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. 31. Mercer quarterback JP Pickles was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Samford safety Max Steve was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Western Carolina place kicker Bryan McCollum was also named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: JP Pickles, Jr., QB, Mercer, Tallahassee, Fla.
Pickles accounted for four touchdowns in Mercer’s 28-19 win over The Citadel on Saturday. The junior, who also won the honor on Oct. 12, had 234 passing yards, going 17-for-20 and throwing three touchdowns. The native of Tallahassee, Florida, also ran for 46 yards and a score on the ground. Pickles did his best work after halftime, helping the Bears overcome a 10-point halftime deficit by throwing for 181 yards in the third quarter en route to leading the team on three touchdown drives in the period.
Other nominees: TJ Peyton (ETSU), Gabarri Johnson (Samford), Taylor Crumedy (Chattanooga), Jai Boyd (Western Carolina), and Gerald Modest Jr. (Wofford)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Max Steve, Fr., S, Samford, Dacula, Ga.
Steve finished with 20 tackles, including eight solo stops, in Samford’s 10-9 victory over Wofford. The freshman also had an interception deep in Bulldog territory early in the second quarter, keeping the game scoreless. Steve’s performance led to him being named the
Stats Perform FCS National Freshman Player of the Week. The 20 tackles that the product of Dacula, Georgia, had marked the most by a true freshman in the FCS since 2021.
Other nominees: Samuel Iroh (ETSU), Ronin Dangler (Mercer), Kam Baah-Slay (Chattanooga), and Jermiyah Douglas (Western Carolina)
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Bryan McCollum, So., PK, Western Carolina, Sanford, N.C.
McCollum, who also won the honor on Sept. 21, scored nine points in Western Carolina’s 27-26 road win over Furman. The sophomore made three PATs and a pair of field goals, with one of those being a 36-yarder in the final seconds of the game. The Sanford, North Carolina, native is now 14-for-15 (.933) this season on field goals, placing him fourth in the FCS in field goal percentage.
Other nominees: Luke Stewart (ETSU), Ty Ippolito (Samford), Jude Kelley (Chattanooga), and Qua Ashley (Tennessee Tech)
2026 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Aug. 31 Lex Thomas, Jr., QB, Western Carolina
Sept. 7 Gavin Garcia, Gr., RB, The Citadel
Sept. 14 Tre’ Holloway, Gr., WR/RS, Tennessee Tech
Sept. 21 Joshua Perry, So., RB, Western Carolina
Sept. 28 Jax Leatherwood, Sr., QB, Tennessee Tech
Oct. 5 Gavin Garcia, 5th, RB, The Citadel
Oct. 12 JP Pickles, Jr., QB, Mercer
Oct. 19 Gerald Modest Jr., Jr., RB, Wofford
Oct. 26 Kevin Lalin, Sr., RB, Chattanooga
Nov. 3 JP Pickles, Jr., QB, Mercer
Defensive
Aug. 31 Cameron Goggins, Sr., CB, Mercer
Sept. 7 Omari Philyaw, Sr., DB, Tennessee Tech
Sept. 14 Caleb Easterling, So., CB, Furman
Sept. 21 Mike Jenkins Jr., Sr., S, ETSU
Sept. 28 Lashon Young, Jr., S, Samford
Oct. 5 Jarvis Johnson, R-So., LB, ETSU
Oct. 12 Eli Campbell, Sr., DB, Wofford
Oct. 19 Jyarius Carter, So., LB, Mercer
Oct. 26 Zion Rutledge, Sr., LB, Chattanooga
Nov. 3 Max Steve, Fr., S, Samford
Special teams
Aug. 31 Davis Penn, Fr., RB, Wofford
Sept. 7 Cillian Bonner, So., P, Wofford
Sept. 14 Tre’ Holloway, Gr., WR/RS, Tennessee Tech
Sept. 21 Bryan McCollum, So., PK, Western Carolina
Sept. 28 Ewan Johnson, R-Sr., PK, ETSU
Oct. 5 Simon Zeidan, So., PK, Mercer
Oct. 12 Jude Kelley, Gr., PK, Chattanooga
Oct. 19 Ty Ippolito, Jr., PK, Samford
Oct. 26 Jude Kelley, Gr., PK, Chattanooga
Nov. 3 Bryan McCollum, So., PK, Western Carolina