SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Samford head football coach Pat Sullivan was named the Southern Conference's Co-Coach of the Year by the league's coaches, and 10 Bulldog players were honored on various teams when the league released its postseason awards on Tuesday.
 
Sullivan shared the honor with Kevin Higgins of The Citadel. Sullivan led the Bulldogs to seven wins for the first time since 2003 and to a 5-3 record in SoCon games, marking the first time the Bulldogs have finished with a winning league mark since joining the league in 2008. The Bulldogs also earned their first two wins over ranked opponents since 1994, and their first national ranking since 1993.
 
On the Coaches All-Conference team, offensive lineman Ryan Dudchock, defensive lineman Nicholas Williams, safety Jaquiski Tartt and place-kicker Cameron Yaw were named first team All-Conference. Running back Fabian Truss, wide receiver Kelsey Pope and offensive lineman Jacob Kirschenbaum were named second team All-Conference, while tight end Tony Philpot, and defensive backs Trey Wesley and James Bradberry were named to the All-Freshman Team.
 
The SoCon Sports Media Association also named Dudhcock, Williams, Tartt and Yaw to its first team. Truss, Kirschenbaum and Pope were also named second team by the media. In addition to being named second team as a running back, Truss was also named second team as a return specialist by the media.
 
Dudchock has started the last 33 consecutive games for the Bulldogs. He has been the team's center and one of the leaders of the offensive line for the last three years.
 
Williams leads the team and ranks second in the Southern Conference in sacks with seven. He finished the season with a total of 31 tackles and eight tackles for a loss.
 
Tartt, who is on the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award for the top defensive player at the FCS level, leads the team and is tied for seventh in the SoCon in tackles with 94. He leads the SoCon in passes defended with 14, and he is tied for the league lead in interceptions with four.
 
Yaw leaves Samford as the school's all-time leading scorer with 303 points in his four years in a Samford uniform. This season, he made 15-of-23 field goals, including a career-long 52-yarder at Chattanooga. He made 27-of-28 extra point attempts, and he averaged 64.1 yards on 54 kickoffs in 2012.
 
As a running back, Truss rushed for 1,063 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 96.6 yards per game. As a kick returner, Truss ranked third in the SoCon, averaging 27.1 yards per return. Overall, Truss led the league in all-purpose yard per game, averaging 179.8 yards per contest.
 
Pope led Samford in receiving, catching 68 passes for 552 yards and four touchdowns. Pope averaged 8.1 yards per catch and 50.2 yards per game. Pope also rushed six times for 25 yards and a touchdown.
 
Kirschenbaum has started the last 32 consecutive games on the offensive line for Samford. He has been a consistent leader for the unit for the last three seasons.
 
Philpot caught eight passes for 89 yards and a touchdown in his first season in a Samford uniform. He had a long catch of 62 yards, and he caught a touchdown pass in the first quarter against Appalachian State.
 
Trey Wesley finished the 2012 season with 32 tackles, including 20 solo stops. He also had four and a half tackles for a loss, three sacks and one interception as a freshman.
 
James Bradberry produced 32 tackles, including 22 solo tackles. He intercepted two passes, broke up two passes and had one and a half tackles for a loss.
 
2012 Coaches All-Southern Conference Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year – Eric Breitenstein, Sr., RB, Wofford
Co-Defensive Player of the Year – Jeremy Kimbrough, Sr., LB, Appalachian State
Co-Defensive Player of the Year – Davis Tull, So., DL, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year – Sean Price, WR, Appalachian State
Jacobs Blocking Award – Mike Sellers, Jr., OL, The Citadel
Co-Coach of the Year – Kevin Higgins, The Citadel
Co-Coach of the Year – Pat Sullivan, Samford
 
First Team Offense
QB             Jamal Jackson, Jr., Appalachian State
RB              Jerodis Williams, Sr., Furman
RB              Eric Breitenstein, Sr., Wofford
OL              Mike Sellers, Jr., The Citadel
OL              Dakota Dozier, Jr., Furman
OL              Dorian Byrd, Jr., Georgia Southern
OL              Ryan Dudchock, Sr., Samford
OL              Jared Singleton, Jr., Wofford
TE              Colin Anderson, Sr., Furman
WR             Sean Price, Fr., Appalachian State
WR             Aaron Mellette, Sr., Elon
 
First Team Defense
DL              Josh Lynn, Sr., Furman
DL              Dion Dubose, Sr., Georgia Southern
DL              Brent Russell, Sr., Georgia Southern
DL              Davis Tull, So., Chattanooga
DL              Nicholas Williams, Samford
LB              Jeremy Kimbrough, Sr., Appalachian State
LB              Wes Dothard, Sr., Chattanooga
LB              Alvin Scioneaux, Jr., Wofford
DB             Demetrius McCray, Sr., Appalachian State
DB             JJ Wilcox, Sr., Georgia Southern
DB              Jaquiski Tartt, So., Samford
DB             Darius Eubanks, Sr., Georgia Southern
 
First Team Specialists
PK              Cameron Yaw, Sr., Samford
P                Sam Martin, Sr., Appalachian State
RS              Jerodis Williams, Sr., Furman
 
