Photo by: Judy Stapleton
Seven Bears Tabbed with All-SoCon Preseason Honors
7/22/2019 1:00:00 PM | Football
Mercer picked to finish fifth by league coaches, fourth by league media
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Seven Mercer football student-athletes were voted onto the 2019 Preseason All-Southern Conference teams, the league office announced at its annual media day on Monday.
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Mercer was picked to finish fifth and fourth by the league's coaches and media, respectively, in a pair of preseason polls that were additionally announced. Both poll placements are tied for Mercer's highest since joining the conference for the 2014 season.
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Individually, Mercer's seven players were selected to eight different positions on the All-SoCon teams, including three first-team members and five second-team members. The selections were voted on by the conference's head coaches and announced during the SoCon Football Media day luncheon.
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The Bears' three first-team members were redshirt senior offensive lineman Austin Sanders, junior running back Tyray Devezin and sophomore return specialist David Durden. Durden was additionally named a second-team member as a wide receiver, joining tight end Chris Ellington, defensive lineman Dorian Kithcart, linebacker Will Coneway and defensive back Malique Fleming.
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Sanders appeared in and started all 11 games at left tackle a season ago for the Bears as he earned first-team honors from the league's media and second-team honors from the league's coaches. He has helped Mercer rank among the FCS' top five teams nationally in red zone offense in both 2017 and 2018.
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Devezin burst onto the scene as a sophomore, playing in all 11 games and rushing for 926 yards and eight touchdowns on 164 carries (5.6 yards per carry). He additionally caught eight passes for 97 yards and one touchdown. The rising junior topped 100 rushing yards four times, including a breakout performance in the season finale when he tallied 185 rushing yards (235 all-purpose yards) on 30 carries against Furman.
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Durden was tabbed as a HERO Sports FCS Freshman All-American last season and established himself as one of the SoCon's most dynamic playmakers. The rising sophomore tallied seven total touchdowns (five receiving, one kick return, one passing) and caught 18 passes for 407 yards. Durden set a school record with a 95-yard kick return for a touchdown against Western Carolina on Oct. 20 and had a three-touchdown performance against Yale on Oct. 13.
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Ellington proved to be one of Mercer's most reliable offensive tools as a junior, playing in all 11 games and earning multiple starts at tight end. He hauled in 10 passes for 97 yards, including a pivotal touchdown catch that sealed a road victory at Chattanooga. The Jacksonville, Fla., native was the Bears' top blocking tight end, helping Mercer rank fourth nationally in red zone offense (92.1 percent).
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Kithcart played in 10 of 11 games as Mercer's starting nose guard in 2018 and tallied a career-best 29 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He finished the season in dominant fashion, recording at least one TFL in each of the last three games.
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Coneway, a redshirt senior linebacker, tallied team-leading 94 tackles and finished fifth in the conference with 8.5 tackles per game last season. He is just one of just five players in program history to record 200-plus career tackles after a 2018 season that included five 10-plus tackle performances.
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Fleming, a hard-hitting free safety, was named an All-SoCon Second Team member by the media last season. He recorded 77 total tackles (47 solo) and forced two fumbles and three pass breakups while starting nine of 10 games.
