GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The 2023 Southern Conference champion Furman Paladins reaped the rewards of a title season by claiming several major awards announced today by the league.

A total of 19 Paladins earned All-SoCon recognition in voting by league coaches and media, highlighted by the selection of quarterback Tyler Huff as offensive player of the year, offensive guard Jacob Johanning as recipient of the Jacobs Blocking Award, and quarterback Carson Jones as co-freshman of the year.  In addition, Clay Hendrix was recognized as coach of the year.

Furman (9-2, 7-1 SoCon) won its league best 15th SoCon championship with a 17-14 road win over Chattanooga on Nov. 4 and made it an outright crown the following week with a 37-3 triumph over VMI. The Paladins, who enter the FCS playoffs as the No. 7 seed, drew a first round bye into the 24-team field and will play the winner of the Chattanooga-Austin Peay game in a 1:00 p.m. Dec. 2 second round matchup at Paladin Stadium.

The 19 All-SoCon honorees represent a record number for the program.

Huff is the eighth Paladin but first since 2001 to land SoCon Offensive Player of the Year accolades.  Johanning becomes the 16th player in program history — a league all-time best — to honored with the SoCon Jacobs Blocking Award, and Jones is the fourth Paladin to be named SoCon Freshman of the Year.  Hendrix's SoCon Coach of the Year tab is the second in his now seven seasons as head coach at his alma mater and 10th by Furman mentors.

Six Paladins earned All-SoCon first teams honors, nine collected second team recognition, and four were named to the SoCon All-Freshman squad.

League head coaches apparently recognized there's more to quarterback play than passing yards and touchdowns by picking Huff (6-1, 216, Gr.) offensive player of the year. The SoCon's top dual threat quarterback, the Paladin signal caller passed for 1,489 yards and nine touchdowns and rushed for 488 yards and five scores prior to sustaining a shoulder in injury against Chattanooga.  This fall Furman went 8-1 overall and 7-0 against SoCon foes with Huff in the starting lineup, and in two seasons with the Orange Park, Fla., product in the lineup the Paladins have gone 18-3 overall, 17-1 versus FCS foes, and 13-0 against the SoCon.  A commissioned 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves, he received the prestigious Armed Forces Merit Award from the Football Writers Association of America earlier this month.

The coaches' selection of Johanning (6-3, 276, R-Sr.) as winner of Jacobs Blocking Award followed his return from a summer injury that kept him on the sidelines for Furman's first three games.  The owner of 38 starts and over 2,500 play participations, the Simpsonville, S.C., product, who last year garnered second team AFCA All-America honors, was a consensus first team all-conference pick for a second consecutive season.

Jones (6-2, 198, R-Fr.) was recognized as SoCon Co-Freshman of the Year primarily for his play in a pair of pivotal late season games that landed Furman its league championship.  The Maryville, Tenn., took over for the injured Huff against Chattanooga and passed for 139 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner with 1:44 remaining in the victory that earned the Paladins at least share of the SoCon title and league's automatic berth.  He followed it up the next week by passing for 226 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-3 victory over VMI that made Furman's championship outright.

Hendrix's consensus SoCon Coach of the Year honor from both his coaching colleagues and media make him a two-time winner of the award, which he first captured in 2017 in his first season as head coach.  This year's FCS playoff appearance will be the fourth for Furman under Hendrix (2017, '19, '22, '23), who sports a 50-28 record (.641) at his alma mater that includes two conference titles (2018 & '23).  Now in his 30th season with Paladin football, spanning tenures as a player (1982-85), assistant coach (1988-06), and head coach (2017-present),  the Commerce, Ga., native has been part of 244 Furman wins over the years and had a hand in 11 of the program's 15 SoCon titles.  Earlier this week he was announced as a finalist for the 2023 Eddie Robinson Award, presented annually to the coach of the year in the FCS.

