Five Bears Tabbed with All-SoCon Preseason Honors
7/26/2021 1:01:00 PM | Football
ASHVILLE, N.C. – Five Mercer football student-athletes were voted onto the 2021 Preseason All-Southern Conference teams, the league office announced at its annual media day on Monday.
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The complete polls and All-SoCon Preseason Teams area located below.
Season tickets for the Mercer Football season are still available and can be purchased by Clicking here. The season ticket renewal deadline is set for Aug. 2. Following the Aug. 2 deadline, seats will be released if not renewed. You can renew your season tickets by clicking here.
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Individually, Mercer's five players were selected to four different positions on the All-SoCon teams, including one first team member and four second team members. The selections were voted on by the conference's head coaches and announced during the SoCon Football Media day luncheon. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or teams.
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The Bears' lone first team member was sophomore defensive lineman Solomon Zubairu. Brandon Marshall (running back), Chris Hill (defensive line), Isaac Dowling (linebacker) and Lance Wise (defensive back) earned second team honors.
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Zubairu wreaked havoc on opposing offenses and was one of the best players in the spring Southern Conference at generating negative plays. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native led the conference with 10.5 tackles for loss, the second-most in the program's single-season history, and ranked third with 5.5 sacks. Zubairu totaled 41 tackles in his second collegiate season. One of Zubairu's top performances of the season came in Mercer's 35-28 upset victory at No. 9 Chattanooga when he posted a season-high seven tackles, including a personal-best 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.Â
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Marshall, a redshirt freshman from Jacksonville, Fla. was a playmaker for the Bears' offense last season. He appeared in all 11 games for the Bears and was made plays in the ground attack and in the passing game. He set career-highs in rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards. One of Marshall's top performances came in the Bears 35-28 upset of No. 9 Chattanooga. Against the Mocs, he tallied 74 rushing yards and score two touchdowns. He finished the season with 273 rushing yards, the third-most on the team.
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Another impact defensive lineman is Hill, who appeared in nine game last season for the Bears. In the final game of the fall slate, Hill registered a season-high four tackles with a sack and a tackle for loss. In the regular season finale, he tallied three tackles, two of which went for a loss. Hill played a key role in the Bears' defensive pressure that resulted in the Bears recorded 28 sacks as a team, the most since the 2013 season.
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From the first moment he stepped onto the gridiron last season with the Bears, Dowling made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball. The 5-foot-10-inch linebacker made 16 tackles in each of his first two collegiate games, totaling three sacks against Jacksonville State and Army. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native led the Bears and ranked sixth in the conference with 91 tackles, including 42 solo stops. His 6.5 sacks were also the second-most in the Southern Conference, while ranking third in program history. Dowling totaled four games with at least 10 tackles, including a season-high 17 in the season finale at Samford on April 17.
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Opposing teams quickly learned to make sure they knew where Wise was on the field at all times as he was one of the Orange & Black's top defensive players. The Marietta, Ga., native finished with 86 tackles in his sophomore campaign to rank 12th in the conference, including 43 solo stops and 4.0 tackles for a loss of 10 yards. He recorded double-digit tackles in three games this season, including a 20-tackle clinic on Oct. 31 against Abilene Christian that was the second-most stops in the program's single-game history. Wise was also one of the best ball hawks in the SoCon, leading the conference with nine passes defended with eight break ups and an interception.
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Mercer was picked to finish sixth by the league's coaches and media, respectively, in a pair of preseason polls that were also announced.
