Mercer Lands Seven On All-SoCon Teams

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer Football saw seven student-athletes earn ten Southern Conference football postseason honors as the league office released its annual awards and coaches/media all-conference teams Thursday afternoon.

Three Bears earned first team honors from both the coaches and media. Lance Wise, Solomon Zubairu, and Jason Poe all received first team accolades.

DB Lance Wise | First Team (Coaches and Media)
Lance Wise proved to be a player that opposing offenses constantly had to know the location of on the field. Wise had the tremendous ability to make big plays in all facets of the game. The Marietta, Georgia native finished the season with 59 tackles to rank 14^th in the conference, including a team high of 33 solo stops. He recorded double digit tackles in a pair of games, including a season high of 13 in the SoCon championship matchup with ETSU. Wise solidified himself as one of the best ball hawks in the SoCon, intercepting three passes on the season, one of which he returned 34 yards for a touchdown against the Citadel and another that he returned 56 yards to the one-yard line against Western Carolina. He also forced a fumble and recovered a fumble this season. Wise was named SoCon player of the week twice this year.

DL Solomon Zubairu | First Team (Coaches and Media)
Solomon Zubairu wreaked havoc on opposing offenses and was one of the best players in the Southern Conference at generating sacks. The Lawrenceville, Georgia native was fifth in the conference with five sacks on the season. Zubairu totaled 34 tackles on the season, including 5.5 tackles for loss and a team high of five quarterback hurries.

OL Jason Poe | First Team (Coaches and Media)
Jason Poe was a key member of the Bears' offensive that that opened lanes for the third-best rushing offense in the Southern Conference. Mercer's offense amassed 2,092 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns this season, averaging 209.2 yards per game. Poe claimed the ninth spot for Interior Offensive Line on the PFF 2022 NFL draft rankings.

RB Fred Davis | Second Team (Media)
Fred Davis gave opposing defensive fits with his ability to find the end zone. His 14 rushing touchdowns this season was second in the SoCon and seventh in the FCS. In total, the Fortson, Georgia native rushed for 847 yards, averaging 84.7 yards per game. Davis had his breakout performance against Samford where he rushed for school records of 276 yards and five touchdowns, earning himself Stats Perform FCS Player of the Week and SoCon Player of the Week honors. He became just the 15^th FCS player over the last 25 years to rush for over 275 yards and have five or more touchdowns in the same game. Davis rushed for multiple touchdowns in five different games this season.

DL Chris Hill | Second Team (Coaches)
Chris Hill gave offensives lines issues all season. The Statesboro, Georgia native had 4.5 tackles for loss that accumulated 19 yards. He boasted three sacks on the season, 12^th most in the Southern Conference. In total, Hill had 20 tackles on the year, with 13 of those being solo tackles. He is also credited with a fumble recovery.

DL Savio Frazier | Freshman Team – Defense
Savio Frazier came in and made an immediate impact in the orange and black. Frazier played in all ten games, recording 14 tackles on the season, including 2.5 tackles for loss. The Hampton, Georgia native was second on the team in quarterback hurries with four on the year.

P Trey Turk | Freshman Team – Special Teams
Trey Turk came in as a freshman and took over the punting duties. The Murfreesboro, Tennessee native was called upon to punt 40 times, averaging 40.6 yards per punt. He booted five punts farther than 50 yards, including a season-long of 59. Turk pinned the opposition inside their own 20-yard line on 11 different occasions.

2021 Coaches All-Southern Conference Football Team

Offensive Player of the Year – Quay Holmes, R-Jr., RB, ETSU
Defensive Player of the Year – Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., DL, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year – Andreas Keaton, DB, Western Carolina
Jacobs Blocking Award – Cole Strange, Sr., OL, Chattanooga
Coach of the Year – Randy Sanders, ETSU

First team offense
QB        Liam Welch, Gr., Samford
RB        Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU
RB        Ailym Ford, So., Chattanooga
OL        Tre'mond Shorts, R-Jr., ETSU
OL        Anderson Tomlin, R-Jr., Furman
OL        Jason Poe, Gr., Mercer
OL        McClendon Curtis, Jr., Chattanooga
OL        Cole Strange, Sr., Chattanooga
TE        Ryan Miller, Jr., Furman
WR       Montrell Washington, Sr., Samford
WR       Raphael Williams, R-Fr., Western Carolina

First team defense
DL        Solomon Zubairu, So., Mercer
DL        Ben Brewton, So., Chattanooga
DL        Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., Chattanooga
DL        Warren Dabney, Sr., VMI
LB        Jared Folks, Gr., ETSU
LB        Donovan Manuel, R-So., ETSU
LB        Stone Snyder, Jr., VMI
DB        Tyree Robinson, Sr., ETSU
DB        Lance Wise, So., Mercer
DB        Brandon Dowdell, Sr., Chattanooga
DB        Jerrell Lawson, Sr., Chattanooga

First team special teams
PK        Jerry Rice, R-So., VMI
P          Matt Campbell, Jr., The Citadel
LS         Robert Soderholm, Sr., VMI
RS        Montrell Washington, Sr., Samford

Second team offense
QB        Rogan Wells, Gr., Western Carolina
RB        Jacob Saylors, Jr., ETSU
RB        Irvin Mulligan, Jr., Wofford
OL        Tavon Matthews, So., ETSU
OL        Pearson Toomey, So., Furman
OL        Gavin Orr, Sr., Samford
OL        Nick Hartnett, R-Jr., VMI
OL        Zak Kurz, Sr., Wofford
TE        Nate Adkins, Jr., ETSU
WR       Jakob Herres, Sr., VMI
WR       Michael Jackson, Sr., VMI

