SoCon names football players of the week

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference Football Players of the Week presented by Southern Recognition were awarded for all games played so far this season. Mercer quarterback DJ Smith was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Wofford linebacker Jalen Marshall was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Bears wide receiver Brayden Smith was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: DJ Smith, Jr., QB, Mercer, Greenwood, Miss.
Smith accounted for four touchdowns in the Bears’ 63-10 win over Presbyterian on Thursday in his Mercer debut. The junior went 20-for-24 through the air, completing 83.3 percent of his passes for 331 yards, along with rushing for 25 yards on six carries. The Greenwood, Mississippi, product had touchdown passes of 13, 68 and 9 yards, as well as a 1-yard touchdown run. The junior finished the contest with a 232.1 passer rating, which is the third-highest in school history.

Other nominees: Johnathan Bennett (The Citadel), Devontae Houston (ETSU), Quincy Crittendon (Samford), Reggie Davis (Chattanooga), Hunter Rice (VMI), AJ Colombo (Western Carolina) and Kyle Watkins (Wofford)
 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jalen Marshall, Jr., LB, Wofford, Hiram, Ga.
Marshall had 10 tackles, including two tackles for loss, and a pass deflection in the Terriers’ 21-20 win at Gardner-Webb on Thursday. The junior was part of a defense that held Gardner-Webb to 62 rushing yards on 22 attempts. Marshall, a native of Hiram, Georgia, surpassed the 100-tackle threshold for his Terrier career in the third quarter of last week’s game.

 
Other nominees: Je'Mazin Roberts (The Citadel), Cameron Sims (ETSU), Noah Martin (Samford), Kobe Joseph (Chattanooga) and Ken Moore Jr. (Western Carolina)
 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Brayden Smith, So., WR, Mercer, Macon, Ga.
Smith had 238 all-purpose yards in Mercer’s win. The Macon, Georgia, native had a 75-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter. The sophomore also had two kickoff returns for 69 yards, one rush for 11 yards and three catches for 83 yards, including a third-quarter touchdown grab. Smith was named the Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday for his performance against Presbyterian.

 
Other nominees: Bradlee Jones (The Citadel), Nate Brackett (ETSU), Will Thorley (Samford) and Bridger Jones (Wofford)
 
2024 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Sept. 2             DJ Smith, Jr., QB, Mercer
 
Defensive
Sept. 2             Jalen Marshall, Jr., LB, Wofford
 
Special teams
Sept. 2             Brayden Smith, So., WR, Mercer