SoCon names football players of the week

Western Carolina, Samford and Chattanooga honored

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. 19. Western Carolina quarterback Cole Gonzales was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Samford linebacker Noah Martin was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Chattanooga place kicker Jude Kelley was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cole Gonzales, Jr., QB, Western Carolina, Ocala, Fla.

Gonzales had one of the best days through the air in conference history in Western Carolina’s 52-20 win at Furman. The junior went 35-for-55 through the air, finishing with a program and SoCon-record 620 yards and career-high five touchdown passes. The 620 yards were also the seventh-best single-game passing performance in FCS history. The Ocala, Florida, native’s touchdown passes came from 15, 62, 23, 20 and 48 yards out. Gonzales’ performance also helped the Catamounts log 801 total yards of offense, which set a new conference record, eclipsing the previous mark of 795 set by Chattanooga in 1978. Gonzales was named the Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Furman. Western Carolina is now ranked No. 24 in the Stats Perform Top 25 poll.

Other nominees: Kelin Parsons (Mercer), Quincy Crittendon (Samford) and Chase Artopoeus (Chattanooga)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Noah Martin, Gr., LB, Samford, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Martin finished with a game-high 10 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception returned for a touchdown in Samford’s 55-35 upset-win over then-No. 7 Mercer on Saturday. The graduate student’s fumble recovery came with 8:46 remaining in the game, stalling a Mercer drive at the Samford 28-yard line. The native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, scored his first career touchdown on a 26-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter with 6:41 remaining, sealing the victory for the Bulldogs.

Other nominees: Thomas Wyatt (The Citadel), Myles Redding (Mercer), Reuben Lowery III (Chattanooga), Eric Rankin (VMI) and Hayward McQueen Jr. (Western Carolina)

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jude Kelley, R-Jr., PK, Chattanooga, Acworth, Ga.

Kelley, who won the honor for the second consecutive week, accounted for a career-high 13 points in a 37-5 victory over Wofford. The Acworth, Georgia, product converted on all four of his extra point tries, while going 3-for-3 on field goals for the Mocs. The redshirt junior’s field goals were from 31 yards out in the first quarter, 48 yards in the third quarter and 44 yards in the fourth quarter. Kelley’s 48-yard make was a career best. Chattanooga is now ranked No. 25 in the AFCA poll and No. 19 in the Stats Perform poll.

Other nominees: James Platte (The Citadel) and 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

Oct.14 AJ Johnson, R-So., WR, ETSU

Oct. 21 Cole Gonzales, Jr., QB, Western Carolina

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

Oct. 14 TJ Moore, Sr., DB, Mercer

Oct. 21 Noah Martin, Gr., LB, Samford

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

Oct. 14 Jude Kelley, R-Jr., PK, Chattanooga

Oct. 21 Jude Kelley, R-Jr., PK, Chattanooga