Know Your Foe: Mercer Bears
Mercer Bears (Macon, GA)
2023 Record: 7-3 (5-2 SoCon)
Head Coach: Drew Conic (4th Year)
Previous stops:
2018-2019 - D2 Lenoir-Rhyne (HC)
2017 - Furman (OC)
2015-2016 - NAIA Reinhardt University (HC)
Last meeting: Samford W, 50-44 OT
Fun fact: Mercer is 3-7 in the last 10 matchups against Samford last winning in 2021.
Team Overview:
This will be the best opponent for Samford since the Furman Paladins. Mercer is officially on a winning streak after beating The Citadel on the road last Saturday, 38-16, having won three straight. The game between Samford and Mercer last season was an instant classic, thanks to Quincy Crittendon. Mercer as of now is in the NCAA Tournament field per Sam Herder of Hero Sports. A Mercer win and they secure an NCAA Tournament bid, Macon will be ready for this one. Let’s dive into what makes this Mercer team go.
The first name that comes to mind for the Mercer Bears is WR Ty James. The standout WR is second in the entire country in receiving yards with 982 yards and also has 7 TDs. He is incredible and had 13 catches for 351! yards along with 2 TDs last season. In full disclosure, I literally laughed out loud reading his stat line from last year writing this. James has four games over 100 receiving yards in 2023.
QB Carter Peevy is no Fred Payton from 2022 but he is a solid player. Peevy has 1,950 passing yards along with 11 TDs and 3 INTs. He also can beat you with his legs as Peevy has seven rushing TDs. Peevy does have good weapons around him not named Ty James. WR Devron Harper has 497 receiving yards and two TDs. RB Al Wooten has 558 rushing yards and is also Mercer’s third leading receiver.
It will be a great challenge to limit this Mercer offense who is averaging 38 points a game over this three-game winning streak.
Moving over to the defense, this Mercer defense sits first in the Southern Conference in yards per game allowed in 331. They have been solid on this side of the ball and they are excellent in forcing turnovers. The Bears have forced 12 turnovers over their last three games and 16 of their 20 over their last six games.
The Bears defense is led by redshirt junior LB Ken Standley. Standley leads the team in total tackles with 73 and 11 tackles for loss. Senior S Lance Wise, Jr. is not the tallest safety at 5’9” but he does lead this team in interceptions with three. Wise, Jr. is also second in total tackles with 65. These two guys will be the ones to watch on this Mercer defense.
Mercer did have trouble against a high-powered offense against Western Carolina so let’s see if this Samford offense can replicate that success while limiting turnovers (WCU had six!).
Can Samford play spoiler on the road and make Mercer nervous on Selection Sunday? We will all find out together on Saturday at 2:00.