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2021 SoCon Preseason Polls
Coaches
#Â Â Â Â Team (first-place)Â Â Points
1. Â Â Chattanooga (4)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 59
2. Â Â Samford (2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 52
3. Â Â VMI (2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 50
4. Â Â ETSU (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 49
5.   Furman                       34
6.   Mercer                        29
7.   The Citadel                22
8.   Wofford                      21
9.   Western Carolina    8
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Media
#Â Â Â Â Team (first-place)Â Â Points
1. Â Â Chattanooga (18)Â Â Â Â 248
2. Â Â VMI (6)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 217
t3. Â ETSU (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 181
t3. Â Furman (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 181
t3.  Samford (2)               181
6.   Mercer                        123
7.   Wofford                      108
8.   The Citadel                79
9.   Western Carolina    32
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2021 All-SoCon Preseason Teams
Offensive Player of the Year:Â Liam Welch, QB, Gr., Samford
Defensive Player of the Year:Â Stone Snyder, LB, Jr., VMI
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First team offense
QBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Liam Welch, Gr., Samford
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Devin Wynn, 5th, Furman
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ailym Ford, So., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tre'mond Shorts, R-Jr., ETSU
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Gavin Orr, Jr., Samford
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cole Strange, Sr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Marshall Gill, Sr., VMI
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyler Smith, R-So., Western Carolina
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Zak Kurz, Sr., Wofford
TEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nate Adkins, Jr., ETSU
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ty King, R-So., Samford
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jakob Herres, Sr., VMI
 First team defense
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Solomon Zubairu, So., Mercer
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Armond Lloyd, R-Sr., Samford
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., Chattanooga
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Michael Mason, Jr., Wofford
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Willie Eubanks III, Sr., The Citadel
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jared Folks, Gr., ETSU
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Stone Snyder, Jr., VMI
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyree Robinson, Sr., ETSU
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chris Edmonds, So., Samford
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brandon Dowdell, Sr., Chattanooga
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ethan Caselberry, Sr., VMI
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First team specialists
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyler Keltner, So., ETSU
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Matthew Campbell, Jr., The Citadel
RSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montrell Washington, Sr., Samford
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Second team offense
QBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Seth Morgan, R-So., VMI
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brandon Marshall, Fr., Mercer
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nathan Walker, Sr., Wofford
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Haden Haas, R-Sr., The Citadel
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tavon Matthews, So., ETSU
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Anderson Tomlin, R-Jr., Furman
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â McClendon Curtis, Jr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Harrison Moon, Sr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Al Hogan, Jr., Wofford
TEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Michael Vice, So., Samford
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â AJ Toney, So., Samford
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Reggie Henderson, Sr., Chattanooga
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Second team defense
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parker Stokes, 5th, Furman
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chris Hill, Fr., Mercer
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jay Person, So., Chattanooga
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Warren Dabney, Sr., VMI
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Britton Jr., So., The Citadel
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Donovan Manuel, R-So., ETSU
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Isaac Dowling, Fr., Mercer
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Trimarcus Cheeks, So., Samford
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Alijah Huzzie, R-Fr., ETSU
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Travis Blackshear, R-Jr., Furman
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lance Wise, So., Mercer
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jerrell Lawson, Sr., Chattanooga
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Second team specialists
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Timmy Bleekrode, R-So., Furman
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Timmy Bleekrode, R-So., Furman
RSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU
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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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The complete polls and All-SoCon Preseason Teams area located below.
Season tickets for the Mercer Football season are still available and can be purchased by Clicking here. The season ticket renewal deadline is set for Aug. 2. Following the Aug. 2 deadline, seats will be released if not renewed. You can renew your season tickets by clicking here.
Â
Individually, Mercer's five players were selected to four different positions on the All-SoCon teams, including one first team member and four second team members. The selections were voted on by the conference's head coaches and announced during the SoCon Football Media day luncheon. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or teams.
Â
The Bears' lone first team member was sophomore defensive lineman Solomon Zubairu. Brandon Marshall (running back), Chris Hill (defensive line), Isaac Dowling (linebacker) and Lance Wise (defensive back) earned second team honors.
Â
Zubairu wreaked havoc on opposing offenses and was one of the best players in the spring Southern Conference at generating negative plays. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native led the conference with 10.5 tackles for loss, the second-most in the program's single-season history, and ranked third with 5.5 sacks. Zubairu totaled 41 tackles in his second collegiate season. One of Zubairu's top performances of the season came in Mercer's 35-28 upset victory at No. 9 Chattanooga when he posted a season-high seven tackles, including a personal-best 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.Â
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Marshall, a redshirt freshman from Jacksonville, Fla. was a playmaker for the Bears' offense last season. He appeared in all 11 games for the Bears and was made plays in the ground attack and in the passing game. He set career-highs in rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, receptions and receiving yards. One of Marshall's top performances came in the Bears 35-28 upset of No. 9 Chattanooga. Against the Mocs, he tallied 74 rushing yards and score two touchdowns. He finished the season with 273 rushing yards, the third-most on the team.
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Another impact defensive lineman is Hill, who appeared in nine game last season for the Bears. In the final game of the fall slate, Hill registered a season-high four tackles with a sack and a tackle for loss. In the regular season finale, he tallied three tackles, two of which went for a loss. Hill played a key role in the Bears' defensive pressure that resulted in the Bears recorded 28 sacks as a team, the most since the 2013 season.
