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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Samford

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11/26/23 - Brendan Jenkins, So/2027, Samford + More +

2023 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE CO-FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Brendan Jenkins, WR, Samford,...Samford's Jenkins finished in the top 10 in the SoCon in receptions (41) and touchdowns (4), also earning all-freshman honors in addition to Freshman of the Year. He is the Bulldogs' third recipient of freshman of the year, the first since Kelvin McKnight in 2015. Jenkins, the only SoCon finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, had his best game of the season against SoCon Champion Furman on Oct. 14, finishing with seven catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. - Southern Conference Football

So/2027

WR Brendan Jenkins, Samford
News Source: Southern Conference Football
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12/06/22 - Hakeem Johnson, rSr/2023, Samford + More +

2022 ALL-SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL 2ND TEAM: DB Hakeem Johnson, Gr., Samford,...Offensive lineman Jabari Brooks and wide receiver Kendall Watson were unanimous second-team selections. At the same time, linebacker Nathan East, defensive back Hakeem Johnson and punter Bradley Porcellato were named to the second team by the coaches. - Samford Football

rSr/2023

CB Hakeem Johnson, Samford
News Source: Samford Football
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12/06/22 - Nathan East, rSr/2023, Samford + More +

2022 ALL-SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL 2ND TEAM: LB Nathan East, Gr., Samford,...Offensive lineman Jabari Brooks and wide receiver Kendall Watson were unanimous second-team selections. At the same time, linebacker Nathan East, defensive back Hakeem Johnson and punter Bradley Porcellato were named to the second team by the coaches. - Samford Football

rSr/2023

OLB Nathan East, Samford
News Source: Samford Football
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12/06/22 - Bradley Porcellato, rSr/2023, Samford + More +

2022 ALL-SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL 2ND TEAM: P Bradley Porcellato, Gr., Samford,...Offensive lineman Jabari Brooks and wide receiver Kendall Watson were unanimous second-team selections. At the same time, linebacker Nathan East, defensive back Hakeem Johnson and punter Bradley Porcellato were named to the second team by the coaches. - Samford Football

rSr/2023

P Bradley Porcellato, Samford
News Source: Samford Football
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12/03/22 - Kendall Watson, rSr/2023, Samford + More +

Quincy Crittendon raced untouched into the end zone from 10-yards out for the game-winning touchdown in overtime to give Samford a 48-42 win over Southeast Louisiana in a second-round FCS playoff game Saturday. It was the second straight walk-off, overtime touchdown for Samford's back-up, walk-on quarterback. Crittendon, a redshirt freshman, raced 25 yards for a touchdown in the second overtime period to beat Mercer, 50-44. Michael Hiers, the SoCon Player of the Month in November, was injured in the first overtime period against Mercer and saw limited practice time over the past week. He started against Southeast Louisiana, but came out after attempting three passes. Crittendon completed 26 of 40 pass attempts for 314 yards and four touchdowns without throwing an interception and ran for 94 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Southeast Louisiana battled back from a 14-point deficit twice. After Crittendon fired a 48-yard touchdown pass to Judd Crockett to stake the Bulldogs to a 28-14 lead less than three minutes into the second half, Cephus Johnson III ran for two touchdowns less than four minutes apart to tie it.

Crittendon answered with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jaylan Thomas to start the fourth quarter and Jay Stanton capped an 11-play, 73-yard drive with a 2-yard run to make it 42-28 with 10:36 to play. The Lions came back again. Carlos Washington Jr. capped a 69-yard drive with an 8-yard run and Jessie Britt punched in from the 2 to tie the game with 37 seconds left in regulation. Johnson raced around the right side on the second play of overtime, but had the ball punched out at the 6 and it bounced off the pylon for a touchback to end the Lions' possession. Kendall Watson caught seven passes for 110 yards and a touchdown for Samford (11-1), which now has won 10 straight games and is undefeated in six home games this season. Johnson was 19 of 30 passing for 173 yards and an interception for Southeast Louisiana (9-4). He carried 15 times for 123 yards and three touchdowns. Samford hosted a playoff game for the first time in program history after winning the outright Southern Conference title for the first time since 1936. The Bulldogs will travel to Fargo to face North Dakota State in a quarterfinal match-up Saturday. The Bison knocked off Montana, 49-26 in their second-round game. - Samford/AP College Football

rSr/2023

WR Kendall Watson, Samford
News Source: Samford/AP College Football
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12/03/22 - Michael Hiers, rSr/2024, Samford + More +

