chizik (Furman), Myles Redding (Mercer), Kobe Stewart (Samford) and Ed Jones IV (Western Carolina).
 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Richard McCollum, R-Jr., PK, Western Carolina, Sanford, N.C.
Western Carolina placekicker Richard McCollum scored 10 points in the Catamounts’ season-opening 52-38 win at Charleston Southern on Saturday. The redshirt junior from Sanford, North Carolina, booted a 42-yard field goal just 3:29 into the game to open the scoring in the offensive slugfest. McCollum also converted all seven of his point-after-touchdown attempts on the afternoon, running his streak to 63 consecutive makes, which is two back of the program record set by Ken Hinsley from 1995-98. Dating back to last season, the Catamounts have now won five of their last six games after opening the 2021 campaign 0-6.
 
Other nominees: Trace Kelley (ETSU), Ryan Leavy (Furman), Devron Harper (Mercer), Bradley Porcellato (Samford) and Andrew Southard (Chattanooga).
 
2022 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Sept. 5       Michael Hiers, Jr., QB, Samford
 
Defensive
Sept. 5       Reuben Lowery III, So., DB, Chattanooga
 
Special teams
Sept. 5       Richard McCollum, R-Jr., PK, Western Carolina