FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 2, 2019
Contact: Phil Perry (pperry@socon.org)
SoCon announces football players of the week
Oladokun, Cooper and Atkins receive first weekly honors of the season
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference announced its SoCon Football Players of the Week presented by GEICO, for all games played to this point in the season. Samford quarterback Chris Oladokun was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Chattanooga linebacker Marshall Cooper was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Furman kicker Grayson Atkins was tabbed Special Teams Player of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Chris Oladokun, Samford, Jr., QB, Tampa, Fla.
Samford quarterback Chris Oladokun tied the Samford records for touchdown passes and touchdowns responsible for in the Bulldogs’ 59-58, double-overtime loss at Tennessee Tech on Saturday. The junior from Tampa, Florida, was an efficient 19-for-24 passing for 428 yards and six TDs against the Golden Eagles, while he also rushed for 42 yards and another score. His pass efficiency rating of 311.47 ranks 10th in a game in SoCon history, while his six passing TDs ties for second and his seven touchdowns responsible for tie for third. In his Samford debut against Youngstown State on Aug. 24, Oladokun entered the contest in the fourth quarter and went 7-for-10 for 125 yards and a touchdown, adding 14 yards and another score on the ground.
Other nominees: Brandon Rainey (The Citadel), Trey Mitchell (ETSU), Devin Wynn (Furman), Robert Riddle (Mercer), Bryce Nunnelly (Chattanooga) and Tyrie Adams (Western Carolina).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Marshall Cooper, Chattanooga, Sr., LB, Hixson, Tenn.
Chattanooga linebacker Marshall Cooper recorded a game-high 10 tackles in the Mocs’ 24-10 win over Eastern Illinois on Thursday, reaching double digits for the fourth time in his career. The senior from Hixson, Tennessee, who also recorded two pass breakups in a game for the first time in his career, helped Chattanooga hold EIU to just 10 points, a low for a SoCon opponent thus far this season.
Other nominees: Artevius Smith (ETSU), Malique Fleming (Mercer), John Staton (Samford) and John Brannon (Western Carolina).
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Grayson Atkins, Furman, Jr., K, Inman, S.C.
Furman All-American kicker Grayson Atkins excelled in all three aspects of the kicking game in the 17th-ranked Paladins’ 46-13 win over Charleston Southern on Saturday. The junior from Inman, South Carolina, averaged 45.0 yards on four punts, booting a pair over 50 yards and putting two inside the Bucs’ 10-yard line. Atkins also kicked off eight times for a career-best 65.6 yards per kick, notching six touchbacks, and put eight points on the scoreboard, going 5-for-5 on extra-point tries and nailing a 39-yard field goal in the second quarter to extend his current streak to 12 straight conversions, tying the school record. Seven of those 12 have come from 39 yards or more and four have been from 50-plus.
Other nominees: Matthew Campbell (The Citadel), Garrett Taylor (ETSU), David Durden (Mercer), Mitchell Fineran (Samford) and Colin Brewer (Chattanooga).
2019 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Sept. 2 Chris Oladokun, Jr., QB, Samford
Defensive
Sept. 2 Marshall Cooper, Sr., LB, Chattanooga
Special teams
Sept. 2 Grayson Atkins, Jr., K, Furman