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GREENVILLE, S.C. – Western Carolina junior quarterback Cole Gonzales has been named the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Chattanooga senior defensive lineman Marlon Taylor has been tabbed the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in voting by the league’s nine head coaches. The coaches picked the Mocs to win the SoCon.
The coaches also selected the preseason all-conference first and second teams and were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes or teams in the voting process. Due to ties in the voting, the first and second teams both include additional offensive linemen.
Gonzales is the defending Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year as voted on by the media. Taylor was a second-team all-conference selection by the coaches and the media in 2023.
Gonzales, who was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award a season ago, led the Catamounts to a top-25 finish in the Stats Perform poll as Western Carolina went 7-4 overall with a 5-3 mark in SoCon play in 2023. The Ocala, Florida, native threw for 2803 yards and a league-leading 28 touchdowns last season. He was the SoCon Player of the Week twice during his sophomore campaign after throwing for five touchdowns in a game on two separate occasions.
During his all-conference junior season, Taylor totaled 30 tackles for the Mocs in 2023, including nine going for lost yardage. Taylor also logged 5.5 sacks last season. The native of Brunswick, Georgia, product, anchored a Chattanooga defense that was second in the conference in sacks (36) and forced fumbles (12).
Chattanooga went 8-5 overall and 6-2 in league play last season. The Mocs completed their 2023 season ranked No. 19 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 18 in the Stats Perform poll. Chattanooga collected 61 points and five first-place votes in this year’s preseason poll. The Mocs tied with Western Carolina for a league-best 10 selections on the preseason all-conference team. Chattanooga is No. 10 in the HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25.
Helmed by the 2023 SoCon Coach of the Year Clay Hendrix, Furman collected 56 points and three first-place votes in the preseason poll. After winning the SoCon and reaching the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs, the Paladins finished No. 6 in the AFCA Coaches poll and No. 7 in the FCS Stats Perform poll. Furman returns three starters on offense and defense from that squad, which went 7-1 for the second straight season in SoCon play. The Paladins placed eight players on the preseason All-SoCon team, half of those being first team selections. Furman enters this season ranked No. 14 in the HERO Sports FCS Preseason Top 25.
Western Carolina finished third in the preseason poll, taking 49 points and the final first place vote. The Catamounts return 40 lettermen from their 2023 squad. Western Carolina enters this season ranked 16th by Hero Sports. Of its 10 preseason all-conference selections, the Catamounts lauded four first-team picks.
Mercer is fourth in the preseason poll, finishing four points behind Western Carolina. The Bears have six players on the preseason all-conference team.
Samford and ETSU follow in fifth and sixth, respectively. The Bulldogs put two players on the preseason squad, while the Bucs had three selections.
VMI is seventh in the preseason poll with 23 points, while logging five all-conference selections. Wofford is eighth in the preseason poll with 19 points. The Terriers had nine all-conference selections, including a league-best five first-team picks. The Citadel rounded out the poll with eight points and one preseason all-conference selection.
The SoCon’s 2024 season gets underway with four league squads in action on Thursday, Aug. 29. The rest of the league, including preseason favorite Chattanooga, will get its season underway on Saturday, Aug. 31.
| Pos. | Team (1st-place votes) | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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, Sr., 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
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or team.