WCU Preseason Preview: Game #8 - Mercer

Throughout this preseason, we will preview all of Western Carolina's 2024 football opponents. For this season's eighth game, the Catamounts remain on the road to face the Mercer Bears in Macon, Georgia.  

Game #8 - Mercer Bears

The Bears finished the 2023 season tied for second place with the Chattanooga Mocs, finishing with a 9-4 overall record. Mercer has been picked to finish this season in forth place in preseason voting by the SoCon coaches.  

 

When: Saturday, October 25, 2022

Time:  3:30 pm
Where: Five Star Stadium, Macon, GA
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
   -Play-by-Play:  Gary Ayers • Daniel Hooker • Producer: Jeff Bryson

TV/video:  ESPN+

Live Stats:   Live Stats

Fan Message Board:  MU Bear Down

The Series: In only the 11th meeting between the two teams, the Cats own a 2-8 overall record against the Bears, having dropped the last eight (8) games played in the series. The Cats are 1-4 against the Bears in games played in Macon.  

Last Season's Game vs. Mercer (October. 19, 2023) - Turnovers Costly in Homecoming Loss to Mercer - Cole Gonzales matched his career-high with five touchdown passes including two to tight end Ajay Belanger, but #16/10 Western Carolina was unable to overcome six turnovers including two that went for Mercer scores in suffering a 45-38 loss to the Bears on Homecoming Saturday in front of 12,154 fans at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Last Season's Record (2022 Mercer): 9-4 overall, 5-1 home, 3-3 away, 1-0 neutral, 6-2 SoCon

Head Coach: Mike Jacobs -  A 21-year collegiate coaching veteran with footprints of success throughout each stop of his storied career, Mike Jacobs was announced as the 21st head coach in the history of the Mercer football program on Jan. 18, 2024. Jacobs, who has compiled a 74-17 (.813) record across head coaching stops at both Notre Dame (Ohio) and Lenoir-Rhyne, boasts the nation’s sixth-best winning percentage among active coaches at the NCAA Divisions I and II levels. He is fresh off of a 2023 campaign that saw him lead Lenoir-Rhyne to a 13-2 clip that was accentuated with an appearance in the semifinal round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

Kerwin Bell's record vs. Mercer:  0 - 3

Mike Jacobs's record vs. WCU:  0 - 0

The Bears were picked to finish fourth in the standings in the preseason poll and had 6 players selected for preseason honors.  Seniors linebacker Isaac Dowling and senior linebacker Ken Standley picked up  preseason honors when the duo were both selected with preseason all-America accolades by Stats Perform.

 

Mercer is facing changes, with the primary one being a shift in its head coach position. Drew Cronic, who guided the Bears to the playoffs the previous year, departed for a position at Navy. Replacing him is Mike Jacobs, who previously led Lenoir-Rhyne to two DII playoff appearances. He is  stepping into his first Division I role. Jacobs takes over a team that lost some key players, including receiver Ty James, and special teams specialist Devron Harper. Quarterback Carter Peevy moved on to Maine, and running back Al Wooten has signed with Duke, and significant turnover in the team's roster, both on offense and defense, leaving the defense in particular with many unknowns.

The Bears added 12 player in the offseason, as well as a pair of NCAA Division II all-Americans. Mercer found depth in six different areas including three each on the offensive line and at wide receivers, two defensive linemen and defensive backs, one running back and a punter.  The 2024 transfer class additions are Ian Hover (OL, Texas State), Lonnie Ratliff IV (QB, Holmes CC) and D.J. Smith (QB, Jones JC).

2023 Mercer Statistics (13 games):

Rushing Offense: 1911 yards
Yards per game: 147

Yards per rush: 3.8 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 43
TDs rushing: 103
Passing Offense: 2288 yards or 176 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 7.3 yards
Passing 1st downs: 100
Passing: Att-Comp-Int: 308-203-5

TDs Passing: 11
Total Offense: 4199 yards or 323 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 20-13
3d Down Conversions: 58 of 170 (34%)
4th Down Conversions: 10 of 18 (56%)
Field goal attempts: 10 of 15
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 32 of 43  
Red Zone Touchdowns: 23 of 43

PAT:  37 of 37