ETSU running back Jacob Saylors has been named the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Chattanooga defensive lineman Devonnsha Maxwell has been tabbed the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in voting by the league's nine head coaches. For the second straight season, the coaches and media both selected Chattanooga to win the SoCon title. Chattanooga is the preseason pick to win its first league title since 2015 after going 6-5 overall and 5-3 in league play last season. The Mocs, who spent eight weeks in the national rankings last season and handed ETSU its lone league loss, led Kentucky in the fourth quarter before ultimately falling by five and dropped its three league games by a combined 10 points.UTC features eight players that earned preseason all-conference recognition this season, including five on the first team, but must replace first-round NFL Draft pick Cole Strange, who became the SoCon's first first-rounder since 1974. The Mocs claimed five first-place votes and 60 points in the coaches poll and 18 of 30 first-place votes and 256 points in the media poll. Chattanooga is ranked 12th in the Athlon Sports Preseason FCS Top 25 and 16th in the HERO Sports Preseason FCS Top 25. - Southern Conference Football