SoCon 2023 Post-season Recognition

[FUBeAR]

COACHES -> https://soconsports.com/news/2023/11/21/all-southern-conference-coaches-football-teams-announced.aspx
MEDIA -> https://soconsports.com/news/2023/11/21/all-southern-conference-media-football-teams-announced.aspx

FUBeAR emphasized his favorites

2023 Coaches All-Southern Conference Football Team

Offensive Player of the Year – Tyler Huff (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/tyler-huff/5361), Gr., QB, Furman
Defensive Player of the Year – Jay Person, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
Co-Freshman of the Year – Brendan Jenkins, Samford and Carson Jones (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/carson-jones/5368), Furman
Jacobs Blocking Award – Jacob Johanning (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/jacob-johanning/5367), R-Sr., OL, Furman
Coach of the Year – Clay Hendrix (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/clay-hendrix/700), Furman

Coaches First Team Offense
QB Tyler Huff (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/tyler-huff/5361), Gr., Furman
RB Jay Stanton, Sr., Samford
RB Desmond Reid, So., Western Carolina
OL Jacob Johanning (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/jacob-johanning/5367), R-Sr., Furman
OL Pearson Toomey (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/pearson-toomey/5406), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/matt-sochovka/5402), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/travis-blackshear/5333), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/dominic-roberto/5392), Gr., Furman
RB Hunter Rice, Jr., VMI
OL Luke Smith, Gr., ETSU
OL Wyatt Hughes (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/wyatt-hughes/5363), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/jack-barton/5330), Sr., Furman
DL Luke Clark (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/luke-clark/5340), Jr., Furman
DL Marlon Taylor, R-Jr., Chattanooga
DL Marlon Alexander, Sr., Western Carolina
LB Braden Gilby (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/braden-gilby/5349), Gr., Furman
LB Isaac Dowling, Sr., Mercer
LB Eric Rankin, Jr., VMI
DB Cally Chizik (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/cally-chizik/5339), Sr., Furman
DB Hugh Ryan (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/hugh-ryan/5397), Sr., Furman
DB Evan Eller, Sr., VMI
DB Andreas Keaton, Jr., Western Carolina

Coaches Second Team Special Teams
PK Ian Williams (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/ian-williams/5412), Jr., Furman
P Clayton Crile, Sr., Chattanooga
LS Justin Peterson, Sr., VMI
RS Wayne Anderson Jr. (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/wayne-anderson-jr-/5326), Gr., Furman

Coaches All-Freshman Offense
Xavier Gaillardetz, ETSU
Tommy Winton III, ETSU
Brock Chappell (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/brock-chappell/5421), Furman
Colton Hinton (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/colton-hinton/5427), Furman
Carson Jones (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/carson-jones/5368), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/ak-burrell/5419), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/clay-hendrix/700), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/jacob-johanning/5367), Sr., Furman
OL Pearson Toomey (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/pearson-toomey/5406), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/luke-clark/5340), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/tyler-huff/5361), Gr., Furman
RB Dominic Roberto (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/dominic-roberto/5392), Gr., Furman
RB Hunter Rice, Jr., VMI
OL Luke Smith, Gr., ETSU
OL Wyatt Hughes (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/wyatt-hughes/5363), Sr., Furman
OL John Thomas, Gr., Mercer
OL Griffin McDowell, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Reid Williams, Jr., Chattanooga
TE Mason Pline (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/mason-pline/5451), Gr., Furman
WR Javin Whatley, So., Chattanooga
WR Censere Lee, So., Western Carolina

SCSMA Second Team Defense
DL Matt Sochovka (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/matt-sochovka/5402), 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 (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/braden-gilby/5349), Gr., Furman
LB David Powers, Sr., Wofford
DB Chris Hope, Jr., ETSU
DB Travis Blackshear (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/travis-blackshear/5333), Gr., Furman
DB Cally Chizik (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/cally-chizik/5339), Sr., Furman
DB Hugh Ryan (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/hugh-ryan/5397), Sr., Furman

SCSMA Second Team Special Teams
PK Ian Williams (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/ian-williams/5412), Jr., Furman
P Clayton Crile, Sr., Chattanooga
LS Steele Judy, Gr., The Citadel
RS Wayne Anderson Jr. (https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/football/roster/wayne-anderson-jr-/5326), Gr., Furman

[wcugrad95]

Interesting that the Media had Gonzalez as the Offensive POTY and 1st team QB, and the Coaches didn’t even have him 2nd team.

