--The Chattanooga Mocs figured prominently in the Southern Conference honors in both the coaches and media voting. Two of the major awards went to defensive lineman Devonnsha Maxwell and offensive lineman Cole Strange.
Maxwell, named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award Monday, is the Defensive Player of the Year according to the coaches around the league, while Cole Strange repeated as Jacobs Blocking Award winner. Maxwell shared DOPY on the media side with Stone Snyder from VMI.
There were eight Mocs named first two between the two voting panels.
Strange and Maxwell were joined by offensive lineman McClendon Curtis, running back Ailym Ford and safeties Brandon Dowdell and Jerrell Lawson as consensus first team selections. Defensive lineman Ben Brewton joined them on the coaches side, while Ty Boeck was on the media side.
Boeck (coaches) and Brewton (media) were second teamers on the other ballot. Linebacker Jay Person and defensive back Rashun Freeman made the coaches second team. Defensive back Reuben Lowery III and tight end KeShawn Toney earned All-Freshman status.
The seven first teamers on both teams led the league. The Mocs and Bucs matched each other with 12 honorees on the coaches all-conference and all-freshman squads.
“It shows we had lot guys deserving, a lot of guys who played well and had good years,” Coach Rusty Wright shared. “They did the things to back it up and people took notice.
Strange repeated as Jacobs Blocking Award winner this time outright after sharing it in the spring. It's the fifth such honor for the program with Mike Nease getting the first in 1983 and Corey Levin adding two in 2014 and 2015.
“There’s very few of them that play the game the way he does and as hard as he does,” Wright continued. “He plays it the right way giving himself a chance every Saturday. There’s no doubt he’s the best offensive lineman in the league.”
Maxwell's DPOY is the ninth on the coaches side joining Junior Jackson (1989), Troy Boeck (1990), Josh Beard (2009), Davis Tull (2012, 2013, 2014), Keionta Davis (2016) and Isaiah Mack (2018). It's the fifth time the media cited a Mocs defender: Beard (2009), Tull (2012, 2014) and Mack (2018).
“There’s no doubt about Devonnha and the type of year he had, especially being an interior defensive lineman,” Wright added. “That’s a hard thing to do. He backed it up with his play. It’s just a sign of things to come for him.”
Strange is an apt term for this note. It’s Cole’s fifth All-SoCon selection but FIRST first team despite sharing the Jacobs Blocking Award a year ago. It marks three straight first team nods for Maxwell, while Boeck slides in with three straight picks but first on first team.
McClendon Curtis repeated on the first team from the spring, while Brandon Dowdell earned his second first team award (2019). Jay Person added a second consecutive second team nod. Ford got his second first team slot after making it as a true freshman in 2019. It’s the first honors for Brewton, Lawson and Freeman.
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: Ailym Ford, So., Chattanooga
RB: Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU
OL: McClendon Curtis, Jr., Chattanooga
OL: Cole Strange, Sr., Chattanooga
OL: Tre'mond Shorts, R-Jr., ETSU
OL: Anderson Tomlin, R-Jr., Furman
OL: Jason Poe, Gr., Mercer
TE: Ryan Miller, Jr., Furman
WR: Montrell Washington, Sr., Samford
WR: Raphael Williams, R-Fr., Western Carolina
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Ben Brewton, So., Chattanooga
DL: Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., Chattanooga
DL: Solomon Zubairu, So., Mercer
DL: Warren Dabney, Sr., VMI
LB: Jared Folks, Gr., ETSU
LB: Donovan Manuel, R-So., ETSU
LB: Stone Snyder, Jr., VMI
DB: Brandon Dowdell, Sr., Chattanooga
DB: Jerrell Lawson, Sr., Chattanooga
DB: Tyree Robinson, Sr., ETSU
DB: Lance Wise, So., Mercer
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: Ty Boeck, Jr., Chattanooga
LB: Jay Person, So., Chattanooga
LB: Willie Eubanks III, Sr., The Citadel
DB: Rashun Freeman, Sr., Chattanooga
DB: Destin Mack, Jr., The Citadel
DB: Mike Price, R-So., ETSU
DB: Travis Blackshear, Jr., Furman
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
KeShawn Toney, Chattanooga
Tyler Cherry, The Citadel
Joshua Harris, Furman
Jace Wilson, Furman
Dylan Davis, Furman
Jabari Brooks, Samford
Hunter Rice, VMI
ALL-FRESHMAN DEFENSE
Reuben Lowery III, Chattanooga
Dominick Poole, The Citadel
Zion Alexander, ETSU
Dominic Morris, Furman
Bryce Stanfield, Furman
Savio Frazier, Mercer
Kandler Martin, VMI
Andreas Keaton, Western Carolina
Amir Annoor, Wofford
Brandon Maina, Wofford
Chuck Smith, Wofford
All-Freshman Special Teams
Trey Turk, Mercer
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: Ailym Ford, So., Chattanooga
RB: Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU
RB: Jacob Saylors, Jr., ETSU
OL: McClendon Curtis, Jr., Chattanooga
OL: Cole Strange, Sr., Chattanooga
OL: Tre'mond Shorts, R-Jr., ETSU
OL: Jason Poe, Gr., Mercer
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: Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., Chattanooga
DL: Adrian Hope, Sr., Furman
DL: Solomon Zubairu, So., Mercer
DL: Warren Dabney, Sr., VMI
LB: Ty Boeck, Jr., Chattanooga
LB: Donovan Manuel, R-So., ETSU
LB: Stone Snyder, Jr., VMI
DB: Brandon Dowdell, Sr., Chattanooga
DB: Jerrell Lawson, Sr., Chattanooga
DB: Tyree Robinson, Sr., ETSU
DB: Lance Wise, So., Mercer
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: Ben Brewton, So., Chattanooga
DL: Parker Stokes, Sr., Furman
DL: Seth Simmer, Gr., Samford
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