Do you think the program would be at least decent or still a door mat for other teams.

The structure of the "new" SoCon will actually give them some conference teams to compete with for the first 5 or so years. Hopefully by year 10 they will be competitive with the upper tier teams in the SoCon.
They may not be a doormat very long.

When will Mercer's football team begin playing in the Southern Conference?

(07-06-2013 04:25 PM)Buckminster Fuller Wrote:  When will Mercer's football team begin playing in the Southern Conference?

2014 from all I've seen.

(07-06-2013 05:10 PM)mufootballfan Wrote:  

(07-06-2013 04:25 PM)Buckminster Fuller Wrote:  When will Mercer's football team begin playing in the Southern Conference?

2014 from all I've seen.

Yep 2014. One year in the Pioneer League, and then 2014 in the SoCon. I believe Coach Lamb said Mercer will be full scholarship by 2016.

(06-29-2013 03:15 PM)Mercer478 Wrote:  Do you think the program would be at least decent or still a door mat for other teams.

I think in 5 years Coach Lamb will have Mercer as a contender. He's got the SoCon experience and recruiting knowledge. The facilities alone should lure recruits to MU over comparable schools. It's going to be interesting to see it develop. By the 10 year mark there's no telling what Mercer will be doing. The vision of the leadership does not appear to have a limit. It's a great time for us!

Wofford took Clemson down to the wire a couple of years ago. No reason why Mercer can't be as good or better than Wofford.

(07-09-2013 09:17 PM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  Wofford took Clemson down to the wire a couple of years ago. No reason why Mercer can't be as good or better than Wofford.

Wofford also was tied 7-7 with South Carolina with 12:00 to go in their game last year. Although it is a very small school, Wofford does have the advantage of having NFL training camp facilities. That helps quite a bit with recruiting. That advantage is likely to continue since the Panthers' owner graduated from Wofford and recently hired Wofford's former AD (Danny Morrison) as the president of the Panthers.

Going to be tough sledding at first. After three, or four, years Mercer should be competitive. Actually the biggest break got with the SoCon was that they evidently decided that when they had to replace App, and GSU, the conference decided to guarantee the existing schools almost promised wins for the next few years. They wanted no part of programs like Coastal Carolina which could probably win the revamped SoCon in its first year. Mercer will do O.K. But it will never be a Georgia Souther type program.

Furman fan here. Mercer ties as well.

I think Mercer will take lumps for a few seasons. Wofford and Elon both were smacked around pretty good when they came into the SoCon, and both of those teams had successful programs at the NAIA level (that is, they weren't starting from scratch).

Wofford is a hard comparable to make. Wofford is (I think) the smallest Division 1 school in the country. They are generally successful because they have, IMO, the best pound for pound football coach in the country. Mike Ayers is an elite coach at a small program. They run a difficult to defense offense and run it very well.

I don't see any reason why Mercer will not be successful. You can look at Samford as a great example of a team that came into the conference overmatched for a while, and has recruited well and now has perhaps the SoCon's best team. I certainly think Mercer will be successful far earlier than ETSU and VMI, both of whom were formerly in the conference and were never competitive.

I like the hire of Coach Lamb a lot. He was a good coach at Furman. What I do not know, however, is how much of his success could be attributed to his predecessor Bobby Johnson (who moved on to Vanderbilt in 2002) and to catching lightening in a bottle with Florida transfer Ingle Martin in 2004 and 2005. Lamb racked up a lot of wins with Johnson's players and a big quarterback transfer, but once the players were his own, Furman started to get pretty mediocre pretty quickly. I don't know if that was Lamb, or just the normal cycle of a football program that will face its peaks and valleys.

In any event, excited to see you guys join the conference. Think you'll enjoy playing FCS football at the high levels. Hopefully you'll help get the SoCon back to national prominence where it belongs.

(10-23-2013 10:53 AM)onbir11 Wrote:  Furman fan here. Mercer ties as well.

