SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Wednesday, the Southern Conference announced all-conference first and second teams as selected by the football coaches. The Terriers had a league-best ten selections, with six on the first team. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes as part of the balloting.
 
In addition, the conference's nine head coaches picked Wofford to finish second in the preseason poll (with one first place vote) with 53 total points. The Southern Conference Sports Media Association selected Wofford third (with one first place vote) with 163 points. Wofford won the league for the fifth time in school history in 2017 and reached the FCS Playoff quarterfinals last season. The 2018 season will be the first for new head coach Josh Conklin.
 
Wofford led all teams with ten total preseason all-conference selections, putting a league-best six on the first teams and sharing league-high honors with four on the second teams. Mercer was second with eight total selections, putting four each on the first and second teams, while Furman and Samford had seven total selections each.
 
Leading the Terriers on the first team were defensive lineman Miles Brown, placekicker Luke Carter, offensive lineman Michael Ralph, running back Andre Stoddard, cornerback Devin Watson, and linebacker DT Wilson.
 
Brown, a senior from Cheverly, Maryland, started all 13 games last season and had 44 total tackles while leading the team in sacks and tackles for loss. He was first team All-Southern Conference last season. Carter, a junior from Florence, S.C., was named first team All-Southern Conference in 2017 as he was 11-of-12 on field goals to score 74 points. Ralph, a junior from Loveland, Ohio, started all 13 games last season at right tackle. Stoddard, a senior from Greenville, S.C., led the team with 825 rushing yards on 176 carries and tied for the SoCon lead in scoring with 90 points. He was named first team All-Southern Conference by the media and second team by the coaches last season. Watson, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, started all 13 games at cornerback and led the team in interceptions with four. He earned All-Southern Conference first team honors by the coaches and media. Wilson, a junior from Hartsville, S.C., started eleven games at inside linebacker and was fourth on the team with 71 tackles.
 
Second team selections included safety Mason Alstatt, offensive lineman Justus Basinger, punter Luke Carter and defensive lineman Mikel Horton.
 
Basinger, a junior from Longwood, Florida, played in all 13 games last season with three starts at right guard. Alstatt, a junior from Lexington, Kentucky, started all 13 games last season and finished second on the team with 76 tackles. Carter, the lone player to be named at two positions this season, punted 51 times with a 42.3 average to rank fourth in the league last season. Horton, a junior from Lexington, Kentucky, played in eight games with six starts at nose tackle last season and recorded eight tackles for loss.
 
The Terriers will report to campus on Thursday, August 2 and begin practice on Friday, August 3. A complete practice schedule is available at www.woffordterriers.com.
 
2018 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Devlin Hodges, R-Sr., QB, Samford
Defensive Player of the Year: Ahmad Gooden, R-Sr., DL, Samford
 
First Team Offense
QB      Devlin Hodges, R-Sr., Samford
RB       Kealand Dirks, R-Sr., Furman
RB      Andre Stoddard, Sr., Wofford
OL       Tyler Davis, Sr., The Citadel
OL       Austin Sanders, R-Jr., Mercer
OL       Nick Nixon, Jr., Samford
OL       Zach Weeks, R-Sr., Western Carolina
OL      Michael Ralph, Jr., Wofford
TE       Sam Walker, R-Sr., Mercer
WR      Marquise Irvin, Sr., Mercer
WR      Kelvin McKnight, Sr., Samford
 
First Team Defense
DL       Nasir Player, R-Jr., ETSU
DL       Ahmad Gooden, R-Sr., Samford
DL       Isaiah Mack, R-Sr., Chattanooga
DL      Miles Brown, Sr., Wofford
LB       Elijah McKoy, So., Furman
LB       LeMarkus Bailey, R-Sr., Mercer
LB       Datavious Wilson, Jr., Wofford
DB      Aron Spann III, Sr., The Citadel
DB      Aaquil Annoor, Sr., Furman
DB      Marvin Tillman, Sr., Western Carolina
DB      Devin Watson, Sr., Wofford
 
First Team Specialists
PK      Luke Carter, Jr., Wofford
P          Ian Berryman, R-Sr., Western Carolina
RS       Brandon Dowdell, So., Chattanooga
 
Second Team Offense
QB      Tyrie Adams, R-Jr., Western Carolina
RB       Tee Mitchell, Sr., Mercer
RB       Tyrell Price, Jr., Chattanooga
OL       Drew McEntyre, Jr., The Citadel
OL       Matt Pyke, R-Sr., ETSU
OL       Reed Kroeber, R-So., Furman
OL       Malcolm White, R-Jr., Chattanooga
OL       Brad Davis, So., VMI
OL       Nathan Dalton, R-Sr., Western Carolina
OL       Andrew Miles, R-Sr., Western Carolina
OL      Justus Basinger, Jr., Wofford
TE       Jake Walker, So., Furman
WR      Thomas Gordon, Jr., Furman
WR      Chris Shelling, Jr., Samford
WR      Bingo Morton, R-Sr., Chattanooga
 
Second Team Defense
DL       Ja'Lon Williams, Jr., The Citadel
DL       Jaylan Reid, R-Sr., Furman
DL       Isaiah Buehler, R-Sr., Mercer
DL      Mikel Horton, Jr., Wofford
LB       Noah Dawkins, Sr., The Citadel
LB       Dylan Weigel, R-Sr., ETSU
LB       Christian Stark, Sr., Samford
DB      Eric Jackson, R-Jr., Mercer
DB      Darius Harvey, R-Sr., Samford
DB      Kareem Orr, Sr., Chattanooga
DB      Mason Alstatt, Jr., Wofford
 
Second Team Specialists
PK       JJ Jerman, Sr., ETSU
P          Matt Shiel, Gr., Mercer
P          Luke Carter, Jr., Wofford
RS       Quan Harrison R-Jr., ETSU
 
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
2018 SoCon Football Preseason Coaches Poll
School (First-place votes)                 Points
1. Samford (7)                                     63
2. Wofford (1)                                     53
3. Furman (1)                                      52
4. Western Carolina                            39
5. Chattanooga                                    34
6. Mercer                                             32
7. The Citadel                                     28
8. ETSU                                              15
9. VMI                                                8
 
2018 SoCon Football Preseason Media Poll
School (First-place votes)                 Points
1. Samford (20)                                   204
2. Furman (2)                                      174
3. Wofford (1)                                     163
4. Mercer                                             133
5. Western Carolina                            114
6. Chattanooga                                    88
7. The Citadel                                     83
8. ETSU                                              53
9. VMI                                                 23