The Undefeated 7th Ranked Mercer Bears prepare for a tough SOCON Battle with Samford Saturday

The Mercer Bears (6-0) and Head Coach Mike Jacobs talk at Monday's press conference about what the Bears need to do to beat the Samford Bulldogs (2-3) Saturday in Brimingham

October 15, 2024

Justin Dierkes,

Mercer Bears Heads To Birmingham To Face Off Against Samford Bulldogs Saturday

MACON, Georgia – (41NBC/WMGT) – The undefeated Mercer Bears take their 6-0 record on the road to face the 2-3 Samford Bulldogs in Birmingham, Alabama on Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern.

During Monday’s weekly press conference, Mercer Head Coach Mike Jacobs, Defensive Coordinator Jahmal Brown, and Senior Runningback Dewayne McGee all spoke on what this 7th ranked Bears team has done to improve, and what it will take to beat a Samford team they lost to on the road to in 2022 50-44 in double overtime.

“The Chris Hatcher offense, right?” said Coach Jacobs on Monday. “Coach Hatcher has done a brilliant job of putting together offenses. They throw the ball really good. They throw the ball to run the ball. They’re Quarterback can beat you with his legs; he can move around a little bit more. I think a number of their skill players are talented. Maybe collectively as good of a group as we’ve probably faced this season so far. It’s a place that traditionally we’ve had a hard time playing over there in Birmingham.”

Coach Brown spoke on what the Bulldogs do well. “Samford is a pretty good team and they do a lot of good things offensively. They spread it out, they run the ball well, they throw the ball well. Their Quarterback is pretty athletic, so we just got to come out this week focused and kind of work on the things that we do well, and I think the rest will take care of itself.”

“At first, I used to think I sucked at practice” said Bears Senior McGee. “I used to come in and I wasn’t scoring, and I wasn’t making big plays, but like my coach told me, we have some of the best linebackers in the country, the best in the SOCON, and going against great talent, grade-A talent everyday, it only helps me get better. So now, like when I’m on the field, other players don’t really compare to them, so it helps me play on Saturdays.”