Southern Conference Football Media Day concludes

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The 2024 Southern Conference Football Media Day took place Tuesday at the Hotel Hartness in Greenville, South Carolina. All nine league coaches and two student-athletes from each school were on hand to meet with the media and discuss the upcoming season.

The day began with morning meetings of school and SoCon administrators with NCAA President Charlie Baker virtually. The league’s coaches and sports information directors also met for morning meetings.

The afternoon luncheon welcomed the media, coaches, players, Greenville dignitaries and school personnel to the event. Following the meal, SoCon Commissioner Michael Cross spoke to the group about his views on the conference’s progression and standing among the college athletics landscape.

Following the luncheon and the commissioner’s remarks, the coaches and players were available to speak with the media in attendance in addition to rotating through a series of scheduled media and social media opportunities. Among the media in attendance was HERO Sports Senior FCS Analyst Sam Herder.

The SoCon preseason poll and all-conference teams were also revealed Tuesday, with Chattanooga picked to win the league. Western Carolina quarterback Cole Gonzales and Chattanooga defensive lineman Marlon Taylor were the preseason selections for SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively.

The SoCon’s 2024 season gets underway with four league squads in action on Thursday, Aug. 29. The rest of the league, including preseason favorite Chattanooga and defending champion Furman, will get its season underway on Saturday, Aug. 31.

Southern Conference Football Media Day attendees

The Citadel: Head coach Maurice Drayton; Johnathan Bennett (QB); Javonte Graves-Billips (WR)

ETSU: Head coach Tre Lamb; Jaylen King (QB); Chris Hope (DB)

Furman: Head coach Clay Hendrix; Joshua Harris (WR); Evan DiMaggio (LB)

Mercer: Head coach Mike Jacobs; Ken Standley (LB); Isaac Dowling (LB)

Samford: Head coach Chris Hatcher; Noah Martin (LB); DJ Rias (WR)

Chattanooga: Head coach Rusty Wright; Jay Gibson (TE); Reuben Lowery III (DB)

VMI: Head coach Danny Rocco; Hunter Rice (RB); Tahj Summey (DB)

Western Carolina: Head coach Kerwin Bell; Cole Gonzales (QB); CJ Williams (DB)

Wofford: Head coach Shawn Watson; Anthony Garcia (OL); Maximus Pulley (DB)