UTC Mocs' Davis Tull named SoCon male athlete of year

UTC defensive lineman Davis Tull works out as NFL scouts watch during UTC's Pro Day.  Scouts from 23 NFL teams were on hand to watch UTC senior football players who are now draft eligible.
UTC defensive lineman Davis Tull works out as NFL scouts watch during UTC's Pro Day. Scouts from 23 NFL teams were on hand to watch UTC senior football players who are now draft eligible.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman wasn't surprised that Davis Tull received another honor Tuesday.

What did surprise him is that Tull was the first in school history to do it.

Tull was named the Southern Conference male athlete of the year by the conference's athletic directors and a designated media member for each school. He became the first Moc to win the male award.

Basketball player Taylor Hall was UTC's eighth SoCon female athlete of the year when she was honored last year.

Tull, the former Mocs walk-on who recently was selected in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints, finished his senior season with 10.5 sacks and his career with a conference record of 37. He was the SoCon defensive player of the year for the third consecutive time and was named a first-team All-American by both The Sports Network and The Associated Press.

He was a two-time Academic All-American and was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan award, given to the nation's top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.

He graduated with a degree in Health and Human Performance in December and took part in numerous community service events, including the Bloodanooga Blood Drive and the Get In The Game Bone Marrow Registry. He also assisted with a local kids clinic at Finley Stadium.

"Davis has done a lot and accomplished a lot, so it's not surprising that he's the athlete of the year," Huesman said Tuesday. "Every time you turn around, something else comes up. Hopefully, 10-12 years from now, he's still in the (NFL) and we're still bragging about him. He's a fine human being and I'm glad good things are happening to him.

"He can run, jump, has a relentless motor; he's bright; he takes care of his body -- everything you want an athlete to do when in college. It's why he's the best, because he does what he needs to do to be a great football player. There aren't many like him out there."

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.

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