Â
From the first moment he stepped onto the gridiron last season with the Bears, Dowling made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball. The 5-foot-10-inch linebacker made 16 tackles in each of his first two collegiate games, totaling three sacks against Jacksonville State and Army. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native led the Bears and ranked sixth in the conference with 91 tackles, including 42 solo stops. His 6.5 sacks were also the second-most in the Southern Conference, while ranking third in program history. Dowling totaled four games with at least 10 tackles, including a season-high 17 in the season finale at Samford on April 17.
Â
Opposing teams quickly learned to make sure they knew where Wise was on the field at all times as he was one of the Orange & Black's top defensive players. The Marietta, Ga., native finished with 86 tackles in his sophomore campaign to rank 12th in the conference, including 43 solo stops and 4.0 tackles for a loss of 10 yards. He recorded double-digit tackles in three games this season, including a 20-tackle clinic on Oct. 31 against Abilene Christian that was the second-most stops in the program's single-game history. Wise was also one of the best ball hawks in the SoCon, leading the conference with nine passes defended with eight break ups and an interception.
Â
Mercer was picked to finish sixth by the league's coaches and media, respectively, in a pair of preseason polls that were also announced.
Â
2021 SoCon Preseason Polls
Coaches
#Â Â Â Â Team (first-place)Â Â Points
1. Â Â Chattanooga (4)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 59
2. Â Â Samford (2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 52
3. Â Â VMI (2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 50
4. Â Â ETSU (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 49
5.   Furman                       34
6.   Mercer                        29
7.   The Citadel                22
8.   Wofford                      21
9.   Western Carolina    8
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Media
#Â Â Â Â Team (first-place)Â Â Points
1. Â Â Chattanooga (18)Â Â Â Â 248
2. Â Â VMI (6)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 217
t3. Â ETSU (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 181
t3. Â Furman (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 181
t3.  Samford (2)               181
6.   Mercer                        123
7.   Wofford                      108
8.   The Citadel                79
9.   Western Carolina    32
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2021 All-SoCon Preseason Teams
Offensive Player of the Year:Â Liam Welch, QB, Gr., Samford
Defensive Player of the Year:Â Stone Snyder, LB, Jr., VMI
Â
First team offense
QBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Liam Welch, Gr., Samford
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Devin Wynn, 5th, Furman
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ailym Ford, So., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tre'mond Shorts, R-Jr., ETSU
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Gavin Orr, Jr., Samford
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cole Strange, Sr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Marshall Gill, Sr., VMI
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyler Smith, R-So., Western Carolina
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Zak Kurz, Sr., Wofford
TEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nate Adkins, Jr., ETSU
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ty King, R-So., Samford
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jakob Herres, Sr., VMI
 First team defense
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Solomon Zubairu, So., Mercer
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Armond Lloyd, R-Sr., Samford
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., Chattanooga
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Michael Mason, Jr., Wofford
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Willie Eubanks III, Sr., The Citadel
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jared Folks, Gr., ETSU
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Stone Snyder, Jr., VMI
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyree Robinson, Sr., ETSU
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chris Edmonds, So., Samford
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brandon Dowdell, Sr., Chattanooga
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ethan Caselberry, Sr., VMI
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First team specialists
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tyler Keltner, So., ETSU
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Matthew Campbell, Jr., The Citadel
RSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montrell Washington, Sr., Samford
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Second team offense
QBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Seth Morgan, R-So., VMI
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brandon Marshall, Fr., Mercer
RBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nathan Walker, Sr., Wofford
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Haden Haas, R-Sr., The Citadel
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tavon Matthews, So., ETSU
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Anderson Tomlin, R-Jr., Furman
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â McClendon Curtis, Jr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Harrison Moon, Sr., Chattanooga
OLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Al Hogan, Jr., Wofford
TEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Michael Vice, So., Samford
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â AJ Toney, So., Samford
WRÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Reggie Henderson, Sr., Chattanooga
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Second team defense
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Parker Stokes, 5th, Furman
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chris Hill, Fr., Mercer
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jay Person, So., Chattanooga
DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Warren Dabney, Sr., VMI
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Britton Jr., So., The Citadel
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Donovan Manuel, R-So., ETSU
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Isaac Dowling, Fr., Mercer
LBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Trimarcus Cheeks, So., Samford
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Alijah Huzzie, R-Fr., ETSU
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Travis Blackshear, R-Jr., Furman
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lance Wise, So., Mercer
DBÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jerrell Lawson, Sr., Chattanooga
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Second team specialists
PKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Timmy Bleekrode, R-So., Furman
PÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Timmy Bleekrode, R-So., Furman
RSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU
Â
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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