Second Team Offense
QB             Thomas Wilson, Sr., Elon
RB              Steven Miller, Sr., Appalachian State
RB              Fabian Truss, Jr., Samford
OL              Justin Ward, Sr., Elon
OL              Jacob Kirschenbaum, Sr., Samford
OL              Calvin Cantrell, Sr., Wofford
OL              Tymeco Gregory, Jr., Wofford
OL              Jake Miles, So., Wofford
TE              Faysal Shafaat, So., Chattanooga
WR             Andrew Peacock, Jr., Appalachian State
WR             Kelsey Pope, Jr., Samford
 
Second Team Defense
DL              Ronald Blair, So., Appalachian State
DL              Chris Billingslea, Sr., The Citadel
DL              Derrick Lott, Jr., Chattanooga
DL              Tarek Odom, So., Wofford
LB              Brandon Grier, Sr., Appalachian State
LB              Rock Williams, Sr., Western Carolina
LB              Mike Niam, Sr., Wofford
DB             Troy Sanders, Sr., Appalachian State
DB             D.J. Key, Jr., Chattanooga
DB             Kadeem Wise, Jr., Chattanooga
DB             Blake Wylie, Sr., Wofford
 
Second Team Specialists
PK              Sam Martin, Sr., Appalachian State
P                Cass Couey, Sr., The Citadel
RS              Tony Washington, Appalachian State
 
All-Freshman Offense
Shaq Counts, OL, Appalachian State
Malachi Jones, WR, Appalachian State
Sean Price, WR, Appalachian State
Tracey Coppedge, RB, Elon
Reese Hannon, QB, Furman
Jordan Snellings, WR, Furman
Joe Turner, OL, Furman
Tony Philpot, TE, Samford
Jacob Huesman, QB, Chattanooga
Darius Ramsey, RB, Western Carolina
Troy Mitchell, QB, Western Carolina
 
All-Freshman Defense
Stephen Burns, DL, Appalachian State
Davante Harris, DL, Appalachian State
Mitchell Jeter, DL, The Citadel
James Riley, LB, The Citadel
Mark Thomas, DE, The Citadel
Reggie Thomas, DB, Furman
Patrick Flowe, LB, Georgia Southern
James Bradberry, DB, Samford
Trey Wesley, DB, Samford
Sertonuse Harris, DB, Western Carolina
Jaleel Lorquet, DB, Western Carolina
 
All-Freshman Specialists
Alex Hanks, PK, Georgia Southern
Cam Flowers, RS, Wofford
Danny LaMontagne, LS, Furman
 
 
2012 Media All-Southern Conference Football Team
Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year – Eric Breitenstein, Sr., RB, Wofford
Defensive Player of the Year – Davis Tull, So., DE, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year – Sean Price, WR, Appalachian State
Wallace Wade Coach of the Year – Kevin Higgins, The Citadel
 
First Team Offense
QB         Jamal Jackson, Jr., Appalachian State
RB         Steven Miller, Sr., Appalachian State
RB         Eric Breitenstein, Jr., Wofford
OL         Mike Sellers, Sr., The Citadel
OL         Dakota Dozier, Jr., Furman
OL         Dorian Byrd, Jr., Georgia Southern
OL         Ryan Dudchock, Sr., Samford
OL         Jake Miles, Sr., Wofford
TE          Colin Anderson, Sr., Furman
WR        Sean Price, Fr., Appalachian State
WR        Aaron Mellette, Sr., Elon
 
First Team Defense
DL         Ronald Blair, So., Appalachian State
DL         Brent Russell, Sr., Georgia Southern
DL         Nicholas Williams, Sr., Samford
DL         Davis Tull, So, Chattanooga
LB          Jeremy Kimbrough, Sr., Appalachian State
LB          Wes Dothard, Jr., Chattanooga
LB          Rock Williams, Sr., Western Carolina
DB         Demetrius McCray, Sr., Appalachian State
DB         Troy Sanders, Sr., Appalachian State
DB         Jaquiski Tartt, So., Samford
DB         D.J. Key, Jr., Chattanooga
 
First Team Specialists
PK         Cameron Yaw, Sr., Samford
P           Sam Martin, Sr., Appalachian State
RS         Jerodis Williams, Sr., Furman
 
 
Second Team Offense
QB         Thomas Wilson, Sr., Elon
RB         Jerodis Williams, Sr., Furman
RB         Fabian Truss, Jr., Samford
OL         Logan Daves, So., Georgia Southern
OL         Jacob Kirschenbaum, Sr., Samford
OL         Adam Miller, Sr., Chattanooga
OL         Calvin Cantrell, Sr., Wofford
OL         Ty Gregory, Jr., Wofford
OL         (tie) Jared Singleton, Jr., Wofford
TE          Faysal Shafaat, So., Chattanooga
WR        Andrew Peacock, Jr., Appalachian State
WR        Kelsey Pope, Jr., Samford
 
Second Team Defense
DL         Chris Billingslea, Sr., The Citadel
DL         Javon Mention, Jr., Georgia Southern
DL         Dion Dubose, Sr., Georgia Southern
DL         Derrick Lott, Jr., Chattanooga
LB          Brandon Grier, Sr., Appalachian State
LB          Jonathan Spain, So., Elon
LB          Alvin Scioneaux, Jr., Wofford
DB         Brandon McCladdie, Jr., The Citadel
DB         Darius Eubanks, Sr., Georgia Southern
DB         JJ Wilcox, Sr., Georgia Southern
DB         Kadeem Wise, Jr., Chattanooga
 
Second Team Specialists
PK        Adam Shreiner, Sr., Elon
P          Cass Couey, Sr., The Citadel
RS        Fabian Truss, Jr., Samford