CSJ Conference Preview: SoCon
College Sports Journal announces their 2018 Fearless Prediction for the Order of finish of the Southern Conference.
CSJ picks Samford to win the SoCon this season, thanks to the powerful Bulldog offense that head coach Chris Hatcher returns in 2018.
Leading the Bulldog offense is Samford QB Devlin Hodges, who collected his second straight SoCon Offensive Player of the Year award at the conclusion of the 2017 season. The rising redshirt senior from Kimberley, Alabama, was named a second-team All-American by the AFCA and ranked third in the FCS with 3,983 passing yards and fifth with 31 touchdowns. Hodges was sixth in the FCS with 331.9 passing yards per game and led the nation with 28.92 completions per game. Overall, Hodges was 347-for-528 with just 11 interceptions on the season. He had a career game against Western Carolina on Sept. 23 of last season, throwing for 516 yards, the third-best mark in league history, and amassing 530 yards of total offense, the second-best single-game total in SoCon lore.
For information and details on each school’s prospects for 2018, click on the links below.
2017 All-SoCon Football Preseason Team
2018 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Devlin Hodges, R-Sr., QB, Samford
Defensive Player of the Year: Ahmad Gooden, R-Sr., DL, Samford
First team offense
QB Devlin Hodges, R-Sr., Samford
RB Kealand Dirks, R-Sr., Furman
RB Andre Stoddard, Sr., Wofford
OL Tyler Davis, Sr., The Citadel
OL Austin Sanders, R-Jr., Mercer
OL Nick Nixon, Jr., Samford
OL Zach Weeks, R-Sr., Western Carolina
OL Michael Ralph, Jr., Wofford
TE Sam Walker, R-Sr., Mercer
WR Marquise Irvin, Sr., Mercer
WR Kelvin McKnight, Sr., Samford
First team defense
DL Nasir Player, R-Jr., ETSU
DL Ahmad Gooden, R-Sr., Samford
DL Isaiah Mack, R-Sr., Chattanooga
DL Miles Brown, Sr., Wofford
LB Elijah McKoy, So., Furman
LB LeMarkus Bailey, R-Sr., Mercer
LB Datavious Wilson, Jr., Wofford
DB Aron Spann III, Sr., The Citadel
DB Aaquil Annoor, Sr., Furman
DB Marvin Tillman, Sr., Western Carolina
DB Devin Watson, Sr., Wofford
First team specialists
PK Luke Carter, Jr., Wofford
P Ian Berryman, R-Sr., Western Carolina
RS Brandon Dowdell, So., Chattanooga
Second team offense
QB Tyrie Adams, R-Jr., Western Carolina
RB Tee Mitchell, Sr., Mercer
RB Tyrell Price, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Drew McEntyre, Jr., The Citadel
OL Matt Pyke, R-Sr., ETSU
OL Reed Kroeber, R-So., Furman
OL Malcolm White, R-Jr., Chattanooga
OL Brad Davis, So., VMI
OL Nathan Dalton, R-Sr., Western Carolina
OL Andrew Miles, R-Sr., Western Carolina
OL Justus Basinger, Jr., Wofford
TE Jake Walker, So., Furman
WR Thomas Gordon, Jr., Furman
WR Chris Shelling, Jr., Samford
WR Bingo Morton, R-Sr., Chattanooga
Second team defense
DL Ja’Lon Williams, Jr., The Citadel
DL Jaylan Reid, R-Sr., Furman
DL Isaiah Buehler, R-Sr., Mercer
DL Mikel Horton, Jr., Wofford
LB Noah Dawkins, Sr., The Citadel
LB Dylan Weigel, R-Sr., ETSU
LB Christian Stark, Sr., Samford
DB Eric Jackson, R-Jr., Mercer
DB Darius Harvey, R-Sr., Samford
DB Kareem Orr, Sr., Chattanooga
DB Mason Alstatt, Jr., Wofford
Second team specialists
PK JJ Jerman, Sr., ETSU
P Matt Shiel, Gr., Mercer
P Luke Carter, Jr., Wofford
RS Quan Harrison R-Jr., ETSU
