SoCon sports podcast. Mercer centric

Give it a listen, and like Justin said, we're open to feedback and what YOU would like to hear and know about Mercer sports. We have you covered.

For instance: Is Mercer's rushing offense the key to the game Sat.?

Mercer currently is #4 in the SoCon at Rushing offense with 237.5 yard per game. VMI is 7th in the SoCon with 114.9 ypg.

VMI is #2 in the SoCon with 264.9 passing ypg and Mercer is #3 at 247.0.

So is the key to the game Mercer's passing defense being able to contain Al Cobb and the VMI passing game? Or is it Mercer's rushing offense and being able to run the ball on VMI?

Or does it just come down to turnovers?

Inquiring minds want to know.........

FUBeAR has the time if he just quits plotting his AntiAntiFUBeAR Method counter espionage strategy.

I will talk with Hayes and see what we can do! I think that's a great idea. We normally try and provide some keys on the podcast but we were a little more rushed for time this week with classes and stuff going on.

Haha I wish I could go without studying. Hayes and I are both interning at the Macon Telegraph this semester so it's a struggle. We record the podcasts at 7am because it's the only time we are both free lol.

As a suggestion, there is a unique opportunity at the end of this season and, also, at the end of next season.

When Mercer restarted football in 2012, there were 108 young men that took the field for that 1st practice. Unless I've missed someone (see list below), 36 of those "Day 1's" remain on the Mercer roster. 2 of these, Alex Avant & Wilson Heres, transferred to Mercer and are 5th Year Sr's. 2015 is their last year of college football. If I'm not mistaken, Cody Jones, who was already a 'regular' student at Mercer when football started, also is out of eligibility after the 2015 season, due to NCAA rules. More than a few of the remaining 33 will graduate in December or May and may elect not return for the 2016 season even though they have a year of NCAA eligibility remaining.

So, we will be saying "au revoir" to about 1/2 (my estimate) of our remaining "Day 1's" at the end of this season and about 1/2 half of them at the end of 2016. Each of these young men decided come to Mercer without Athletic Scholarships, without a stadium, without a field house, and with no idea that they would soon be playing for a team that would win 10 games in their 1st year, narrowly miss an opportunity to make the D1 FCS Playoffs in that same year, and then move to one of those most successful and historically competitive conferences in the D1 FCS, where they would very nearly defeat 2 ranked teams in their 1st year in that conference. They did not know that they would soon be competing for their positions/playing time against highly recruited/scholarship players and yet, as you can see, many of the names on this list are still current starters and/or key contributors (I would say over 20 of the 36 are in this 'category,') and some have achieved quite a bit of individual recognition (All-PFL, All SoCon, CFPA Lists, etc.).

The 'opportunity' that I see is for Mercer fans to hear from some/many of these young men about their experience in being the foundation upon which Mercer's future football success will be framed.

Why did they choose to come to Mercer and play Football for the Bears? What did they imagine their football experience here was going to be? What has it actually been? If different, how do they feel about that? What do they foresee for the future of Mercer Football? Do they plan to actively participate in that future in some way? How do they think Mercer students view their venture into Football? How has that changed over their time at Mercer? What has been their single greatest memory of Mercer Football? Why did they 'stick with it' while 72 other "Day 1's" decided to hang up their cleats at some point earlier? How are those guys doing? Are they still at Mercer? Do they still 'hang' with their former Teammates? If anything, what would they change about their Mercer Football experience if they could? Which Coach has been the biggest influence on them and how? If they were making that decision that they made in 2012 (or maybe 2011) over again, would they still decide to come to Mercer and play Football for the Bears? What are they most proud of accomplishing over the past 4 years as an individual and as part of the Team?

BTW - Personally, I think these are 36 of the finest, bravest, most persevering, resilient young men in the universe and I'm not entirely sure they are all getting or will receive the recognition that I feel they each deserve for the dramatic, positive change that Football has brought to Mercer University which has been realized through their 4 (or 5) years of giving their sweat and blood for the Bears. So...I'm a little biased.

DEFENSE (16)
2 Aaron Avant, DB
36 Alex Avant, DB
18 Nevin Harton, DB
4 Sebastian Hicks, DB
39 Jabari Scruggs, DB
5 Andy Nichols, DB
9 Lendell Arnold, DB
22 Sytavious Brown, DB
92 Kelly Brooks, DL
98 Cody Jones, DL
90 Marvin Davis, DL
56 Michael Rainwater, LB
48 Michael Wagner, LB
11 Tosin Aguebor, LB
34 Josh Bennett, LB
10 Corey Lockett, LB
OFFENSE (17)
54 Kirby Southard, OL
67 Wilson Heres, OL
60 Jack Lightsey, OL
64 Anthony Perella, OL
76 Thomas Pietro, OL
55 Avery White, OL
70 Mitch Payne, OL
7 John Russ, QB
24 Caleb Brown, RB
25 Payton Usher, RB
15 Eli Grambling, QB/TE
42 Grant Radakovich, TE
6 Josh Jones, WR
81 Ryan Knapp, WR
1 Jordan Marshall, WR
80 D'Vante Penamon, WR
88 Darius Tenney, WR
SPECIALISTS (3)
66 John Garrett Abernathy, LS
85 Tyler Zielenske, K/P
50 Rob East, H

I did, actually, miss 3 young men, that should have been included in the list above. I missed them because they have already graduated and all 3 are in Grad School at Mercer, but are not playing this year. These guys are/were also "Day 1's"

David Pinkerton, RB - Mercer Pharmacy
JT Palmer, WR - Mercer Law
Tash Van Dora, WR - Mercer Law

In addition, 2 young men, though they were not "Day 1's," have transferred in and 'come through' the Mercer Football Program, completing their NCAA eligibility as Mercer Football Bears.

Will Roper, K (transferred from SC State & Univ. of AZ, playing his 5th year of eligibility (2014) for the Bears as a student in Mercer's MBA program)
Josh Shutter, K (transferred from Clemson as a Soccer Athlete for the Bears and played Football for Mercer in his final year of eligibility, 2013)