[FUBeAR]

Interesting that the Media had Gonzalez as the Offensive POTY and 1st team QB, and the Coaches didn’t even have him 2nd team.
That IS interesting. What does it say to you? It definitely says SOMETHING.

FUBeAR, honestly, has no idea what is says though...OPOY is usually gonna be, at worst, 2nd Team.


We do have to remember, though...

There was one year when a Samford Long Snapper was named an All SoCon Offensive Lineman. This was a Specialist Long Snapper...not 'also an OLman' - NEVER played OL ... just lined up in the middle on Scrimmage Kicks and tossed the ball betwixt his legs...then back to the sidelines ... he was named an ALL SOCON OFFENSIVE LINEMAN!!!!

It was and still is an outrage! It was a slap in the face to every person who has ever, is currently, or will ever ACTUALLY play Offensive Line.

FUBeAR is thinking, perhaps, Members of the Playoff Selection Committee noticed that and swore to ensure the SoCon paid the price for that egregiousness for years to come.

Can you imagine how you might feel if you were the 1st (REAL) Offensive Lineman "OUT" ... so they could stick a Long Snapper in there???

"Sorry Mercer. We're gonna have to take you out of the FCS Championship Playoff Field this year. We're putting Samford's Women's Equestrian Team in there instead." - Can you imagine???


Oh well....the kid WAS best friends with American Idol Winner, Scotty McCreery, so FUBeAR imagines a bunch of SoCon Coaches' Families enjoyed the concerts tix and autographed pix.


BUT FUBeAR digresses....This Cole Gonzales snub by the Coaches is a stunner and a poser? What y'all think?

[PaladinNation]

Not much to complain about as a Furman fan. Furman's defensive depth shows up on these All So-Con Teams.
That said Evan DiMaggio should have gotten some love.
DiMaggio's numbers; 59 tackles, 4 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss. My guess is DiMaggio will be listed as a pre-season pick next year.

[caribbeanhen]

Not much to complain about as a Furman fan. Furman's defensive depth shows up on these All So-Con Teams.
That said Evan DiMaggio should have gotten some love.
DiMaggio's numbers; 59 tackles, 4 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss. My guess is DiMaggio will be listed as a pre-season pick next year.

is DiMaggios number 56?

[PaladinNation]

is DiMaggios number 56?

DiMaggio is number 39. He starts along side Gilby number 43.
DiMaggio is big 6-3 234 and can lay the wood, plus has excellent sideline-to-sideline speed.
He was highly recruited, this is his first season as a starter.
And, he is the great-nephew of Joe DiMaggio.

[wcugrad95]

"Stunner" is an OK word, but probably not the one I would use on the Gonzales snub.

[FUBeAR]

"Stunner" is an OK word, but probably not the one I would use on the Gonzales snub.
So - do you concur with the conspiracy theories raging on the WCU board as the reason(s) for such incongruent results?

[wcugrad95]

I don't know what to blame it on. Even if it was based purely on stats, Gonzales has more TDs, fewer INTs, etc. than the "other" guy who was the coaches #2. Something is wrong with the coaches not having the guy the media had as the clear #1/POTY as at worst their #2 QB. Most of the words I would have suggested include some form of the "ish" term you like to use.

[FUBeAR]

I don't know what to blame it on. Even if it was based purely on stats, Gonzales has more TDs, fewer INTs, etc. than the "other" guy who was the coaches #2. Something is wrong with the coaches not having the guy the media had as the clear #1/POTY as at worst their #2 QB. Most of the words I would have suggested include some form of the "ish" term you like to use.
OK…here are 2 theories you can add to the mix…and FUBeAR would almost (but not quite) be willing to bet an Artist-Autographed copy of his new avatar that 1 or parts of both of them are correct.