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2019 SoCon Preseason Polls
Coaches
#Â Â Â Â Â Team (first-place)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Points
1.    Wofford (7)                  63
2.    Furman (1)                   55
3.    ETSU (1)                        44
4.    Chattanooga                 40
5.   Mercer                          34
6.    Samford                        33
7.    The Citadel                   22
8.    Western Carolina        21
9.    VMI                                12
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Media
#Â Â Â Â Â Team (first-place)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Points
1.    Wofford (21)               253
2.    Furman (6)                   229
3.    ETSU (2)                        187
4.   Mercer                          146
5.    Chattanooga                 134
6.    Samford                        125
7.    The Citadel                   111
8.    Western Carolina        88
9.    VMI                                32
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2019 All-SoCon Preseason Teams
First Team Offense
QBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyrie Adams, R-Sr., Western Carolina
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Quay Holmes, R-So., ETSU
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyray Devezin, Jr., Mercer
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bo Layton, R-Jr., Furman
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Austin Sanders, R-Sr., Mercer
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nick Nixon, Sr., Samford
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Justus Basinger, Sr., Wofford
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Michael Ralph, Sr., Wofford
TEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Owen Cosenke, Jr., Western Carolina
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bryce Nunnelly, Jr., Chattanooga
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Javeon Lara, Sr., VMI
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First Team Defense
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Joseph Randall II, Sr., The Citadel
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jason Maduafokwa, R-Sr., ETSU
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nasir Player, R-Sr., ETSU
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thad Mangum, Sr., Wofford
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Willie Eubanks III, Jr., The Citadel
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Adrian Hope, R-So., Furman
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Marshall Cooper, Sr., Chattanooga
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyree Robinson, Jr., ETSU
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brandon Dowdell, Jr., Chattanooga
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jerrell Lawson, R-Jr., Chattanooga
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A.J. Smith, Jr., VMI
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ronald Kent Jr., So., Western Carolina
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First Team Specialists
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Grayson Atkins, Jr., Furman
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mitchell Fineran, So., Samford
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Matthew Campbell, So., The Citadel
RSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â David Durden, So., Mercer
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Second Team Offense
QBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Reece Udinski, Jr., VMI
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Devin Wynn, Jr., Furman
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyrell Price, Sr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Haden Haas, R-So., The Citadel
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Drew McEntyre, Sr., The Citadel
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ben Blackmon, R-Sr., ETSU
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tre'mond Shorts, R-So., ETSU
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Andy Godwin, R-Sr., Furman
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cole Strange, R-Jr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Blake Jeresaty, Jr., Wofford
TEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chris Ellington, Sr., Mercer
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thomas Gordon, Sr., Furman
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â David Durden, So., Mercer
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Second Team Defense
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dorian Kithcart, R-Sr., Mercer
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Justin Foster, Sr., Samford
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nelson Jordan, So., Samford
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mikel Horton, Jr., Wofford
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Elijah McKoy, Jr., Furman
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Will Coneway, R-Sr., Mercer
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jireh Wilson, Sr., Wofford
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jeremy Lewis, Sr., ETSU
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Malique Fleming, R-Jr., Mercer
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mason Alstatt, Sr., Wofford
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â George Gbesee, Sr., Wofford
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Second Team Specialists
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jacob Godek, Sr., The Citadel
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Luke Carter, Sr., Wofford
RSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Rohan Martin, Sr., VMI
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Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Football, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerFootball (Twitter), /MercerFootball (Facebook) and @MercerFootball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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Mercer was picked to finish fifth and fourth by the league's coaches and media, respectively, in a pair of preseason polls that were additionally announced. Both poll placements are tied for Mercer's highest since joining the conference for the 2014 season.
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Individually, Mercer's seven players were selected to eight different positions on the All-SoCon teams, including three first-team members and five second-team members. The selections were voted on by the conference's head coaches and announced during the SoCon Football Media day luncheon.
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The Bears' three first-team members were redshirt senior offensive lineman Austin Sanders, junior running back Tyray Devezin and sophomore return specialist David Durden. Durden was additionally named a second-team member as a wide receiver, joining tight end Chris Ellington, defensive lineman Dorian Kithcart, linebacker Will Coneway and defensive back Malique Fleming.
Sanders appeared in and started all 11 games at left tackle a season ago for the Bears as he earned first-team honors from the league's media and second-team honors from the league's coaches. He has helped Mercer rank among the FCS' top five teams nationally in red zone offense in both 2017 and 2018.
Devezin burst onto the scene as a sophomore, playing in all 11 games and rushing for 926 yards and eight touchdowns on 164 carries (5.6 yards per carry). He additionally caught eight passes for 97 yards and one touchdown. The rising junior topped 100 rushing yards four times, including a breakout performance in the season finale when he tallied 185 rushing yards (235 all-purpose yards) on 30 carries against Furman.
Durden was tabbed as a HERO Sports FCS Freshman All-American last season and established himself as one of the SoCon's most dynamic playmakers. The rising sophomore tallied seven total touchdowns (five receiving, one kick return, one passing) and caught 18 passes for 407 yards. Durden set a school record with a 95-yard kick return for a touchdown against Western Carolina on Oct. 20 and had a three-touchdown performance against Yale on Oct. 13.