2022 ALL-SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM: QB Michael Hiers, Jr., Samford,...Hiers, the two-time SoCon Offensive Player of the Month, threw for 3,290 yards on 329-of-428 passing and 35 touchdowns, which is one shy of tying the single-season program record of 36 set by previous SoCon Offensive Player of the Year Delvin Hodges. The junior also ran for 161 yards and three scores on the ground. As of the end of the FCS regular season, Hiers leads all Division I passers with a 76.9 completion percentage. The Birmingham native ranks Top 10 nationally in completions per game (29.91/1st), passing efficiency (166.4/8th), passing touchdowns (35/3rd), passing yards (3,290/7th), passing yards per game (299.1/4th), points responsible for (228/3rd), points responsible per game (20.7/3rd) and total offense (313.7/4th). - Samford Football

rSr/2024

QB Michael Hiers, Samford
News Source: Samford Football
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12/03/22 - Gavin Orr, rSr/2023, Samford + More +

2022 ALL-SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL 2ND TEAM: OL Gavin Orr, Gr., Samford,...In addition, 11 Bulldogs earned All-SoCon recognition, including a trio of first-team selections. Offensive lineman Gavin Orr and wide receiver Chandler Smith were named to the first team by the media, while Hiers was a unanimous selection at first-team quarterback. - Samford Football

rSr/2023

OG Gavin Orr, Samford
News Source: Samford Football
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11/22/22 - Michael Hiers, rSr/2024, Samford + More +

2022 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Michael Hiers, Jr., QB, Samford,...Entering postseason play, Samford's Hiers leads the FCS in completion percentage (.769) and completions per game (29.91). He also ranks in the top 10 in the FCS in a plethora of other categories, including third in passing touchdowns (35), points responsible for (228) and points responsible for per game (20.7); fourth in passing yards (3,290), passing yards per game (299.1) and total offense (313.7); and eighth in passing efficiency (167.0). Hiers has completed 329-of-428 passes with just three interceptions this season. In addition to his 35 passing TDs, he has also run for 184 yards and three scores. He accounted for five total touchdowns each in wins over No. 12/11 Chattanooga and No. 16/19 Mercer to end the regular season. - SoCon Football

rSr/2024

QB Michael Hiers, Samford
News Source: SoCon Football
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11/20/22 - Michael Hiers, rSr/2024, Samford + More +

Quincy Crittendon scored on a 25-yard run in the second overtime and Samford defeated Mercer 50-44 on Saturday for the Bulldogs' first outright conference title in 86 years. No. 9 FCS Samford's 10-1 record matches the 1991 team for the best regular-season record in school history. The Bulldogs, who clinched at least a tie for the SoCon title last week, last won an outright conference championship in 1936 when then-Howard College won the Dixie Conference with a 5-3-1 record. After Samford (8-0 Southern Conference) and Mercer (No. 16 FCS, 8-4, 5-3) scored touchdowns on their first overtime possessions, Mercer missed a field goal to open the second overtime. Crittendon ended it on the second play of Samford's possession. Samford's Michael Hiers completed 43 of 55 passes for 454 yards with four touchdowns. Fred Payton was 30-of-51 passing for 514 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Mercer. Ty James caught 13 passes for an astounding 351 yards, just 25 yards shy of the FCS single-game record. - Samford/AP College Football

rSr/2024

QB Michael Hiers, Samford
News Source: Samford/AP College Football
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11/15/22 - Michael Hiers, rSr/2024, Samford + More +

NOV 14 SOCON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Michael Hiers, Jr, QB, Samford, Birmingham, Ala.,...Samford quarterback Michael Hiers claimed his fifth weekly honor of the season and second straight after accounting for five touchdowns and 354 yards of total offense in the Bulldogs' 35-24 win over No. 12/11 Chattanooga on Saturday. The junior from Birmingham, Alabama, improved upon his FCS-best completion percentage by going 37-for-47 (78.7 percent) for 353 yards and four touchdowns through the air, completing scoring passes of 22, 16, 5 and 80 yards on the day. Hiers also called his own number for a 1-yard TD run. Samford, which clinched at least a share of its first SoCon title since 2013 and the league's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs, was named the Athlon FCS Team of the Week and Stats Perform FedEx Ground FCS National Team of the Week on Monday. Other nominees: JJ Hudson (The Citadel), Jacob Saylors (ETSU), Tyler Huff (Furman), Devron Harper (Mercer), Ailym Ford (Chattanooga), Censere Lee (Western Carolina) and Jimmy Weirick (Wofford). - SoCon Football

rSr/2024

QB Michael Hiers, Samford
News Source: SoCon Football
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11/14/22 - Isaiah Richardson, rSr/2023, Samford + More +