1) Coach Hatcher did some ‘horse trading’ to ensure a Samford QB (happens to be Hiers) wasn’t ‘left out in the cold.’ IOW, he offered to other SoCon Coaches that he would vote for one of their ‘on the bubble’ guys in exchange for their commitment to vote for his guy. Having been involved with some Coach voting for honors at the HS level, FUBeAR can guarantee this is a relatively common practice and is not viewed, in general, by a fairly surprising number of Coaches as at all less than ethical.

2) Some SoCon peeps felt (rightly or wrongly) that WCU was guilty of stat-padding in some of their bigger wins (CSU, CIT, ETSU, perhaps) for the sole purpose of garnering post-season accolades / statistical rankings for the WCU Offense / Offensive Players. So, their theories were expressed in the voting for the All SoCon QB & WR positions. Sorta actively applying karma, maybe.


Now…all y’all can “shoot the FUBeAR-er” of the message if you would like, but #1 definitely happens & #2…well…FUBeAR hears things.

[SU DOG]

My problem with the choices is that Chandler Smith is not FIRST TEAM WR. If you go by receiving stats only, then maybe, but it would still be very close. If you also include rushing and returns stats, then I think it is clear that Chandler should have made it. I wonder if some folks just looked at receiving and decided from there. My choices would have been Ty James and Chandler Smith. No disrespect meant for the other kid who got the votes, he was really good, but I do wonder about the process. Smith and NFL WR Hunter Renfrow have strikingly similar metrics (same height and weight, both collegiate walk-ons, etc.). I do know that one NFL team has visited recently and checked out information about Chandler.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

[FUBeAR]

My problem with the choices is that Chandler Smith is not FIRST TEAM WR. If you go by receiving stats only, then maybe, but it would still be very close. If you also include rushing and returns stats, then I think it is clear that Chandler should have made it. I wonder if some folks just looked at receiving and decided from there. My choices would have been Ty James and Chandler Smith. No disrespect meant for the other kid who got the votes, he was really good, but I do wonder about the process. Smith and NFL WR Hunter Renfrow have strikingly similar metrics (same height and weight, both collegiate walk-ons, etc.). I do know that one NFL team has visited recently and checked out information about Chandler.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Probably should have an All-Purpose position as you are describing, but since they really don’t…then Mr. Smith (a Player who FUBeAR loves to watch) would need to get in line behind his fellow 2nd Team All-SoCon WR, Mercer’s Devron Harper…

ALL PURPOSE
Last updated Sunday, November 19, 2023 10:02 am - Through games Saturday, November 18, 2023




Rank
Player
Team
Class
Position
GP
Rush Yds
Rec Yds
Punt Ret Yds
KO Ret Yds
Plays
Yds
YPG












6
Devron Harper
Mercer (https://www.ncaa.com/schools?school=mercer)
Sr.
WR
11
179
522
364
453
117
1,518.00
138.00


29
Chandler Smith
Samford (https://www.ncaa.com/schools?school=samford)
Sr.
WR
11
61
880
281
0
98
1,222.00
111.09





RECEIVING YARDS PER GAME
Last updatedSunday, November 19, 2023 10:02 am - Through gamesSaturday, November 18, 2023


Rank
Name
Team
Class
Position
GP
Rec
Rec Yds
TD’s
YPG




19
Chandler Smith
Samford (https://www.ncaa.com/schools?school=samford)
Sr.
WR
11
73
880
5
80.0




120
Devron Harper
Mercer (https://www.ncaa.com/schools?school=mercer)
Sr.
WR
11
50
522
2
47.5

[The Cats]

Since foobear highlighted his favorites, I'll do likewise.... here's my favorite SoCon honors...



https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_fhbVVbIAEEv5F?format=jpg&name=large

[MR. CHICKEN]

AH'D LIKE TA RECOGNIZE.......WOFFY!.....:D.....AWQ!

