Though he missed the last four games, Western Carolina’s Cole Gonzales still was voted the top quarterback in the Southern Conference and named a finalist for the FCS version of the Heisman trophy.
Gonzales, the league’s preseason offensive player of the year, earned first-team all-conference in a recent ballot by the SoCon’s nine head coaches. He also was listed as one of 35 finalists for the Walter Payton Award, given to the nation’s top FCS offensive player.
The junior from Ocala, Fla., was leading the FCS in passing before suffering an injury that ended his season prematurely. He completed 205-of-332 throws for 2,543 yards and 12 touchdowns through eight games – averaging 317.9 yards passing per contest. He also rushed for 212 yards and a pair of scores.
Gonzales appears on the Walter Payton finalist list for the second year in a row. He is one of only two SoCon players to make the cut and one of 16 quarterbacks nationally.
Per Western Carolina sports information, Gonzales ranks third in school history in completions (511), passing yards (6,682) and total offense (7,244). He’s second in career touchdowns with 51, needing 13 more to tie Tyrie Adams, who played in Cullowhee from 2016-19.
Cole Gonzales has company on All-Southern Conference Team
Western Carolina put four offensive players on the All-SoCon first-team for 2024.
Wide receiver AJ Colombo, tight end Jake Young and offensive lineman Blake Whitmore joined Gonzales as being considered tops at their positions.
Colombo led WCU in receptions with 61. His catches covered 590 yards and he found the end zone five times. Young made 28 grabs for 321 yards and a pair of TDs. Whitmore, a former walk-on, appeared in all 12 games for the Catamounts this season after starting 27 games from 2021-23.
Fellow senior offensive lineman Derek Simmons landed on the All-SoCon second team. He is joined there by defensive back Mateo Sudipo.
Taron Dickens, who took the reins at quarterback when Gonzales was sidelined, made the Southern Conference’s all-freshman offensive team. Dickens threw for more than 400 yards in a pair of contests during the back half of the season.
Dickens has been named one of 25 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award, which is given to the top FCS freshman. He completed 127 of 172 passes for 1,428 yards, 12 TDs and 3 INTs.
Also on the all-freshman team are offensive lineman Zach Watson and defensive back Bo Simpson-Nealy.
Former Lenoir-Rhyne player, coach earn top SoCon awards
Mercer won the conference championship this season with a 10-2 overall record (7-1 SoCon), and the Bears reaped a number of individual honors in the process.
Former Lenoir-Rhyne standout Dwayne McGee was voted the Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year. Former Lenoir-Rhyne coach Mike Jacobs, in his first season in Macon, collected Wallace Wade Coach of the Year.
Former App State offensive lineman Luke Smith, who now plays at East Tennessee State, won the SoCon’s Jacobs Blocking Award.
McGee leads the Southern Conference in rushing (1,018 yards). He is the league’s only 1,000-yard rusher this season. He rushed for 223 yards against Western Carolina in a Mercer victory which helped seal the SoCon title.
All-Southern Conference Football Team 2024
- Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year – Dwayne McGee, Sr., RB, Mercer
- Defensive Player of the Year – Brayden Manley, So., DL, Mercer
- Freshman of the Year – Andrew Zock, DL, Mercer
- Jacobs Blocking Award – Luke Smith, Gr., OL, ETSU
- Wallace Wade Coach of the Year – Mike Jacobs, Mercer
First team offense
- QB Cole Gonzales, Jr., Western Carolina
- RB Dwayne McGee, Sr., Mercer
- RB Reggie Davis, Jr., Chattanooga
- OL Luke Smith, Gr., ETSU
- OL Israel Mukwiza, Sr., Mercer
- OL Reid Williams, Sr., Chattanooga
- OL Tyriq Poindexter, Jr., VMI
- OL Blake Whitmore, Sr., Western Carolina
- TE Jake Young, So., Western Carolina
- WR AJ Johnson, So., ETSU
- WR Sam Phillips, Jr., Chattanooga
- WR AJ Colombo, Jr., Western Carolina
First team defense
- DL Jaylen George, So., ETSU
- DL Luke Clark, Sr., Furman
- DL Brayden Manley, So., Mercer
- DL Marlon Taylor, Sr., Chattanooga
- LB Evan DiMaggio, Sr., Furman
- LB Isaac Dowling, Gr., Mercer
- LB Noah Martin, Gr., Samford
- DB TJ Moore, Sr., Mercer
- DB Myles Redding, Sr., Mercer
- DB Josh Battle, Jr., Chattanooga
- DB Reuben Lowery III, Sr., Chattanooga
First team special teams
- PK Ian Williams, Sr., Furman
- P James Platte, Gr., The Citadel
- LS Nathan Tokar, Gr., The Citadel
- RS Colton Hinton, So., Furman
Second team offense
- QB Johnathan Bennett, Gr., The Citadel
- RB Bryson Irby, Sr., ETSU
- RB Hunter Rice, Sr., VMI
- OL Derrell Bailey Jr., Sr., ETSU
- OL Luke Petit, Jr., Furman
- OL Riley Adcock, Sr., Mercer
- OL EJ Johnson, Jr., Mercer
- OL Derek Simmons, Sr., Western Carolina
- OL Anthony Garcia, Sr., Wofford
- TE Jordan Davis, Sr., Wofford
- WR Javin Whatley, Jr., Chattanooga
- WR Kyle Watkins, Sr., Wofford
Second team defense
- DL Arias Nash, Jr., Mercer
- DL Andrew Zock, Fr., Mercer
- DL Quay Wiggles, Sr., Chattanooga
- DL Anthonie Lattany, Sr., Wofford
- LB Zach West, Sr., ETSU
- LB Ken Standley, Gr., Mercer
- LB Eric Rankin, Sr., VMI
- DB CJ Douglas, So., Samford
- DB Jordan Walker, Jr., Chattanooga
- DB Shamus Jones, Sr., VMI
- DB Mateo Sudipo, Sr., Western Carolina
- DB Amir Annoor, Sr., Wofford
Second team special teams
- PK Jude Kelley, Jr., Chattanooga
- P John McConnell, Jr., Mercer
- LS Alex Applefield, Gr., Samford
- RS Brayden Smith, So., Mercer
All-Freshman Offense
- Gavin Hall, Furman
- Trey Hedden, Furman
- Jackson Pryor, Furman
- Kendall Harris, Mercer
- Tyler Murray, Mercer
- Whitt Newbauer, Mercer
- Ethen Horne, VMI
- Taron Dickens, Western Carolina
- Zach Watson, Western Carolina
- Luke Moise, Wofford
- Amari Odom, Wofford
All-Freshman Defense
- Caldwell Bussey, Furman
- Ryan Earl, Furman
- Billy Lewis, Furman
- Jaylan Moson, Furman
- Andrew Zock, Mercer
- Leroy Harris III, Chattanooga
- Beni Mwamba, Chattanooga
- Asa Locks, VMI
- Bo Simpson-Nealy, Western Carolina
- C.J. Coombes, Wofford
- Marion Smokes, Wofford
All-Freshman Special Teams
- Braylon Knauth, The Citadel
- Riley Smith, Furman
- Austin Fletcher, VMI
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