Joining Huff and Johanning on the coaches' first team are offensive tackle Pearson Toomey (6-3, 295, R-Sr.) defensive tackle Matt Sochovka (6-4, 296, Gr.), and cornerback Travis Blackshear (5-11, 185, Gr.).  Defensive lineman Luke Clark (6-3, 250, R-Jr.) was a first team selection on the media team.

Toomey, from Jacksonville Beach, Fla., has totaled 32 starts and over 2,100 play participations in a Paladin career that has now seen him twice honored as a first team conference performer.

Sochovka, a product of Fayetteville, N.C., who twice battled back from season ending injuries in his Paladin career, tallied 18 tackles and a pair of sacks while helping anchor the SoCon's best defense in 2023, evidenced by the Paladins topping the league in scoring defense (17.7 ppg), rushing defense (90.5 ypg), sacks (36), total defense (322.9 ypg), third down conversion defense (.322), red zone defense (.667), interceptions (17), turnovers gained (26), and turnover margin (+1.45/FCS No. 1), among others.

Clark registered 45 tackles, including a team leading  six sacks and two forced fumbles.  The Louisville, Ky., native was named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week in the Paladins' dominant, title-clinching win over VMI.

Blackshear claimed a team high nine pass breakups and three of Furman's interceptions this fall, including the third "pick-six" of his career in a season opening 45-10 thumping of Tennessee Tech.  A three-time All-SoCon selection, the Savannah, Ga., native, has played in 56 games and owns a Furman record 49 starts, as well as 12 interceptions.

Furman dominated the coaches second teams with nine total selections, due in part to the Paladins' depth and heavy personnel rotation, particularly on defense.

Two Paladins — running back Dominc Roberto (5-11, 231, Gr.) and center Wyatt Hughes (6-3, 282, R-Sr.) — represented Furman on the second team offense. 

Second team defenders included end Jack Barton (6-4, 264, R-Sr.), Luke Clark (6-3, 250, R.-Jr.), linebacker Braden Gilby (6-2, 228, Gr.), and defensive backs Cally Chizik (5-9, 183, R-Sr.) and Hugh Ryan (6-1, 202, R-Sr.).  Placekicker Ian Williams (6-3, 225, R-Jr.) and return specialist Wayne Anderson, Jr. (5-9, 200, Gr.) claimed two of the four second team specialist spots.

Tight end Mason Pline (6-7, 260, Gr.) earned a second team All-SoCon tab from the media.

Roberto, who ran for 704 yards and seven touchdowns in the regular season before sitting out the final game due to injury, delivered a 31-carry, 154-yard performance in the Paladins' 29-17 road win over then FCS eighth-ranked Western Carolina on Oct. 21.  Now a two-time All-SoCon selection as a Paladin, the Fayetteville, N.C., product has rushed for 2,818 yards and 28 touchdowns in his career.

Helping pave the way for Roberto was Hughes, the Chattanooga, Tenn., native who made the switch from guard to center this year in solid fashion, earning starts in all 11 games to run his career total to 27 and over 1,800 plays.

Barton, from Alpharetta, Ga., delivered 22 tackles and three sacks while also blocking a pair of field goals to raise his Furman career record of blocked kicks to six.

A St. Petersburg, Fla., product, Gilby collected his second All-SoCon scroll on the strength of a team leading 75 tackles, including six for-loss, and three sacks.  He's played in a Furman record 58 games and has 337 tackles in his career, which ranks 17th in program history.

Chizik, from Auburn, Ala., registered 50 tackles from his spur position and led the SoCon with five interceptions in 2023, two of which proved key in road wins over Kennesaw State and Western Carolina.

Free safety Hugh Ryan from Irmo, S.C., repeated as an All-SoCon performer with a 66-tackle campaign.  A veteran of 55 games as a Paladin, he has 248 tackles and nine interceptions his career.

Williams fashioned a strong second half of the season, converting on 10 of his last 11 field goals (14x20 on the season) and 45 of 62 kickoffs into touchbacks (.726) — the highest percentage in the SoCon.

Prosper, Texas, product Wayne Anderson, Jr., now a two-time All-SoCon performer, averaged 24.7 yards on 13 returns this fall.

