GREENVILLE, S.C – With kickoff just around the corner, the Samford football graduate duo of linebacker Noah Martin and offensive lineman Chris Noble were named to the 2024 Preseason All-Southern Conference teams, the league announced on Tuesday at the SoCon's annual Football Media Days.
Martin nabbed first team honors, while Noble landed on the second team.
In 2023, Matin led to the SoCon with 109 tackles and became the first Bulldog defender to eclipse 100 tackles since John Staton had 115 in 2019. Thanks to his performance in 2023, Martin was named a Presession All-American by FCS Football Central earlier in the summer.
Noble returns to anchor the Bulldog offensive line in 2024. The Brewton, Alabama native has made 30 starts for Samford over the last three seasons including 24 straight contests dating back to the start of the 2022 season.
Samford was picked to finish fifth in the coaches' preseason poll, while the coaches named Western Carolina's Cole Gonzales Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Chattanooga's Marlon Taylor Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
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2024 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll
Team (1st-place votes) Total
1. Chattanooga (5) 61
2. Furman (3) 56
3. Western Carolina (1) 49
4. Mercer 45
5. Samford 37
6. ETSU 26
7. VMI 23
8. Wofford 19
9. The Citadel 8
2024 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Cole Gonzales, Jr., QB, Western Carolina
Defensive Player of the Year: Marlon Taylor, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
First team offense
QB Cole Gonzales, Jr., Western Carolina
RB Hunter Rice., Sr., RB, VMI
RB Ryan Ingram, Sr., Wofford
OL Luke Smith, Gr., ETSU
OL Luke Petit, R-Jr., Furman
OL Xavier Jennings, Gr., Mercer
OL Reid Williams, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Tyriq Poindexter, Sr., VMI
OL Blake Whitmore, R-Sr., Western Carolina
TE Jordan Davis, Sr., Wofford
WR Javin Whatley, Jr., Chattanooga
WR AJ Colombo, Jr., Western Carolina
First team defense
DL Xavier Stephens, Sr., Furman
DL Marlon Taylor, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
DL Dorien Starnes, Sr., VMI
DL Brandon Maina, Sr., Wofford
LB Ken Standley, Gr., Mercer
LB
Noah Martin, Sr., Samford
LB David Powers, Sr., Wofford
DB Chris Hope, Sr., DB, ETSU
DB Myles Redding, Sr., Mercer
DB Jordan Walker, Jr., Chattanooga
DB Maximus Pulley, Jr., Wofford
First team specialists
PK Ian Williams, R-Sr., Furman
P Nate Brackett, R-Jr., ETSU
LS Colby Cross, R-Sr., Western Carolina
RS Colton Hinton, So., Furman
Second team offense
QB Chase Artopoeus, Sr., QB, Chattanooga
RB Grant Robinson, R-Jr., Furman
RB Branson Adams, Jr., Western Carolina
OL Riley Adcock, Gr., Mercer
OL
Chris Noble, Gr., Samford
OL Dave Monnot III, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Derek Simmons, Sr., Western Carolina
OL Anthony Garcia, Sr., Wofford
OL Quincy Hughes, Jr., Wofford
TE Jay Gibson, Sr., Chattanooga
WR Joshua Harris, Jr., Furman
WR Sam Phillips, Jr., Chattanooga
Second team defense
DL Brayden Manley, So., Mercer
DL Jordan Swain, Gr., Mercer
DL Quay Wiggles, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Curtis Fann Jr., R-Sr., Western Carolina
LB Luke Clark, 5th, Furman
LB Evan DiMaggio, R-Sr., Furman
LB Eric Rankin, Sr., VMI
DB Josh Battle, Jr., Sr., Chattanooga
DB Samaurie Dukes, Jr., Western Carolina
DB Ed Jones IV, Sr., Western Carolina
DB CJ Williams, Sr., DB, Western Carolina
Second team specialists
PK Bridger Jones, Jr., Wofford
P James Platte, Jr., The Citadel
LS Tommy DiLiegro, So., Wofford
RS Ivan Thorpe, Jr., WR, VMI