[FUBeAR]

AH'D LIKE TA RECOGNIZE.......WOFFY!.....:D.....AWQ!
That’s only 1 Team and it’s the wrong Team, so we’re going to give you what is commonly known as “The CAA Pick’em Treatment” and ignore your post.

[kdinva]

How is Mr. Gonzalez's treatment/thearpy going?

All this individual talent, could not beat little ole VMI. Furman loses to woffy, still got coach of the year.....



Since foobear highlighted his favorites, I'll do likewise.... here's my favorite SoCon honors...



https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_fhbVVbIAEEv5F?format=jpg&name=large

[caribbeanhen]

Having trouble tracking FiBears hourly avatar changes…. Just find a legend and stick with it

[wcugrad95]

OK…here are 2 theories you can add to the mix…and FUBeAR would almost (but not quite) be willing to bet an Artist-Autographed copy of his new avatar that 1 or parts of both of them are correct.

1) Coach Hatcher did some ‘horse trading’ to ensure a Samford QB (happens to be Hiers) wasn’t ‘left out in the cold.’ IOW, he offered to other SoCon Coaches that he would vote for one of their ‘on the bubble’ guys in exchange for their commitment to vote for his guy. Having been involved with some Coach voting for honors at the HS level, FUBeAR can guarantee this is a relatively common practice and is not viewed, in general, by a fairly surprising number of Coaches as at all less than ethical.

2) Some SoCon peeps felt (rightly or wrongly) that WCU was guilty of stat-padding in some of their bigger wins (CSU, CIT, ETSU, perhaps) for the sole purpose of garnering post-season accolades / statistical rankings for the WCU Offense / Offensive Players. So, their theories were expressed in the voting for the All SoCon QB & WR positions. Sorta actively applying karma, maybe.


For the "pad-statting" that would have to be the coaches choosing to punish Gonzalez individually - Desmond Reid was still first-team, and he didn't even play in 3.9 of the 8 games (only 2 series against Furman). Probably worth noting that Cole also only played 2 series against VMI, so he left some stats out there on the field. Even if he did the same thing our backup did, that would have been a few hundred more yards, and a couple more TDs. So he could have gotten closer to Hiers in yards and would have gone even further ahead in TD passes. I don't think our WRs were overlooked, as we spread the ball around so much. Censere Lee finished #5 for SOCON WRs in terms of yards/game so I was not surprised to see the 4 guys ahead of him in the one vote but was also not surprised to see him sneak-in as second-team in the media because of his TDs.

As for the games you listed:
Charelston Southern - Cole threw 5 TDs, but all were in the 1st half. I don't beleive he played past the first 5 or 6 mins of the 3rd quarter. The TD at the end was over the top, but was by a guy who started the season as our 5th stringer.
CIT - Reid scored 5 TDs in the first half, and Cole played most of the 3rd quarter when he was taken out after throwing a TD with 4:06 left and WCU up 42-7.
ETSU - Cole again threw for 5 TDs, but all again in the first 3 quarters. He left the game after throwing a TD with 3:32 left in the 3rd to put WCU up 48-7.

So either Hatcher did some significant horse-trading/wheeling and dealing, or the talk on our board about the SOCON being against WCU maybe has some merit. But that would also have me wondering why Reid would still be 1st team on both (especially given he played barely more than 1/2 the conference games).

The voting for Cole is horse'ish, bull'ish, or some other form of 'ish. If he wasn't the top guy on the media side it would be one thing. But hard to say something isn't fishy on the coach's vote.

KDINVA - I am sure most didn't see it, but Cole was literally on the sidelines in tears and apologizing to the team and coaches for getting hurt. Looks like a separated shoulder, so he would have been out for any playoff games, anyway. But I think he certainly didn't deserve to be overlooked by the SOCON coaches. I expect the media to have either he or Reid as the pre-season Offensive POTY next season, so it will be interesting to see who the coaches put in that spot next year.