I think Mercer will take lumps for a few seasons. Wofford and Elon both were smacked around pretty good when they came into the SoCon, and both of those teams had successful programs at the NAIA level (that is, they weren't starting from scratch).

Wofford is a hard comparable to make. Wofford is (I think) the smallest Division 1 school in the country. They are generally successful because they have, IMO, the best pound for pound football coach in the country. Mike Ayers is an elite coach at a small program. They run a difficult to defense offense and run it very well.

I don't see any reason why Mercer will not be successful. You can look at Samford as a great example of a team that came into the conference overmatched for a while, and has recruited well and now has perhaps the SoCon's best team. I certainly think Mercer will be successful far earlier than ETSU and VMI, both of whom were formerly in the conference and were never competitive.

I like the hire of Coach Lamb a lot. He was a good coach at Furman. What I do not know, however, is how much of his success could be attributed to his predecessor Bobby Johnson (who moved on to Vanderbilt in 2002) and to catching lightening in a bottle with Florida transfer Ingle Martin in 2004 and 2005. Lamb racked up a lot of wins with Johnson's players and a big quarterback transfer, but once the players were his own, Furman started to get pretty mediocre pretty quickly. I don't know if that was Lamb, or just the normal cycle of a football program that will face its peaks and valleys.

In any event, excited to see you guys join the conference. Think you'll enjoy playing FCS football at the high levels. Hopefully you'll help get the SoCon back to national prominence where it belongs.

It's going to be extremely difficult to walk into the SoCon and compete immediately. Those teams are full scholarship, have seniors and juniors, and of course have been playing at this high level for quite a while. Coach Lamb brings the experience that will be a difference maker, so that's why we have a chance to make it happen sooner rather than later.

I don't think it's fair to discount what Coach Lamb did at Furman with his transfer from Florida. He got that player, so I don't see why you don't really "count" that success. I think Furman made a big mistake in letting Coach Lamb go. Only 1 losing season and it was a 5-6 record. We are incredibly happy to have him, so I'm also thankful for Furman's choice.

It's crazy for you since you have ties to both schools. You must have done a double take when you saw Lamb going to Mercer headlines.

I completely agree that we'll all enjoy FCS at the higher level of the SoCon.

(10-23-2013 01:28 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  

(10-23-2013 10:53 AM)onbir11 Wrote:  Furman fan here. Mercer ties as well.

I think Mercer will take lumps for a few seasons. Wofford and Elon both were smacked around pretty good when they came into the SoCon, and both of those teams had successful programs at the NAIA level (that is, they weren't starting from scratch).

Wofford is a hard comparable to make. Wofford is (I think) the smallest Division 1 school in the country. They are generally successful because they have, IMO, the best pound for pound football coach in the country. Mike Ayers is an elite coach at a small program. They run a difficult to defense offense and run it very well.

I don't see any reason why Mercer will not be successful. You can look at Samford as a great example of a team that came into the conference overmatched for a while, and has recruited well and now has perhaps the SoCon's best team. I certainly think Mercer will be successful far earlier than ETSU and VMI, both of whom were formerly in the conference and were never competitive.

I like the hire of Coach Lamb a lot. He was a good coach at Furman. What I do not know, however, is how much of his success could be attributed to his predecessor Bobby Johnson (who moved on to Vanderbilt in 2002) and to catching lightening in a bottle with Florida transfer Ingle Martin in 2004 and 2005. Lamb racked up a lot of wins with Johnson's players and a big quarterback transfer, but once the players were his own, Furman started to get pretty mediocre pretty quickly. I don't know if that was Lamb, or just the normal cycle of a football program that will face its peaks and valleys.

In any event, excited to see you guys join the conference. Think you'll enjoy playing FCS football at the high levels. Hopefully you'll help get the SoCon back to national prominence where it belongs.

It's going to be extremely difficult to walk into the SoCon and compete immediately. Those teams are full scholarship, have seniors and juniors, and of course have been playing at this high level for quite a while. Coach Lamb brings the experience that will be a difference maker, so that's why we have a chance to make it happen sooner rather than later.