Second team defense
DL        Adrian Hope, Sr., Furman
DL        Parker Stokes, Sr., Furman
DL        Chris Hill, Fr., Mercer
DL        Seth Simmer, Gr., Samford
LB        Willie Eubanks III, Sr., The Citadel
LB        Ty Boeck, Jr., Chattanooga
LB        Jay Person, So., Chattanooga
DB        Destin Mack, Jr., The Citadel
DB        Mike Price, R-So., ETSU
DB        Travis Blackshear, Jr., Furman
DB        Rashun Freeman, Sr., Chattanooga
DB        Ethan Caselberry, Sr., VMI
DB        Aljareek Malry, Jr., VMI

Second team special teams
PK        Tyler Keltner, So., ETSU
P          Timmy Bleekrode, R-So., Furman
P          Jack Culbreath, So., VMI
LS         Steele Judy, R-Fr., The Citadel
RS        Jacob Saylors, Jr., ETSU

All-Freshman Offense
Tyler Cherry, The Citadel
Joshua Harris, Furman
Jace Wilson, Furman
Dylan Davis, Furman
Jabari Brooks, Samford
KeShawn Toney, Chattanooga
Hunter Rice, VMI

All-Freshman Defense
Dominick Poole, The Citadel
Zion Alexander, ETSU
Dominic Morris, Furman
Bryce Stanfield, Furman
Savio Frazier, Mercer
Reuben Lowery III, Chattanooga
Kandler Martin, VMI
Andreas Keaton, Western Carolina
Amir Annoor, Wofford
Brandon Maina, Wofford
Chuck Smith, Wofford

All-Freshman Special Teams
Trey Turk, Mercer

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2021 SCSMA All-Southern Conference Football Team

Roy M. "Legs" Hawley Offensive Player of the Year – Quay Holmes, R-Jr., RB, ETSU
Defensive Player of the Year – Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., DL, Chattanooga
Defensive Player of the Year – Stone Snyder, Jr., LB, VMI
Freshman of the Year – Dominick Poole, DB, The Citadel
Wallace Wade Coach of the Year – Randy Sanders, ETSU

First team offense
QB        Liam Welch, Gr., Samford
RB        Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU
RB        Jacob Saylors, Jr., ETSU
RB        Ailym Ford, So., Chattanooga
OL        Tre'mond Shorts, R-Jr., ETSU
OL        Jason Poe, Gr., Mercer
OL        McClendon Curtis, Jr., Chattanooga
OL        Cole Strange, Sr., Chattanooga
OL        Nick Hartnett, R-Jr., VMI
TE        Ryan Miller, Jr., Furman
WR       Montrell Washington, Sr., Samford
WR       Raphael Williams, R-Fr., Western Carolina

First team defense
DL        Adrian Hope, Sr., Furman
DL        Solomon Zubairu, So., Mercer
DL        Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., Chattanooga
DL        Warren Dabney, Sr., VMI
LB        Donovan Manuel, R-So., ETSU
LB        Ty Boeck, Jr., Chattanooga
LB        Stone Snyder, Jr., VMI
DB        Tyree Robinson, Sr., ETSU
DB        Lance Wise, So., Mercer
DB        Brandon Dowdell, Sr., Chattanooga
DB        Jerrell Lawson, Sr., Chattanooga

First team special teams
PK        Tyler Keltner, So., ETSU
P          Jack Culbreath, So., VMI
LS         Chandlor Mullins, R-So., ETSU
RS        Montrell Washington, Sr., Samford

Second team offense
QB        Rogan Wells, Gr., Western Carolina
RB        Fred Davis, R-Fr., Mercer
RB        Irvin Mulligan, Jr., Wofford
OL        Haden Haas, Gr., The Citadel
OL        Tavon Matthews, So., ETSU
OL        Anderson Tomlin, R-Jr., Furman
OL        Pearson Toomey, So., Furman
OL        Gavin Orr, Sr., Samford
TE        Michael Vice, Jr., Samford
WR       Jakob Herres, Sr., VMI
WR       Michael Jackson, Sr., VMI

Second team defense
DL        Parker Stokes, Sr., Furman
DL        Seth Simmer, Gr., Samford
DL        Ben Brewton, So., Chattanooga
DL        Micheal Mason, Jr., Wofford
LB        Willie Eubanks III, Sr., The Citadel
LB        Jared Folks, Gr., ETSU
LB        Kareem Taylor, Gr., Western Carolina
DB        Destin Mack, Jr., The Citadel
DB        Alijah Huzzie, R-Fr., ETSU
DB        Travis Blackshear, Jr., Furman
DB        Ethan Caselberry, Sr., VMI
DB        Ronald Kent Jr., Jr., Western Carolina

Second team special teams
PK        Jerry Rice, R-So., VMI
P          Matt Campbell, Jr., The Citadel
LS         Robert Soderholm, Sr., VMI
RS        Jacob Saylors, Jr., ETSU
RS        Calvin Jones, Fr., Western Carolina

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Players Mentioned

Fred Davis

Savio Frazier

Chris Hill

Jason Poe

Trey Turk

Lance Wise Jr.

Solomon Zubairu

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