Mercer faces bigger challenge in Southern Conference

Mercer will play its second season of its revived football program next season and its first in the Southern Conference.

Head Coach Bobby Lamb admits to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the pace of play in the Football Championship Subdivision’ (FCS) Southern Conference will be faster than in the Pioneer Football League in which the Bears played in 2013.

“We were outsized last year in several games, but the low man wins in football,” the newspaper quoted Lamb as saying. “The speed of the game will be the biggest difference in the Southern Conference. Those teams have speed players at every position. Linebacker. The interior line. It’s more than just the skill positions. The players are faster and the games move at a faster tempo.”

Mercer kicks off its 2014 campaign on Aug. 28 against NAIA member Reinhardt in Macon. The Bears knocked off Reinhardt during the first week of the 2013 season by a 40-37 score, thanks last-second field goal.

The Bears finished the 2013 season with a 10-2 record. Mercer kicks off its Southern Conference play on Sept. 6 against Furman.