Ellington proved to be one of Mercer's most reliable offensive tools as a junior, playing in all 11 games and earning multiple starts at tight end. He hauled in 10 passes for 97 yards, including a pivotal touchdown catch that sealed a road victory at Chattanooga. The Jacksonville, Fla., native was the Bears' top blocking tight end, helping Mercer rank fourth nationally in red zone offense (92.1 percent).
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 Kithcart played in 10 of 11 games as Mercer's starting nose guard in 2018 and tallied a career-best 29 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He finished the season in dominant fashion, recording at least one TFL in each of the last three games.
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Fleming, a hard-hitting free safety, was named an All-SoCon Second Team member by the media last season. He recorded 77 total tackles (47 solo) and forced two fumbles and three pass breakups while starting nine of 10 games.
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2019 SoCon Preseason Polls
Coaches
#Â Â Â Â Â Team (first-place)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Points
1.    Wofford (7)                  63
2.    Furman (1)                   55
3.    ETSU (1)                        44
4.    Chattanooga                 40
5.   Mercer                          34
6.    Samford                        33
7.    The Citadel                   22
8.    Western Carolina        21
9.    VMI                                12
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Media
#Â Â Â Â Â Team (first-place)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Points
1.    Wofford (21)               253
2.    Furman (6)                   229
3.    ETSU (2)                        187
4.   Mercer                          146
5.    Chattanooga                 134
6.    Samford                        125
7.    The Citadel                   111
8.    Western Carolina        88
9.    VMI                                32
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2019 All-SoCon Preseason Teams
First Team Offense
QBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyrie Adams, R-Sr., Western Carolina
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Quay Holmes, R-So., ETSU
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyray Devezin, Jr., Mercer
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bo Layton, R-Jr., Furman
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Austin Sanders, R-Sr., Mercer
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nick Nixon, Sr., Samford
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Justus Basinger, Sr., Wofford
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Michael Ralph, Sr., Wofford
TEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Owen Cosenke, Jr., Western Carolina
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bryce Nunnelly, Jr., Chattanooga
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Javeon Lara, Sr., VMI
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First Team Defense
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Joseph Randall II, Sr., The Citadel
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jason Maduafokwa, R-Sr., ETSU
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nasir Player, R-Sr., ETSU
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thad Mangum, Sr., Wofford
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Willie Eubanks III, Jr., The Citadel
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Adrian Hope, R-So., Furman
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Marshall Cooper, Sr., Chattanooga
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyree Robinson, Jr., ETSU
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brandon Dowdell, Jr., Chattanooga
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jerrell Lawson, R-Jr., Chattanooga
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A.J. Smith, Jr., VMI
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ronald Kent Jr., So., Western Carolina
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First Team Specialists
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Grayson Atkins, Jr., Furman
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mitchell Fineran, So., Samford
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Matthew Campbell, So., The Citadel
RSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â David Durden, So., Mercer
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Second Team Offense
QBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Reece Udinski, Jr., VMI
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Devin Wynn, Jr., Furman
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyrell Price, Sr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Haden Haas, R-So., The Citadel
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Drew McEntyre, Sr., The Citadel
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ben Blackmon, R-Sr., ETSU
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tre'mond Shorts, R-So., ETSU
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Andy Godwin, R-Sr., Furman
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cole Strange, R-Jr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Blake Jeresaty, Jr., Wofford
TEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chris Ellington, Sr., Mercer
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thomas Gordon, Sr., Furman
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â David Durden, So., Mercer
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Second Team Defense
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dorian Kithcart, R-Sr., Mercer
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Justin Foster, Sr., Samford
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nelson Jordan, So., Samford
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mikel Horton, Jr., Wofford
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Elijah McKoy, Jr., Furman
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Will Coneway, R-Sr., Mercer
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jireh Wilson, Sr., Wofford
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jeremy Lewis, Sr., ETSU
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Malique Fleming, R-Jr., Mercer
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Mason Alstatt, Sr., Wofford
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â George Gbesee, Sr., Wofford
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Second Team Specialists
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jacob Godek, Sr., The Citadel
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Luke Carter, Sr., Wofford
RSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Rohan Martin, Sr., VMI
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Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Football, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerFootball (Twitter), /MercerFootball (Facebook) and @MercerFootball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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