[FUBeAR]

For the "pad-statting" that would have to be the coaches choosing to punish Gonzalez individually

The voting for Cole is horse'ish, bull'ish, or some other form of 'ish. If he wasn't the top guy on the media side it would be one thing. But hard to say something isn't fishy on the coach's vote.

https://twitter.com/catamountsfb/status/1728116816705163624
https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Thinking_Face_Emoji-Emoji-Island.png

[FUBeAR]

Not really about recognition...but kinda sorta...and is definitely about Post-Season....

Just curious....

How many peeps think WCU (with Reid and Gonzales) would have won a 1st Round Playoff game on Saturday against, say, the composite average of all unseeded Playoff Teams, as best we can imagine that Team?

Put FUBeAR down as an unqualified "Yes" - based on what FUBeAR saw, WCU beats more than 1/2 the Teams that played last Saturday.


How about Samford? Same question?

Put FUBeAR down as a "Yes, but it depends" - Samford could beat some of the Top 8 that played and some of the bottom 8 that played, but not all of either set - depends on the matchup in the Bulldogs case....That said....the Homewood Hounds coulda beaten a lot of them.

Put FUBeAR down as stating that the SoCon had 5 Playoff worthy Teams in 2023 and also put him down as not listenin' at all to anyone sayin' otherwise.

[Mocs123]

A healthy WCU would absolutely have won a first round playoff game Saturday against an "average" unseeded playoff team. To be honest, I thought WCU was a better team than Mercer, but never seemed to be the same after Reid got hurt.

Samford...it depends. Much like my opinion of Hatcher's system as a whole is the Bulldogs can beat just about anyone in the FCS when they're firing on all cylinders, but when they aren't....it could get ugly. I would say they won't consistently win games until their defense improves, but i think their defensive struggles are part of the byproduct of their offensive scheme, and not that their defensive coaches or players are inept.

[FUBeAR]

WCU was a better team than Mercer
Why commit credibility suicide when making an otherwise spot on comment?

[Mocs123]

Ha! I'm sure you don't agree and everyone's got a different perspective on it, but I was seriously impressed by WCU the first half of the season. It's not just their skill position guys, which I knew were good, but I thought they were good in the trenches - which I've never seen from a WCU team. Now, obviously Reid did get hurt and WCU lost the H2H with Mercer (and then to VMI) ending up the clear #4 team in the SoCon. Would they have ended up being #1,2 or 3 had Reid not been hurt? We'll never know.

I didn't have WCU ranked above Mercer at the end of the season - but my perspective was a HEALTHY Catamount team was better than the Bears, and perhaps I was wrong and the Bears do beat WCU with a healthy Reid, but that was my perspective.

I thought the Mocs were better than the Bears too, so obviously all of my credibility with you is gone now!

[FUBeAR]

Ha! I'm sure you don't agree and everyone's got a different perspective on it, but I was seriously impressed by WCU the first half of the season. It's not just their skill position guys, which I knew were good, but I thought they were good in the trenches - which I've never seen from a WCU team. Now, obviously Reid did get hurt and WCU lost the H2H with Mercer (and then to VMI) ending up the clear #4 team in the SoCon. Would they have ended up being #1,2 or 3 had Reid not been hurt? We'll never know.

I didn't have WCU ranked above Mercer at the end of the season - but my perspective was a HEALTHY Catamount team was better than the Bears, and perhaps I was wrong and the Bears do beat WCU with a healthy Reid, but that was my perspective.

I thought the Mocs were better than the Bears too, so obviously all of my credibility with you is gone now!
Chattanooga, as a Team, was certainly better than Mercer’s Team on 10/14. To distill that truism down further, Chattanooga’s Defense was so much better than Mercer’s Offense that combined with a successful day of kicking Field Goals, it was enough to lift the Mocs above the Bears that day.

WCU, on the other hand, has not beaten Mercer in 8 seasons and has not even held a lead over Mercer at any point in any game in almost 5 years. For anyone to espouse that the Catamounts are or were better than the Bears (at almost any time in the past decade) should be enough grounds to contact social services and request a custodial wellness review be conducted for the espouser of such lunacy.