Mocs Isaiah Mack Named SoCon Defensive Player of the Year

(gomocs.com) University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior defensive lineman Isaiah Mack is the consensus Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year, the league office announced today.  Mack is the sixth in school history to earn the league’s honor and the third to get the award from both the SoCon coaches and media.

All totaled, UTC had 10 players honored on the various All-SoCon teams today.  Mack was joined on both the coaches and media first teams by sophomore receiver Bryce Nunnelly and senior defensive back Kareem Orr.  Sophomore Brandon Dowdell was a first team selection by the coaches and a second team pick by the media.

Senior defensive lineman Derek Mahafey and junior linebacker Marshall Cooper made the coaches and media second team. Sophomore offensive linemen Cole Strange and Noah Ramsey were on the coaches second team, while junior running back Tyrell Price made the media’s second squad.  Defensive lineman Devonnsha Maxwell was the lone Chattanooga representative on the SoCon All-Freshman team.

Mack, who was named a finalist for the 2018 Buck Buchanan Award yesterday, posted 8.5 sacks, 11.5 TFLs and two forced fumbles on the year.  The Tunnel Hill, Ga., native was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week by SouthernPigskin.com after leading the Mocs with nine tackles in a 34-27 win over VMI on Oct. 27.  He posted three of the UTC’s seven sacks on the day and finished with a career-best 4.0 tackles-for-loss.  The three sacks were also a career mark and just a ½ shy of the school record.

His 8.5 sacks on the year are second in the Southern Conference and No. 19 in the FCS.  He has 21.0 career sacks, which is fourth-place all-time at UTC behind Davis Tull (37.0 – 2011-14), Keionta Davis (31.0 – 2013-16) and Joshua Williams (23.5 – 2009-12).  His 41.0 career TFLs are third all-time at UTC, trailing Tull (60.0) and Davis (43.0).

Nunnelly had one of the most prolific seasons for a receiver in school history.  He posted 1,237 receiving yards on 79 catches woth seven touchdowns, just 47 yards shy of the school record (1,284) set by Joel Bradford in 2010.  He was second in the SoCon and seventh in the nation with 112.5 receiving yards per game and 3rd/8th in receptions per game (7.2).

Orr had four picks on the year, which was second in the SoCon.  Dowdell added three interceptions of his own this season.  Mahaffey was a repeat selection on the second team, while the others made their first appearances.  Maxwell finished with 5.5 sacks, which is second-most by a freshman in school history (Josh Williams – 7.0 in 2009).  

Chattanooga’s SoCon Defensive Players of the Year
1989 – Junior Jackson (LB) – Coaches
1990 – Troy Boeck (DL) – Coaches
2009 – Josh Beard (DL) – Coaches & Media
2012 – Davis Tull (DL) – Coaches & Media
2013 – Davis Tull (DL) – Coaches
2014 – Davis Tull (DL) – Coaches & Media
2016 – Keionta Davis (DL) – Coaches

2018 Coaches All-Southern Conference Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year – Devlin Hodges, Samford, R-Sr., QB
Defensive Player of the Year – Isaiah Mack, Chattanooga, Sr., DL
Freshman of the Year – Quay Holmes, ETSU, RB
Jacobs Blocking Award – Matt Pyke, ETSU, Sr., OL
Coach of the Year – Randy Sanders, ETSU

First team offense
QB          Devlin Hodges, Samford
RB           Quay Holmes, ETSU
RB           Andre Stoddard, Wofford
OL           Tyler Davis, The Citadel
OL           Matt Pyke, ETSU
OL           Bo Layton, Furman
OL           Zach Weeks, Western Carolina
OL           Justus Basinger, Wofford
TE           Owen Cosenke, Western Carolina
WR         Kelvin McKnight, Samford
WR         Bryce Nunnelly, Chattanooga

First team defense
DL           Nasir Player, ETSU
DL           Ahmad Gooden, Samford
DL           Isaiah Mack, Chattanooga
DL           Miles Brown, Wofford
LB           Noah Dawkins, The Citadel
LB           Jared Folks, ETSU
LB           Dylan Weigel, ETSU
DB          Aron Spann III, The Citadel
DB          Tyree Robinson, ETSU
DB          Brandon Dowdell, Chattanooga
DB          Kareem Orr, Chattanooga

First team special teams
PK           Grayson Atkins, Furman
P             Matthew Campbell, The Citadel
RS           Dejuan Bell, Furman

