ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Southern Conference released its 2022 Football Preseason Poll and All-Conference honors on Thursday afternoon, as VMI was slated to finish seventh by the coaches and sixth in the media poll.
In total, 10 cadet-athletes earned All-SoCon Preseason honors, second only to ETSU who had 11.
Stone Snyder, a two-time All-American and SoCon Defensive Player of the Year at linebacker, continued to rack up the accolades, grabbing first team defensive honors.
The Keydets dominated the specialists' categories, as Jerry Rice (K), Jack Culbreath (P) and Robert Soderholm (LS) garnered first team recognition.
Seth Morgan (QB), Jarvis Chandler (OL), Aidan Twombly (TE) and Leroy Thomas (WR) all earned second team offensive honors, while Eric Weaver (DL) and Aljareek Malry (DB) represent VMI on the second team defensive squad.
Resuming play in its normal season – after the Spring 2021 season due to Covid - VMI football posted a record of 6-5 in the fall, giving the Keydets their first back-to-back winning seasons since 1961-62.
The sixth-place slot in the media poll is the second-highest preseason ranking since rejoining the conference in 2014.
The Keydets open the 2022 campaign on Thursday, September 1 when they visit Wake Forest. The home opener is the following Saturday (September 10) against Bucknell at 1:30 p.m.
Make sure to get your tickets at vmi.universitytickets.com!
2022 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll
Team (1st-place votes) Total
1. Chattanooga (5) 60
2. ETSU (2) 54
3. Mercer (1) 53
4. Furman (1) 43
5. Western Carolina 38
6. Samford 26
7. VMI 23
8. The Citadel 14
9. Wofford 13
2022 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Jacob Saylors, Sr., RB, ETSU
Defensive Player of the Year: Devonnsha Maxwell, Sr., DL, Chattanooga
First team offense
QB Tyler Riddell, R-So., ETSU
RB Jacob Saylors, Sr., ETSU
RB Ailym Ford, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Tavon Matthews, Jr., ETSU
OL Anderson Tomlin, R-Sr., Furman
OL Pearson Toomey, R-Jr., Furman
OL John Thomas, Jr., Mercer
OL McClendon Curtis, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Tyler Smith, R-Jr., Western Carolina
TE Ryan Miller, 5th, Furman
WR Will Huzzie, R-Jr., ETSU
WR Raphael Williams, R-So., Western Carolina
First team defense
DL Jalen Porter, R-Jr., ETSU
DL Devonnsha Maxwell, Sr., Chattanooga
DL Jay Person, Jr., Chattanooga
DL Micheal Mason, Sr., DL, Wofford
LB Nathan East, Gr., Samford
LB Ty Boeck, Sr., Chattanooga
LB Stone Snyder, Sr., VMI
DB Destin Mack, Sr., The Citadel
DB Mike Price, R-Jr., ETSU
DB Travis Blackshear, R-Sr., Furman
DB Lance Wise, Jr., Mercer
First team specialists
PK Tyler Keltner, Jr., ETSU
PK Jerry Rice, R-Jr., VMI
P Jack Culbreath, Jr., VMI
LS Robert Soderholm, R-Sr., VMI
RS Jacob Saylors, Sr., ETSU
Second team offense
QB Seth Morgan, R-Jr., VMI
RB Dominic Roberto, R-Jr., Furman
RB TJ Jones, Sr., Western Carolina
OL Tereis Drayton, Jr., The Citadel
OL Fred Norman, R-So., ETSU
OL Joe Schreiber, R-Jr., ETSU
OL Gavin Orr, Gr., Samford
OL Colin Truett, Jr., Chattanooga
OL Jarvis Chandler, R-Jr., VMI
OL Al Hogan, 5th, Wofford
TE Aidan Twombly, Jr., VMI
WR Ty James, R-So., Mercer
WR Leroy Thomas, Sr., VMI
Second team defense
DL Carson Hatchett, Jr., The Citadel
DL Cameron Coleman, R-Sr., Furman
DL Solomon Zubairu, Jr., Mercer
DL Eric Weaver, R-Sr., VMI
LB Marquise Blount, Sr., The Citadel
LB Isaac Dowling, So., Mercer
LB Kam Jones, Sr., Chattanooga
DB Alijah Huzzie, R-So., ETSU
DB CaMiron Smith, Sr., Chattanooga
DB Aljareek Malry, Sr., VMI
DB Andreas Keaton, So., Western Carolina
Second team specialists
PK Richard McCollum, Jr., Western Carolina
P Trey Turk, So., Mercer
P Bradley Porcellato, Gr., Samford
LS Colin Springer, 5th, Wofford
RS Calvin Jones, So., Western Carolina
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or team.
2022 Preseason Southern Conference Media Poll
Team (1st-place votes) Total
1. Chattanooga (18) 256
t2. ETSU (7) 226
t2. Mercer (5) 226
4. Furman 175
5. Western Carolina 125
6. VMI 119
7. Samford 106
8. Wofford 60
9. The Citadel 57
