SoCon football preseason all-conference team, poll announced

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Western Carolina junior quarterback Cole Gonzales has been named the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Chattanooga senior defensive lineman Marlon Taylor has been tabbed the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in voting by the league’s nine head coaches. The coaches picked the Mocs to win the SoCon.

The coaches also selected the preseason all-conference first and second teams and were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes or teams in the voting process. Due to ties in the voting, the first and second teams both include additional offensive linemen.

Gonzales is the defending Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year as voted on by the media. Taylor was a second-team all-conference selection by the coaches and the media in 2023.

Gonzales, who was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award a season ago, led the Catamounts to a top-25 finish in the Stats Perform poll as Western Carolina went 7-4 overall with a 5-3 mark in SoCon play in 2023. The Ocala, Florida, native threw for 2803 yards and a league-leading 28 touchdowns last season. He was the SoCon Player of the Week twice during his sophomore campaign after throwing for five touchdowns in a game on two separate occasions.

During his all-conference junior season, Taylor totaled 30 tackles for the Mocs in 2023, including nine going for lost yardage. Taylor also logged 5.5 sacks last season. The native of Brunswick, Georgia, product, anchored a Chattanooga defense that was second in the conference in sacks (36) and forced fumbles (12).

Chattanooga went 8-5 overall and 6-2 in league play last season. The Mocs completed their 2023 season ranked No. 19 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 18 in the Stats Perform poll. Chattanooga collected 61 points and five first-place votes in this year’s preseason poll. The Mocs tied with Western Carolina for a league-best 10 selections on the preseason all-conference team. Chattanooga is No. 10 in the HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25.

Helmed by the 2023 SoCon Coach of the Year Clay Hendrix, Furman collected 56 points and three first-place votes in the preseason poll. After winning the SoCon and reaching the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs, the Paladins finished No. 6 in the AFCA Coaches poll and No. 7 in the FCS Stats Perform poll. Furman returns three starters on offense and defense from that squad, which went 7-1 for the second straight season in SoCon play. The Paladins placed eight players on the preseason All-SoCon team, half of those being first team selections. Furman enters this season ranked No. 14 in the HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25.

Western Carolina finished third in the preseason poll, taking 49 points and the final first place vote. The Catamounts return 40 lettermen from their 2023 squad. Western Carolina enters this season ranked 16th by Hero Sports. Of its 10 preseason all-conference selections, the Catamounts lauded four first-team picks.

Mercer is fourth in the preseason poll, finishing four points behind Western Carolina. The Bears have six players on the preseason all-conference team.

Samford and ETSU follow in fifth and sixth, respectively. The Bulldogs put two players on the preseason squad, while the Bucs had three selections.

VMI is seventh in the preseason poll with 23 points, while logging five all-conference selections. Wofford is eighth in the preseason poll with 19 points. The Terriers had nine all-conference selections, including a league-best five first-team picks. The Citadel rounded out the poll with eight points and one preseason all-conference selection.

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, will get its season underway on Saturday, Aug. 31.

2024 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll

Team (1st-place votes)     Total

1. Chattanooga (5)              61

2. Furman (3)                      56

3. Western Carolina (1)      49

4. Mercer                             45

5. Samford                           37

6. ETSU                               26

7. VMI                                  23

8. Wofford                            19

9. The Citadel                      8

2024 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams

Offensive Player of the Year: Cole Gonzales, Jr., QB, Western Carolina

Defensive Player of the Year: Marlon Taylor, Sr., DL, Chattanooga

First team offense

QB          Cole Gonzales, Jr., Western Carolina

RB          Hunter Rice., Sr., RB, VMI

RB          Ryan Ingram, Sr., Wofford

OL          Luke Smith, Gr., ETSU

OL          Luke Petit, R-Jr., Furman

OL          Xavier Jennings, Gr., Mercer

OL          Reid Williams, Jr., Chattanooga

OL          Tyriq Poindexter, Sr., VMI

OL          Blake Whitmore, R-Sr., Western Carolina

TE          Jordan Davis, Sr., Wofford

WR         Javin Whatley, Jr., Chattanooga

WR         AJ Colombo, Jr., Western Carolina

First team defense

DL          Xavier Stephens, Sr., Furman

DL          Marlon Taylor, Sr., DL, Chattanooga

DL          Dorien Starnes, Sr., VMI

DL          Brandon Maina, Sr., Wofford

LB           Ken Standley, Gr., Mercer

LB           Noah Martin, Sr., Samford

LB           David Powers, Sr., Wofford

DB          Chris Hope, Sr., DB, ETSU

DB          Myles Redding, Sr., Mercer

DB          Jordan Walker, Jr., Chattanooga

DB          Maximus Pulley, Jr., Wofford

First team specialists

PK          Ian Williams, R-Sr., Furman

P             Nate Brackett, R-Jr., ETSU

LS           Colby Cross, R-Sr., Western Carolina

RS          Colton Hinton, So., Furman

Second team offense

QB          Chase Artopoeus, Sr., QB, Chattanooga

RB          Grant Robinson, R-Jr., Furman

RB          Branson Adams, Jr., Western Carolina

OL          Riley Adcock, Gr., Mercer

OL          Chris Noble, Gr., Samford

OL          Dave Monnot III, Sr., Chattanooga

OL          Derek Simmons, Sr., Western Carolina

OL          Anthony Garcia, Sr., Wofford

OL          Quincy Hughes, Jr., Wofford

TE          Jay Gibson, Sr., Chattanooga

WR         Joshua Harris, Sr., Furman

WR         Sam Phillips, Jr., Chattanooga

Second team defense

DL          Brayden Manley, So., Mercer

DL          Jordan Swain, Gr., Mercer

DL          Quay Wiggles, Sr., Chattanooga

DL          Curtis Fann Jr., R-Sr., Western Carolina

LB           Luke Clark, 5th, Furman

LB           Evan DiMaggio, R-Sr., Furman

LB           Eric Rankin, Sr., VMI

DB          Josh Battle, Jr., Sr., Chattanooga

DB          Samaurie Dukes, Jr., Western Carolina

DB          Ed Jones IV, Sr., Western Carolina

DB          CJ Williams, Sr., DB, Western Carolina

Second team specialists

PK          Bridger Jones, Jr., Wofford

P             James Platte, Jr., The Citadel

LS           Tommy DiLiegro, So., Wofford

RS          Ivan Thorpe, Jr., WR, VMI

NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or team.