Second team offense
QB          Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina
RB           Tee Mitchell, Mercer
RB           Lennox McAfee, Wofford
OL           Andy Godwin, Furman
OL           Austin Sanders, Mercer
OL           Antwan Johnson, Samford
OL           Noah Ramsey, Chattanooga
OL           Cole Strange, Chattanooga
TE           Evan Wick, ETSU
WR         Marquise Irvin, Mercer
WR         Chris Shelling, Samford

Second team defense
DL           Joseph Randolph II, The Citadel
DL           Tremond Ferrell, ETSU
DL           Jaylan Reid, Furman
DL           Derek Mahaffey, Chattanooga
DL           Thad Mangum, Wofford
LB           Adrian Hope, Furman
LB           LeMarkus Bailey, Mercer
LB           Aaron Harris, Samford
LB           Marshall Cooper, Chattanooga
DB          Jeremy Lewis, ETSU
DB          Aaquil Annoor, Furman
DB          Marvin Tillman, Western Carolina
DB          JoJo Tillery, Wofford

Second team special teams
PK           JJ Jerman, ETSU
P             Luke Carter, Wofford
RS           Rohan Martin, VMI

All-Freshman Offense
Haden Haas, The Citadel
Clay Harris, The Citadel
Quay Holmes, ETSU
Jacob Saylors, ETSU
Tremond Shorts, ETSU
Corey Watkins, Furman
David Durden, Mercer
Robert Riddle, Mercer
DeMarcus Ware, Samford
Marshall Gill, VMI
Jakob Herres, VMI

All-Freshman Defense
Chris Beverly, The Citadel
Mason Kinsey, The Citadel
Adrian Hope, Furman
Nathan East, Samford
Nelson Jordan, Samford
Jordan Montgomery, Samford
Devonnsha Maxwell, Chattanooga
Ethan Caselberry, VMI
Brett Howell, VMI
Colin Loftis, VMI
Ronald Kent Jr., Western Carolina

All-Freshman Special Teams
Matthew Campbell, The Citadel
Quay Holmes, ETSU
Dejuan Bell, Furman
Mitchell Fineran, Samford

2018 Media All-Southern Conference Football Team
Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year
Devlin Hodges, Samford, R-Sr., QB
Defensive Player of the Year
Isaiah Mack, Chattanooga, Sr., DL
Freshman of the Year – Quay Holmes, ETSU, RB
Wallace Wade Coach of the Year – Randy Sanders, ETSU

First team offense
QB          Devlin Hodges, Samford
RB           Quay Holmes, ETSU
RB           Andre Stoddard, Wofford
OL           Tyler Davis, The Citadel
OL           Matt Pyke, ETSU
OL           Austin Sanders, Mercer
OL           Zach Weeks, Western Carolina
OL           Michael Ralph, Wofford
OL           Justus Basinger, Wofford
TE           Owen Cosenke, Western Carolina
WR         Kelvin McKnight, Samford
WR         Bryce Nunnelly, Chattanooga

First team defense
DL           Joseph Randolph II, The Citadel
DL           Nasir Player, ETSU
DL           Ahmad Gooden, Samford
DL           Isaiah Mack, Chattanooga
DL           Miles Brown, Wofford
LB           Dylan Weigel, ETSU
LB           Adrian Hope, Furman
LB           Mitchell Chancey, Western Carolina
DB          Jeremy Lewis, ETSU
DB          Tyree Robinson, ETSU
DB          Kareem Orr, Chattanooga
DB          Marvin Tillman, Western Carolina
DB          George Gbesee, Wofford

First team special teams
PK           Grayson Atkins, Furman
P             Matthew Campbell, The Citadel
RS           Dejuan Bell, Furman

Second team offense
QB          Tyrie Adams, Western Carolina
RB           Tee Mitchell, Mercer
RB           Tyrell Price, Chattanooga
OL           Bo Layton, Furman
OL           Antwan Johnson, Samford
OL           Nick Nixon, Samford
OL           Blake Jeresaty, Wofford
OL           Josh Burger, Wofford
TE           Evan Wick, ETSU
WR         Marquise Irvin, Mercer
WR         Kris Thornton, VMI

Second team defense
DL           Tremond Ferrell, ETSU
DL           Jaylan Reid, Furman
DL           Derek Mahaffey, Chattanooga
DL           Solomon Clark, Western Carolina
LB           Noah Dawkins, The Citadel
LB           Jared Folks, ETSU
LB           Marshall Cooper, Chattanooga
DB          Aron Spann III, The Citadel
DB          Aaquil Annoor, Furman
DB          Malique Fleming, Mercer
DB          Brandon Dowdell, Chattanooga
DB          A.J. Smith, VMI

Second team special teams
PK           JJ Jerman, ETSU
P             Luke Carter, Wofford
RS           Quay Holmes, ETSU