SPARTANBURG, S.C. – In conjunction with the 2017 Southern Conference Football Media held on Tuesday, the league's head coaches selected an all-conference first and second team. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes as part of the balloting. The Terriers had eight players recognized by the league's coaches, with five on the first team.
 
In addition, the conference's nine head coaches have chosen Wofford as the choice to win the league championship. The Southern Conference Sports Media Association also selected Wofford first. Wofford, which has won the league four times, is the preseason pick to win it for the first time. The Terriers, who reached the FCS Playoff quarterfinals last season, picked up seven of the nine first-place votes in the coaches preseason poll, totaling 63 points. Wofford finished with 11 first-place votes and 178 points in the media's preseason poll.
 
Chattanooga led all teams with 10 preseason all-conference selections, putting four on the first team and a league-best six on the second team. Wofford and Samford shared league-high honors with five each on the first team, with the Terriers boasting eight total selections and Samford six. The Citadel also had six total selections, with three first-team and three second-team preseason all-conference picks. Due to ties in the voting, there was an extra linebacker on the first team and an extra defensive lineman and defensive back on the second team.
 
Leading the Terriers on the first team were offensive lineman Roo Daniels, defensive linemen Tyler Vaughn and Miles Brown, linebacker Datavious Wilson and cornerback Devin Watson. Daniels, a senior from Columbia, S.C., started all 14 games at center last season and was named second team All-Southern Conference. Brown, a junior from Cheverly, Maryland, started all 14 games at defensive end in 2016 and earned All-Southern Conference honors in his freshman and sophomore seasons. Vaughn, a senior from McDonough, Georgia, was a first team All-Southern Conference selection last season as he was third in the league in sacks and tackles for loss. Wilson, a sophomore from Hartsville, S.C., led the Terriers in tackles last season as he earned All-Freshman Team honors. Watson, a junior from Gainesville, Georgia, had three interceptions last season to rank fourth in the league.
 
Second team honorees include offensive lineman Ross Demmel, cornerback George Gbesee and tight end Chandler Gouger. Demmel, a sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio, started all 14 games last season at left tackle and was fifth on the team n knockdowns blocks. Gbesee, a sophomore from Murfreesboro, Tenn., started 11 games at cornerback and was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team last season. Gouger, a senior from Chattanooga, Tenn., led the Terriers with 13 catches for 205 yards and three touchdowns in 2016.
 
The Terriers will report to campus on Sunday, July 30 and begin practice on Tuesday, August 1. A complete practice schedule will be released next week.
 
2017 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Devlin Hodges, R-Jr., QB, Samford
Defensive Player of the Year: Kailik Williams, Sr., DB, The Citadel
 
First Team Offense
QB      Devlin Hodges, R-Jr., Samford
RB       Cam Jackson, Sr., The Citadel
RB       Detrez Newsome, Sr., Western Carolina
OL       Tyler Davis, Jr., The Citadel
OL       Matthew Schmidt, Sr., Furman
OL       Thomas Marchman, Sr., Mercer
OL       Josh Cardiello, Sr., Chattanooga
OL      Roo Daniels, Sr., Wofford
TE       Sam Walker, R-Jr., Mercer
WR      Kelvin McKnight, Jr., Samford
WR      Terryon Robinson, R-Sr., Western Carolina
 
First Team Defense
DL       Ahmad Gooden, R-Jr., Samford
DL       Isaiah Mack, Jr., Chattanooga
DL      Miles Brown, Jr., Wofford
DL      Tyler Vaughn, Sr., Wofford
LB       Shaheed Salmon, Sr., Samford
LB       Dale Warren, Sr., Chattanooga
LB       Allan Cratsenberg, Sr., VMI
LB       Datavious Wilson, So., Wofford
DB      Kailik Williams, Sr., The Citadel
DB      Omari Williams, Sr., Samford
DB      Lucas Webb, Sr., Chattanooga
DB      Devin Watson, Jr., Wofford
 
First Team Specialists
PK       Cole Fisher, Jr., Mercer
P          Ian Berryman, R-Jr., Western Carolina
RS       Detrez Newsome, Sr., Western Carolina
 
Second Team Offense
QB      Alejandro Bennifield, Sr., Chattanooga
RB       Antonio Wilcox, Sr., Furman
RB       Richardre Bagley, Sr., Chattanooga
OL       Alex Rios, Sr., ETSU
OL       Caleb Yates, Sr., Mercer
OL       Malcolm White, So., Chattanooga
OL       Nathan Dalton, R-Jr., Western Carolina
OL      Ross Demmel, Jr., Wofford
TE       Chandler Gouger, Sr., Wofford
WR      Marquise Irvin, Jr., Mercer
WR      James Stovall, Sr., Chattanooga
 
Second Team Defense
DL       Ken Allen, Jr., The Citadel
DL       Jonathan King, Sr., The Citadel
DL       Jaylan Reid, R-Jr., Furman
DL       Isaiah Buehler, R-Jr., Mercer
DL       Taylor Reynolds, Sr., Chattanooga
LB       Myles Pierce, Sr., The Citadel
LB       Dylan Weigel, R-Jr., ETSU
LB       Ryan Francis, R-Sr., VMI
DB      Aaquil Annoor, Jr., Furman
DB      Trevor Wright, Sr., Chattanooga
DB      Greg Sanders, Sr., VMI
DB      Keion Crossen, Sr., Western Carolina
DB      George Gbesee, So., Wofford
 
Second Team Specialists
PK       JJ Jerman, Jr., ETSU
P          Austin Barnard, R-Sr., Samford
RS       Chandler Curtis, Sr., Mercer
 
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
2017 SoCon Football Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-place votes)                  Points
1. Wofford (7)                                    63
2. The Citadel (2)                                54
3. Samford                                          52
4. Chattanooga                                    41
5. Mercer                                             32
6. Western Carolina                            27
7. Furman                                            26
8. ETSU                                              17
9. VMI                                                 12
 
2017 SoCon Football Preseason Media Poll
School (First-place votes)                  Points
1. Wofford (11)                                  178
2. The Citadel (6)                                166
3. Samford (3)                                     156
4. Chattanooga (2)                              152
5. Mercer                                             101
6. Furman                                            87
7. Western Carolina                            71
8. ETSU                                              49
9. VMI                                                  30