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 Oct. 5. Chattanooga wide receiver Sam Phillips was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Wofford linebacker David Powers was named the Defensive Player of the Week and ETSU punter Nate Brackett was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sam Phillips, R-Jr., WR, Chattanooga, Cartersville, Ga.
Phillips caught six passes for 110 yards and a touchdown for Chattanooga as the Mocs won, 17-10, at then 23rd-ranked ETSU on Saturday. The redshirt junior’s score came from 38 yards out at the 5:01 mark of the third quarter, making the score 10-3 in favor of the Mocs. The Cartersville, Georgia, native’s performance was his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and moved him into the top 10 in career receptions and yards in program history. Phillips now leads all of FCS football in receiving yards per game (118.0 yards/game). Chattanooga is now ranked No. 23 in the Stats Perform Top 25 poll.

Other nominees: AJ Johnson (ETSU), Trey Hedden (Furman), Quincy Crittendon (Samford) and Corey Reddick Jr. (Western Carolina)
 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: David Powers, Sr., LB, Wofford, El Paso, Texas
Powers had a team-high 11 tackles, including one for a loss, and an interception in Wofford’s 21-17 setback at Western Carolina. The senior from El Paso, Texas, picked off a pass at the 2-yard line in the first minute of the fourth quarter, keeping the Terriers within one possession. Powers became Wofford’s fourth defensive player to receive the weekly honor this season.

Other nominees: William McRainey (ETSU), Noah Martin (Samford), Marlon Taylor (Chattanooga) and Antarron Turner (Western Carolina)
 

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Nate Brackett, R-Jr., P, ETSU, Rockwood, Tenn.
Brackett punted six times for ETSU in the game against Chattanooga on Saturday, averaging 48.3 yards per kick. The redshirt junior had three punts over 50 yards and pinned the Mocs inside the 20-yard line on three occasions. The native of Rockwood, Tennessee, booted a season-long 65-yard punt in the fourth quarter with 12:31 remaining in the game, which was downed at the 11-yard line. Brackett is the second special teams weekly winner for the Bucs this season, joining kicker Ewan Johnson, who won the award on Sept. 23.

Other nominees: Paxton Robertson (Western Carolina)

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

Sept. 30            Khamran Laborn, R-Jr., WR, ETSU

Oct.7                Sam Phillips, R-Jr., WR, Chattanooga

 
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

Sept. 30            Dainsus Miller, Jr., DB, Mercer

Oct. 7               David Powers, Sr., LB, Wofford

 
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

Sept. 30            John McConnell, R-Jr., P, Mercer

Oct. 7               Nate Brackett, R-Jr., P, ETSU