GREENVILLE, S.C – Highlighted by Michael Hiers being named Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, the defending SoCon Champion Samford football team was selected as preseason co-favorites by the coaches when the league office announced on Thursday at the SoCon's annual Football Media Days.
In addition to Hiers, six other Bulldogs earned All-SoCon recognition, including offensive lineman Jabari Brooks, wide receiver Chandler Smith, defensive lineman Joseph Mera, linebacker Noah Martin and defensive back Kourtlan Marsh to the first team. Running back Jay Stanton was the only Samford representative on the second team.
Hiers was named the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 after leading the Bulldogs to an 11-2 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in SoCon play. The 2022 team won the program's first outright SoCon title and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1991.
Individually in 2022, Hiers passed for a SoCon-best 3,544 yards and 36 touchdowns to tie Devlin Hodges' single-season school record that he set in 2016. Hiers ranked in the top 10 nationally in completion percentage (76.6%/1st), completions per game (27.15/3rd), passing efficiency (165.2/8th), passing touchdowns (36/4th), passing yards (3,544/6th), points responsible for (2,234/6th) and points responsible per game (18/7th) for the 2022 season.
Smith Ranked in the top 100 nationally in receptions per game (7.7/4th), receiving touchdowns (11/10th), receiving yards (1,071/11th), receiving yards per game (82.4/24th), total touchdowns (11/51st) and All-Purpose yards (87.54/96th). Along with former Bulldog teammate Kendall Watson, Smith and Watson were one of two pairs of teammates in the country to have 1,000+ receiving yards and 10+ touchdowns during the 2022 season.
Stanton led the Samford rushing attack with 775 rushing yards on 176 attempts with five touchdowns while also catching 35 passes out of the backfield for 177 yards and a score.
Brooks started all 13 games along the offensive line for the SoCon Champions in 2022 as a sophomore.
Leading the defense, Mera tallied 25 tackles in 2022 with a team-high four sacks from the defensive line.
On the second level, Martin paced Samford with 92 tackles as a junior in 2022 and a team-best 7.5 tackles for loss.
Marsh was the Bulldog anchor on the backend with 50 tackles during the 2022 campaign with one interception coming in the home opener against Kennesaw State.
Chattanooga's Jay Person was tabbed as Preseason SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, while Furman was picked to win the SoCon by the media with Samford finishing second.
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2023 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Michael Hiers, Sr., QB, Samford
Defensive Player of the Year: Jay Person, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
First team offense
QB
Michael Hiers, Sr., Samford
RB Dominic Roberto, R-Sr., Furman
RB Ailym Ford, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Jacob Johanning, R-Sr., Furman
OL Pearson Toomey, R-Sr., Furman
OL John Thomas, Sr., Mercer
OL
Jabari Brooks, Jr., Samford
OL Reid Williams, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Tyler Smith, R-Sr., Western Carolina
TE Ajay Belanger, Sr., Western Carolina
WR Devron Harper, Sr., Mercer
WR Ty James, R-Jr., Mercer
WR
Chandler Smith, Sr., Samford
First team defense
DL Solomon Zubairu, Sr., Mercer
DL
Joseph Mera, Sr., Samford
DL Ben Brewton, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Jay Person, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Micah Nelson, Jr., Western Carolina
LB Braden Gilby, Gr., Furman
LB Isaac Dowling, Jr., Mercer
LB
Noah Martin, Jr., Samford
DB Travis Blackshear, Gr., Furman
DB Hugh Ryan, R-Sr., Furman
DB
Kourtlan Marsh, Jr., Samford
DB Kameron Brown, Sr., Chattanooga
DB Alex Oliver, Sr., VMI
DB Andreas Keaton, Jr., Western Carolina
First team specialists
PK Richard McCollum, R-Sr., Western Carolina
P Jack Culbreath, Sr., VMI
LS Julian Ashby, R-Jr., Furman
RS Devron Harper, Sr., Mercer
Second team offense
QB Tyler Huff, Gr., Furman
RB
Jay Stanton, Sr., Samford
RB Desmond Reid, So., Western Carolina
OL Israel Mukwiza, R-Jr., Mercer
OL Bryce Goodner, R-So., Chattanooga
OL Tyriq Poindexter, R-So., VMI
OL Christian Coulter, Sr., Western Carolina
OL Jason Swann, Sr., Wofford
TE Noah West, R-Jr., ETSU
WR Will Huzzie, R-Sr., ETSU
WR Joshua Harris, Jr., Furman
Second team defense
DL Max Evans, R-Jr., ETSU
DL Jack Barton, R-Sr., Furman
DL Sirod Cook, Gr., Furman
DL Matt Sochovka, Gr., Furman
DL Savio Frazier, Jr., Mercer
DL Marlon Taylor, R-Jr., Chattanooga
DL Chuck Smith, Sr., Wofford
LB Ken Standley, R-Jr., Mercer
LB Evan Eller, Sr., VMI
LB Antoine Williams, R-Jr., Western Carolina
DB Sheldon Arnold II, Jr., ETSU
DB Kam Brinson, R-Sr., Furman
DB Richie Coffey, Sr., Mercer
DB Myles Redding, Jr., Mercer
DB Lance Wise, Sr., Mercer
DB Reuben Lowery III, Jr., Chattanooga
Second team specialists
PK Ian Williams, R-Jr., Furman
P Trace Kelley, R-So., ETSU
LS Ryan Phillips, So., ETSU
RS Wayne Anderson Jr., R-Sr., Furman
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or team.
2023 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll
Team (1st-place votes) Total
T1. Furman (5) 59
T1. Samford (4) 59
3. Mercer 49
4. Chattanooga 47
5. Western Carolina 35
6. ETSU 29
7. Wofford 22
8. The Citadel 14
9. VMI 10
2023 Preseason Southern Conference Media Poll
Team (1st-place votes) Total
1. Furman (30) 345
2. Samford (8) 316
3. Mercer (2) 263
4. Chattanooga 250
5. Western Carolina 218
6. ETSU 143
7. The Citadel 103
8. Wofford 102
9. VMI 60