I don't think it's fair to discount what Coach Lamb did at Furman with his transfer from Florida. He got that player, so I don't see why you don't really "count" that success. I think Furman made a big mistake in letting Coach Lamb go. Only 1 losing season and it was a 5-6 record. We are incredibly happy to have him, so I'm also thankful for Furman's choice.

It's crazy for you since you have ties to both schools. You must have done a double take when you saw Lamb going to Mercer headlines.

I completely agree that we'll all enjoy FCS at the higher level of the SoCon.

I was surprised to see him end up at Mercer, frankly. Lamb gave a lot of good years to the Paladin program both as a player and a coach. From a fan's perspective, it just appeared time for a change. I think most are quite happy with Coach Fowler.

The Ingle Martin arrival was a happy day in Furman football history. Martin was pegged as the starter at UF until the new coach (Urban Meyer) wanted to start his recruit (Chris Leake) over Martin. Martin looked for other options. Turns out the former holder for the Gators (a receiver named Brian Stone) had transferred to Furman as a receiver a year earlier and kept a close relationship with Martin. Both he and Lamb helped seal the arrangement I understand.

It was not so much that Furman had a losing season, but you have to understand that Furman was a perennial top 10 team in the FCS. They had played in three national title games. They were 12 time conference champions. While true, he did only have one losing season, it came after a few 6-5 years where the team simply wasn't playing to the level of expectation. That was the first losing season for Furman in something like 20 years.

He is a good coach and a good recruiter. Furman had 9 players last season in NFL camps. Not many large programs can make that claim. Those were all Lamb recruits. At the end of the day, I think the move worked out best for both sides. Lamb gets to head up a good thing in Macon, and Furman gets the opportunity to move on and rebuild under Coach Fowler.

Thanks for the history on the Florida QB situation, that's interesting! I'm glad it worked out the way it did.

I do agree looking back that it should be good for both schools. I don't think Mercer could have had a better coach to start the program. I don't know about Furman's head coach, but it's really never good for someone to be at one school for too long.

I know one thing for sure, that Furman game next year will be circled.

(10-23-2013 05:43 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  Thanks for the history on the Florida QB situation, that's interesting! I'm glad it worked out the way it did.

I do agree looking back that it should be good for both schools. I don't think Mercer could have had a better coach to start the program. I don't know about Furman's head coach, but it's really never good for someone to be at one school for too long.

I know one thing for sure, that Furman game next year will be circled.

Furman is now headed by Bruce Fowler, a former player and former coach who moved with Bobby Johnson to Vandy as the defensive coordinator. As with most coaching changes, he is quite the opposite of Lamb in terms of style and personality.

You make a good point about the timing of it all. Lamb headed Furman's program for nine years. That's an eternity in division 1 football regardless of where you're coaching.

Most certainly the game will be circled. According to some Furman sources, I think the game will be in Macon right near the beginning of the season (perhaps Mercer's first SoCon game). Given that I live in Macon and have degrees from both institutions, don't think for a second I won't be there. :)

(10-24-2013 07:37 AM)onbir11 Wrote:  

(10-23-2013 05:43 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  Thanks for the history on the Florida QB situation, that's interesting! I'm glad it worked out the way it did.

I do agree looking back that it should be good for both schools. I don't think Mercer could have had a better coach to start the program. I don't know about Furman's head coach, but it's really never good for someone to be at one school for too long.

I know one thing for sure, that Furman game next year will be circled.

Furman is now headed by Bruce Fowler, a former player and former coach who moved with Bobby Johnson to Vandy as the defensive coordinator. As with most coaching changes, he is quite the opposite of Lamb in terms of style and personality.

You make a good point about the timing of it all. Lamb headed Furman's program for nine years. That's an eternity in division 1 football regardless of where you're coaching.

Most certainly the game will be circled. According to some Furman sources, I think the game will be in Macon right near the beginning of the season (perhaps Mercer's first SoCon game). Given that I live in Macon and have degrees from both institutions, don't think for a second I won't be there. :)

That would be awesome if Mercer/Furman was the Bear's first SoCon game. I never doubted that you would be there...but who will you be rooting for? Haha.

