Mercer Football Announces Four Additions for 2014 Season

MACON, Ga. (MERCER RELEASE) – Head coach Bobby Lamb and the Mercer football program have announced the addition of three transfers and one early enrollee to join the program for the 2014 season.

Zach Jackson (TCU), Derek Owings (Eastern Michigan), Alan Posey (Tennessee) and Zac Rice (Newberry HS) will all be eligible this fall and will look to make an immediate impact as the Bears play their inaugural season in the Southern Conference.

“These four players will step in and make us better right away,” said Lamb. “Having skilled players with experience under their belts at some great institutions will add a great mix to our young program.”

Zach Jackson makes his way to Mercer from Texas Christian University (TCU) where he appeared in two games last fall, playing against LSU and Kansas. A three-star safety by Rivals.com out of high school, Jackson was a member of the Class 5A state championship team at Brookwood High School during his senior season. He recorded 85 tackles, added five interceptions and broke up three passes as a junior.

Alan Posey Comes to Mercer from the University of Tennessee where he appeared in two games last fall, playing against Austin Peay and Western Kentucky. The No. 42 prospect in the state of Georgia by Rivals.com at Clarke Central High School, Posey earned Class AAAA All-State first team honors as a junior and senior and led his team to a 31-6 record in a three-year span.

Derek Owings enrolls at Mercer after attending Eastern Michigan for two seasons. A standout at Saline High School, Owings was named All-Conference as a senior and recorded 26 catches for 345 yards and four touchdowns. He was a three-year honor roll recipient and also lettered in basketball and baseball.

Zac Rice comes to Mercer as an early enrollee from Newberry High School where he graduated in December of 2013. He was named All-State first team, All-Area first team and All-District first team as a senior and earned FACA Scholar Athlete of the Year Honors. He led his team to a Region Championship in 2012 as a junior, while picking up All-Area first team and All-State second team honors.

Mercer is coming off a season for the history books, winning 10 games and setting the NCAA’s record for victories by a start-up program. Quarterback John Russ finished fifth in the country in voting for the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the country, while Lamb was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the nation’s top FCS coach and signed a contract extension to keep him as the leader of the Bears through the 2019 season.