Pline, from Fowler, Mich., made an impact in Paladin his debut season, winning the starting job in all 11 games and catching 23 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns.

Tight end Brock Chappell (6-5, 240, Fr.), wide receiver Colton Hinton (5-11, 175, Fr.), quarterback Carson Jones (6-2, 198, R-Fr.), and free safety AK Burrell (6-0, 195, Fr.) earned spots on the SoCon Coaches All-Freshman Team.

2023 Coaches All-Southern Conference Football Team 

Offensive Player of the Year – Tyler Huff, Gr., QB, Furman
Defensive Player of the Year – Jay Person, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
Co-Freshman of the Year – Brendan Jenkins, Samford and Carson Jones, Furman 
Jacobs Blocking Award – Jacob Johanning, R-Sr., OL, Furman
Coach of the Year – Clay Hendrix, Furman

Coaches First Team Offense 
QB    Tyler Huff, Gr., Furman
RB    Jay Stanton, Sr., Samford  
RB    Desmond Reid, So., Western Carolina 
OL    Jacob Johanning, R-Sr., Furman
OL    Pearson Toomey, R-Sr., Furman
OL    Jabari Brooks, Sr., Samford
OL    Christian Coulter, Sr., Western Carolina
OL    Tyler Smith, Sr., Western Carolina
TE    Aidan Twombly, Sr., VMI 
WR    Ty James, Sr., Mercer
WR    Jamoi Mayes, Jr., Chattanooga

Coaches First Team Defense
DL    Matt Sochovka, Gr., Furman
DL    Solomon Zubairu, Sr., Mercer
DL    Ben Brewton, Sr., Chattanooga
DL    Jay Person, Sr., Chattanooga
LB    Stephen Scott, Sr., ETSU
LB    Ken Standley, Sr., Mercer
LB    Noah Martin, Sr., Samford
DB    Sheldon Arnold II, Jr., ETSU
DB    Travis Blackshear, Gr., Furman
DB    Lance Wise Jr., Gr., Mercer
DB    Kam Brown, Sr., Chattanooga

Coaches First Team Special Teams 
PK    Richard McCollum, Sr., Western Carolina
P    Nate Brackett, So., ETSU
P    Jack Culbreath, Sr., VMI
LS    Steele Judy, Gr., The Citadel
RS    Devron Harper, Sr., Mercer

Coaches Second Team Offense 
QB    Michael Hiers, Sr., Samford 
RB    Dominic Roberto, Gr., Furman
RB    Hunter Rice, Jr., VMI
OL    Luke Smith, Gr., ETSU
OL    Wyatt Hughes, R-Sr., Furman
OL    John Thomas, Gr., Mercer
OL    Reid Williams, Jr., Chattanooga
OL    Blake Whitmore, Jr., Western Carolina
TE    Ajay Belanger, Sr., Western Carolina 
WR    Devron Harper, Sr., Mercer
WR    Chandler Smith, Gr., Samford

Coaches Second Team Defense 
DL    Jack Barton, Sr., Furman
DL    Luke Clark, Jr., Furman
DL    Marlon Taylor, R-Jr., Chattanooga
DL    Marlon Alexander, Sr., Western Carolina
LB    Braden Gilby, Gr., Furman
LB    Isaac Dowling, Sr., Mercer
LB    Eric Rankin, Jr., VMI
DB    Cally Chizik, Sr., Furman
DB    Hugh Ryan, Sr., Furman
DB    Evan Eller, Sr., VMI
DB    Andreas Keaton, Jr., Western Carolina

Coaches Second Team Special Teams 
PK    Ian Williams, Jr., Furman
P    Clayton Crile, Sr., Chattanooga
LS    Justin Peterson, Sr., VMI
RS    Wayne Anderson Jr., Gr., Furman

Coaches All-Freshman Offense 
Xavier Gaillardetz, ETSU    
Tommy Winton III, ETSU
Brock Chappell, Furman
Colton Hinton, Furman    
Carson Jones, Furman 
Brayden Smith, Mercer    
Brendan Jenkins, Samford    
Ivan Thorpe, VMI
Corey Washington, Western Carolina    
Camury Reid, Western Carolina    
Pauly Seeley, Wofford