(10-24-2013 02:36 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  

(10-24-2013 07:37 AM)onbir11 Wrote:  

(10-23-2013 05:43 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  Thanks for the history on the Florida QB situation, that's interesting! I'm glad it worked out the way it did.

I do agree looking back that it should be good for both schools. I don't think Mercer could have had a better coach to start the program. I don't know about Furman's head coach, but it's really never good for someone to be at one school for too long.

I know one thing for sure, that Furman game next year will be circled.

Furman is now headed by Bruce Fowler, a former player and former coach who moved with Bobby Johnson to Vandy as the defensive coordinator. As with most coaching changes, he is quite the opposite of Lamb in terms of style and personality.

You make a good point about the timing of it all. Lamb headed Furman's program for nine years. That's an eternity in division 1 football regardless of where you're coaching.

Most certainly the game will be circled. According to some Furman sources, I think the game will be in Macon right near the beginning of the season (perhaps Mercer's first SoCon game). Given that I live in Macon and have degrees from both institutions, don't think for a second I won't be there. :)

That would be awesome if Mercer/Furman was the Bear's first SoCon game. I never doubted that you would be there...but who will you be rooting for? Haha.

According to the game notes this season, Mercer is listed as the second game of the season for Furman in 2014. I do not have any idea what the schedule will look like with three teams leaving and several others joining as it has been rumored that the whole home/away series format for the SoCon will be completely revamped. That is, Furman will play consecutive road games next year against teams they faced on the road this season, and vice versa.

While I don't know if that is Mercer's first SoCon game (from time to time there will be a conference game in week 1), I imagine it will be.

I have close ties to Mercer, but my allegiances still rest in Greenville :)

(10-24-2013 02:50 PM)onbir11 Wrote:  

(10-24-2013 02:36 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  

(10-24-2013 07:37 AM)onbir11 Wrote:  

(10-23-2013 05:43 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  Thanks for the history on the Florida QB situation, that's interesting! I'm glad it worked out the way it did.

I do agree looking back that it should be good for both schools. I don't think Mercer could have had a better coach to start the program. I don't know about Furman's head coach, but it's really never good for someone to be at one school for too long.

I know one thing for sure, that Furman game next year will be circled.

Furman is now headed by Bruce Fowler, a former player and former coach who moved with Bobby Johnson to Vandy as the defensive coordinator. As with most coaching changes, he is quite the opposite of Lamb in terms of style and personality.

You make a good point about the timing of it all. Lamb headed Furman's program for nine years. That's an eternity in division 1 football regardless of where you're coaching.

Most certainly the game will be circled. According to some Furman sources, I think the game will be in Macon right near the beginning of the season (perhaps Mercer's first SoCon game). Given that I live in Macon and have degrees from both institutions, don't think for a second I won't be there. :)

That would be awesome if Mercer/Furman was the Bear's first SoCon game. I never doubted that you would be there...but who will you be rooting for? Haha.

According to the game notes this season, Mercer is listed as the second game of the season for Furman in 2014. I do not have any idea what the schedule will look like with three teams leaving and several others joining as it has been rumored that the whole home/away series format for the SoCon will be completely revamped. That is, Furman will play consecutive road games next year against teams they faced on the road this season, and vice versa.

While I don't know if that is Mercer's first SoCon game (from time to time there will be a conference game in week 1), I imagine it will be.

I have close ties to Mercer, but my allegiances still rest in Greenville :)

That will be interesting to see how the schedule shakes out, and which weeks are conference games. A conference game in week 1 could cause some big upsets I would imagine.

I understand about your allegiance to Furman... you'll have to support the Bears in every other week.

Does VMI move to the SoCon next year or in 2015?

(10-25-2013 01:23 AM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  Does VMI move to the SoCon next year or in 2015?

I'm pretty sure they join next year for all sports. The SoCon should have 8 football playing members in 2014 and beyond until ETSU makes it 9.