NOV 14 FEDEX GROUND FCS NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK: Samford (35-24 win at Chattanooga),...The Bulldogs clinched a share of their first Southern Conference title since 2013 and later gained an automatic FCS playoff bid due to Furman's win at Mercer. Quarterback Michael Hiers connected with wide receiver Kendall Watson for three of his four touchdown passes and rushed for a score. Free safety Isaiah Richardson had a team-high nine tackles and a key interception. The Bulldogs have lost only to defending FCS national champion Georgia. Honorable Mention: Abilene Christian (45-28 win at Sam Houston); Drake (27-24 win over Butler); Richmond (21-13 win at Delaware); UC Davis (44-26 win at Idaho); Yale (24-20 win over Princeton). - STATS FCS Football

rSr/2023

SS Isaiah Richardson, Samford
News Source: STATS FCS Football
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11/12/22 - DaMonta Witherspoon, rSr/2025, Samford + More +

Cortezz Jones had two 24-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter and Damonta Witherspoon scored from 20 yards out as Murray State ran past winless Robert Morris to post a 27-9 victory Saturday. Taylor Shields found Jayden Stinson with a 28-yard touchdown to open the scoring, but the Colonials got a 42-yard field goal from Jayson Jenkins and a 17-yard touchdown run from Zach Tanner in the third quarter to take a 9-7 lead into the final period.

The Racers (2-8) had 249 yards on the ground while it held Robert Morris to 166 yards of total offense. Witherspoon had 80 yards on 19 carries and Jones added 10 carries for 75 yards. Stinson was 12-of-23 passing for 145 yards. Murray State closes out its regular season at Southeast Missouri State. Robert Morris (0-10) will face 3-10 Bryant in its regular-season finale. - Murray State/AP College Football

rSr/2025

RB DaMonta Witherspoon, Samford
News Source: Murray State/AP College Football
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11/12/22 - Michael Hiers, rSr/2024, Samford + More +

Michael Hiers threw four touchdown passes and ran for a score and Samford won the Southern Conference title with a 35-24 victory over Chattanooga on Saturday in a match-up between ranked teams. Samford (9-1, 7-0 Southern Conference), ranked ninth in the FCS coaches poll, collected its first title since 2013 and will look to sweep the conference schedule in its regular-season finale against Mercer next Saturday.

Hiers threw three touchdown passes to Kendall Watson and also had a 1-yard TD run as Samford built a 28-7 lead late in the second quarter. Hiers tossed an 80-yard TD pass to D.J. Rias that made it 35-17 early in the third. Hiers was 37-of-47 passing for 353 yards. Rias made four catches for 100 yards. Chattanooga had just two possessions in the fourth quarter that led to a punt and missed field goal. The Bulldogs kept the ball for the last eight minutes of the game. Ailym Ford and Preston Hutchinson each ran in for scores from short yardage in the third quarter for 12th-ranked Chattanooga (7-3, 5-2 Southern Conference). Hutchinson completed 24 of 37 passes for 320 yards but threw two interceptions. Ford carried the ball 24 times for 144 yards. - Samford/AP College Football

rSr/2024

QB Michael Hiers, Samford
News Source: Samford/AP College Football
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11/11/22 - Michael Hiers, rSr/2024, Samford + More +

NOV 7 SOCON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Michael Hiers, Jr, QB, Samford, Birmingham, Ala.,...Samford quarterback Michael Hiers claimed his fourth weekly honor of the season after throwing for 322 yards and four touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 34-15 win over VMI on Saturday. The junior from Birmingham, Alabama, was 30-for-38 through the air, completing 78.9 percent of his passes on the day to assume the FCS lead in completion percentage this season at 76.4. Hiers threw scoring strikes of 2, 49, 70 and 13 yards on the afternoon, with his 70-yard bomb at the end of the third quarter putting Samford ahead for good and accounting for the Bulldogs' longest play from scrimmage this season. Other nominees: Ailym Ford (Chattanooga), Desmond Reid (Western Carolina) and Jimmy Weirick (Wofford). - SoCon Football

rSr/2024

QB Michael Hiers, Samford
News Source: SoCon Football
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11/05/22 - Michael Hiers, rSr/2024, Samford + More +

Michael Hiers threw a career-high four touchdowns passes and Samford overcame a slow start to defeat VMI 34-15 on homecoming Saturday, giving coach Chris Hatcher his school-record 48th victory. Chandler Smith had 10 catches for 134 yards with two touchdowns and Jaylan Thomas added 97 yards rushing, including a 32-yard score for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs (8-1, 6-0 Southern Conference), ranked No. 10 in the FCS coaches poll, trailed 12-7 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Hiers threw for touchdowns of 49 yards to Smith for a 14-12 advantage and later 70 yards to Kendall Watson for a 20-15 lead. Hiers added a second TD connection with Smith in the fourth quarter. Thomas capped the scoring with his 32-yard dash. Hiers finished with 322 yards passing on 30 completions in 38 attempts. He was intercepted once. Jerry Rice made all five of his field goal attempts for VMI. Seth Morgan threw for 213 yards and Korey Bridy had 113 yards on the ground for the Keydets (1-8, 0-6). - Samford/AP College Football

rSr/2024