SoCon football preseason all-conference team, poll announced

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Western Carolina redshirt sophomore quarterback Taron Dickens has been named the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Mercer sophomore defensive lineman Andrew Zock has been tabbed the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in voting by the league's nine head coaches. The coaches picked the Bears 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. The second team also features an additional wide receiver.

Dickens was voted onto the conference's all-freshman team following last season. He was also a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, which is awarded annually to the nation's top freshman.

The redshirt sophomore saw action in seven games, including four starts, as the Catamounts went 7-5 overall and 6-2 in league games last season. Dickens, who was 3-1 as a starter, threw for 1,428 yards and 12 touchdowns, while running for 56 yards and a pair of scores. He was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week twice during the season and national freshman of the week on Nov. 4, 2024, following 431 passing yards and five touchdowns in Western Carolina's 38-34 comeback win over Chattanooga.

Zock had a stellar freshman campaign in 2024. The Citra, Fla., native was named SoCon Freshman of the Year, a second-team all-conference selection, and a SoCon all-freshman team pick.

Along with Dickens, Zock was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award. Zock logged 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season, both of which were in the top five in the SoCon in 2024. His best games of the season came at Wofford on Sept. 28, when he finished with five tackles, including three tackles for loss and a sack, and a quarterback hurry, and against Furman on Nov. 23, when he had three tackles, one for a loss, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and return for a touchdown, and a school-record seven quarterback hurries.

Mercer went 11-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play last season. Helmed by SoCon Wallace Wade Coach of the Year Mike Jacobs, the Bears completed their season ranked No. 7 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 8 in the Stats Perform poll. Mercer collected 60 points and six first-place votes in this year's preseason poll. The Bears tied with Western Carolina for a league-best 11 selections on the preseason all-conference team. Mercer is No. 12 in the HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25.

Chattanooga collected 50 points and a pair of first-place votes in the preseason poll. The Mocs received votes in the final Stats Perform Top 25 poll last season after posting a 7-5 overall record and 5-3 mark in SoCon play.

Western Carolina finished third in the preseason poll, taking 49 points and the final first-place vote. The Catamounts return 35 lettermen from their 2024 squad, and enter this season ranked 18th by Hero Sports. Six of Western Carolina's 11 preseason All-SoCon picks earned first team honors.

ETSU is fourth in the preseason poll, finishing six points behind Western Carolina. The Bucs have nine players on the preseason all-conference squad.

Samford and Furman follow in fifth and sixth, respectively. The Bulldogs placed four players on the preseason team, while the Paladins had five selections.

Wofford is seventh in the preseason poll with 19 points. The Terriers logged six preseason all-conference selections. The Citadel is in eighth with 17 points and five all-conference picks. VMI rounded out the poll with 10 points and one preseason all-conference selection.

The SoCon's 2025 season gets underway with defending champion Mercer in action on Thursday, Aug. 23. Samford will open its season on Thursday, Aug. 28. The rest of the league will get its season underway on Saturday, Aug. 30.

2025 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll

Team (1st-place votes)     Total

1. Mercer (6)                        60

2. Chattanooga (2)              50

3. Western Carolina (1)      49

4. ETSU                               43

5. Samford                           40

6. Furman                            36

7. Wofford                            19

8. The Citadel                      17

9. VMI                                  10

2025 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams

Offensive Player of the Year: Taron Dickens, R-So., QB, Western Carolina

Defensive Player of the Year: Andrew Zock, So., DL, Mercer

First team offense

QB          Taron Dickens, Western Carolina

RB          Devontae Houston, ETSU

RB          Branson Adams, Western Carolina

OL          Mike Bartilucci, The Citadel

OL          Ashton Flinn, ETSU

OL          Eli Brasher, Furman

OL          Xavier Jennings, Mercer

OL          B J Ragland, Chattanooga

OL          Zach Watson, Western Carolina

TE          Jackson Pryor, Furman

WR         Hakeem Meggett, ETSU

WR         Adjatay Dabbs, Mercer

First team defense

DL          Nick Hunter, ETSU

DL          Andrew Zock, Mercer

DL          Conroy Cunningham, Samford

DL          Caleb Fisher, Western Carolina

LB           Je'Mazin Roberts, The Citadel

LB           Ryan Earl, Furman

LB           Hayward McQueen Jr., Western Carolina

DB          Cale Williams, The Citadel

DB          Kouri Crump, VMI

DB          Ken Moore Jr., Western Carolina

DB          CJ Coombes, Wofford

First team specialists

PK          Ian Williams, Furman

P             James Platte, The Citadel

LS           Alex Applefield, Samford

RS          Brayden Smith, Mercer

Second team offense

QB          Quincy Crittendon, Samford

RB          Autavius Ison, Mercer

RB          CJ Miller, Mercer

OL          Johnathan Cline, ETSU

OL          Micah Sumpter, ETSU

OL          Luke Petit, Furman

OL          Tyler Murray, Mercer

OL          Aaron Sanez, Western Carolina

OL          Quincy Hughes, Wofford

TE          John McIntyre, Chattanooga

WR         Adonis McDaniel, Mercer

WR         Malik Knight, Western Carolina

WR         Isaiah Scott, Wofford

Second team defense

DL          Brenden LeBlanc, ETSU

DL          Micah Nelson, Western Carolina

DL          Brandon Maina, Wofford

DL          Marion Smokes, Wofford

LB           Ty Anderson, ETSU

LB           Jaden Mosley, Samford

LB           Blue Monroe, Western Carolina

DB          Donovan Watkins, Mercer

DB          Jeremiah Batiste, Chattanooga

DB          Samaurie Dukes, Western Carolina

DB          Maximus Pulley, Wofford

Second team specialists

PK          Ewan Johnson, ETSU

P             John McConnell, Mercer

LS           Jaiden Hamilton, Mercer

RS          Braylon Knauth, The Citadel

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