SoCon names football players of the week

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference Football Players of the Week presented by Southern Recognition were awarded for all games played on Sept. 21. Mercer quarterback DJ Smith was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Bears defensive back TJ Moore was named the Defensive Player of the Week and ETSU kicker Ewan Johnson was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: DJ Smith, Jr., QB, Mercer, Greenwood, Miss.
Smith, who also received the honor on Sept. 2, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another pair as Mercer defeated The Citadel, 38-21, on Saturday. The junior went 19-for-25 through the air, completing 76 percent of his passes for 253 yards, along with rushing for 76 yards on 10 attempts. The native of Greenwood, Mississippi, tossed his first touchdown from 22 yards out in the first quarter and his second touchdown pass was a 15-yard score in the second quarter. Smith’s touchdown runs were in the first and third quarters from 1 and 20 yards, respectively. Smith is currently third in the FCS in completion percentage (.784).

Other nominees: Jaylen King (ETSU) and De'Andre Tamarez (Western Carolina)
 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: TJ Moore, Sr., DB, Mercer, Riverdale, Ga.
Moore logged six total tackles, including one for a loss, two pass breakups and an interception returned for a touchdown in Mercer’s victory over The Citadel. The senior’s pick-6 came in the second quarter with 51 seconds on the clock, making the score 28-14 in favor of the Bears. The product of Riverdale, Georgia, has two interceptions this season as part of a defense that is ranked fourth in the FCS in total defense (243.5).

 
Other nominees: William McRainey (ETSU) and Jordy Lowery (Western Carolina)
 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ewan Johnson, R-So., K, ETSU, Knoxville, Tenn.
Johnson accounted for 10 points in ETSU’s 34-14 road win at Elon on Saturday. The redshirt sophomore kicker converted on all four of his extra point tries, while also making a pair of field goals to help the Blue & Gold knock off the Phoenix. Johnson, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, made field goals from 30 and 25 yards in the first and fourth quarters, respectively.

Other nominees: Reice Griffith (Mercer)

2024 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Sept. 2             DJ Smith, Jr., QB, Mercer
Sept. 9             Amari Odom, R-Fr., QB, Wofford

Sept. 16            Trey Hedden, Fr., QB, Furman

Sept. 23            DJ Smith, Jr., QB, Mercer

 
Defensive
Sept. 2             Jalen Marshall, Jr., LB, Wofford
Sept. 9             Amir Annoor, Sr., DB, Wofford

Sept. 16            CJ Coombes, R-Fr., DB, Wofford

Sept. 23            TJ Moore, Sr., DB, Mercer

 
Special teams
Sept. 2             Brayden Smith, So., WR, Mercer

Sept. 9             John McConnell, R-Jr., P, Mercer

Sept. 16            Ian Williams, R-Sr., PK, Furman

Sept. 23            Ewan Johnson, R-So., K, ETSU