SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference announced its SoCon Football Players of the Week presented by GEICO on Monday, for games Sept. 21. Samford quarterback Chris Oladokun was named the Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season, Furman kicker Grayson Atkins was honored for the second time this year as Special Teams Player of the Week and Wofford linebacker Jireh Wilson was named the Defensive Player of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Chris Oladokun, Samford, Jr., QB, Tampa, Fla.
Samford quarterback Chris Oladokun earned his third honor in four weeks after leading the Bulldogs to a 55-21 win over Alabama AM on Saturday. The junior from Tampa, Florida, contributed with his arm and his legs, throwing for 250 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for a career-best 95 yards and another score. Oladokun threw TD passes of 13, 15 and 82 yards and his rushing touchdown went for 6 yards.
Other nominees: Brian Murdaugh (The Citadel), Quay Holmes (ETSU), Darren Grainger (Furman), Bryce Nunnelly (Chattanooga), Alex Ramsey (VMI) and Joe Newman (Wofford).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jireh Wilson, Wofford, Sr., LB, Calhoun, Ga.
Wofford linebacker Jireh Wilson recorded a team-best eight tackles that included three sacks for 24 lost yards in the Terriers’ 49-10 win over Gardner-Webb on Saturday. The senior from Calhoun, Georgia, led a Wofford defense that held the Runnin’ Bulldogs to just 246 yards of total offense, including just 9 rushing yards on the day on 34 attempts.
Other nominees: Willie Eubanks III (The Citadel), Artevius Smith (ETSU), Bryan Okeh (Furman), Will Coneway (Mercer), John Staton (Samford) and Ty Boeck (Chattanooga).
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Grayson Atkins, Jr., K, Inman, S.C.
Furman do-everything kicker Grayson Atkins earned his second nod of the season after an all-around impressive day in a 45-10 conference win over Mercer on Saturday. Atkins kicked a 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to extend his school record for consecutive makes to 14 and went 6-for-6 on PATs on the afternoon to personally account for nine points. The junior from Inman, South Carolina, also punted twice for an average of 51.0 yards, highlighted by a 69-yard boot, the second-longest of his career, that pinned the Bears at their own 6-yard line. Atkins also kicked off seven times for 63.6 yards per attempt, notching four touchbacks as he neutralized a Mercer return unit that had averaged 36 yards per return entering the contest but managed just 17.3 on the day.
Other nominees: Matt Campbell (The Citadel), Tyler Keltner (ETSU), Montrell Washington (Samford), Colin Brewer (Chattanooga) and Luke Carter (Wofford).
2019 SoCon Football Players of the Week presented by GEICO
Offensive
Sept. 2 Chris Oladokun, Jr., QB, Samford
Sept. 9 Darren Grainger, R-Fr., QB, Furman
Sept. 16 Chris Oladokun, Jr., QB, Samford
Sept. 23 Chris Oladokun, Jr., QB, Samford
Defensive
Sept. 2 Marshall Cooper, Sr., LB, Chattanooga
Sept. 9 Kaleb Tucker, Sr., DB, VMI
Sept. 16 Braden Gilby, R-Fr., LB, Furman
Sept. 23 Jireh Wilson, Sr., LB, Wofford
Special teams
Sept. 2 Grayson Atkins, Jr., K, Furman
Sept. 9 Sean-Thomas Faulkner, R-So., DB, The Citadel
Sept. 16 Jacob Godek, Sr., K, The Citadel
Sept. 23 Grayson Atkins, Jr., K, Furman
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