Coaches All-Freshman Defense 
Carson Arnold, The Citadel    
Chris Benton, The Citadel    
Jabravion Woodard,    The Citadel
Ray Coney, ETSU    
Dre Delinois, ETSU    
Jaylen George, ETSU    
Jayvon Henderson, ETSU    
AK Burrell, Furman    
Brayden Manley, Mercer    
Makhi Gilbert, Samford    
Ken Moore Jr., Western Carolina
Eli Campbell, Wofford    

Coaches All-Freshman Special Teams 
Ewan Johnson, ETSU    
Stephen Brantley, Western Carolina
Tommy DiLiegro, Wofford

2023 SCSMA All-Southern Conference Football Team 

Roy M. "Legs" Hawley Offensive Player of the Year – Cole Gonzales, So., QB, Western Carolina
Defensive Player of the Year – Jay Person, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year – Brendan Jenkins, WR, Samford 
Wallace Wade Coach of the Year – Clay Hendrix, Furman

SCSMA First Team Offense
QB    Cole Gonzales, So., Western Carolina
RB    Jay Stanton, Sr., Samford
RB    Desmond Reid, So., Western Carolina 
OL    Jacob Johanning, Sr., Furman
OL    Pearson Toomey, Sr., Furman
OL    Jabari Brooks, Sr., Samford
OL    Christian Coulter, Sr., Western Carolina
OL    Tyler Smith, Sr., Western Carolina
TE    Aidan Twombly, Sr., VMI 
WR    Ty James, Sr., Mercer
WR    Jamoi Mayes, Jr., Chattanooga

SCSMA First Team Defense
DL    Luke Clark, Jr., Furman
DL    Solomon Zubairu, Sr., Mercer
DL    Ben Brewton, Sr., Chattanooga
DL    Jay Person, Sr., Chattanooga
LB    Ken Standley, Sr., Mercer
LB    Noah Martin, Sr., Samford
LB    Eric Rankin, Jr., VMI
DB    Sheldon Arnold II, Jr., ETSU
DB    Lance Wise, Sr., Mercer
DB    Kam Brown, Sr., Chattanooga
DB    Evan Eller, Sr., VMI

SCSMA First Team Special Teams
PK    Richard McCollum, Sr., Western Carolina
P    Jack Culbreath, Sr., VMI
LS    Justin Peterson, Sr., VMI
RS    Devron Harper, Sr., Mercer

SCSMA Second Team Offense 
QB    Tyler Huff, Gr., Furman 
RB    Dominic Roberto, Gr., Furman
RB    Hunter Rice, Jr., VMI 
OL    Luke Smith, Gr., ETSU
OL    Wyatt Hughes, Sr., Furman 
OL    John Thomas, Gr., Mercer
OL    Griffin McDowell, Sr., Chattanooga
OL    Reid Williams, Jr., Chattanooga
TE    Mason Pline, Gr., Furman 
WR    Javin Whatley, So., Chattanooga
WR    Censere Lee, So., Western Carolina

SCSMA Second Team Defense
DL    Matt Sochovka, Gr., Furman
DL    Marlon Taylor, Jr., Chattanooga
DL    Dorien Starnes, Jr., VMI
DL    Brandon Maina, Jr., Wofford
LB    Stephen Scott, Sr., ETSU
LB    Braden Gilby, Gr., Furman
LB    David Powers, Sr., Wofford
DB    Chris Hope, Jr., ETSU
DB    Travis Blackshear, Gr., Furman
DB    Cally Chizik, Sr., Furman
DB    Hugh Ryan, Sr., Furman

SCSMA Second Team Special Teams 
PK    Ian Williams, Jr., Furman
P    Clayton Crile, Sr., Chattanooga
LS    Steele Judy, Gr., The Citadel
RS    Wayne Anderson Jr., Gr., Furman