By: Mike Anthony

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

As Mercer enters its sixth season of play since reviving its football program in 2013, the biggest question is whether the Bears can get over the hump.

After bursting onto the scene with a 10-2 record in their first season back on the field, Mercer made the jump from the Pioneer League to the much more challenging Southern Conference. For the last four seasons, the Bears have shown their teeth at times, but have always settled near the middle of the pack.

Mercer has finished a combined total of 8-8 in league play over the last two seasons, but with plenty of question marks around the SoCon outside of prohibitive favorite Samford, 2018 seems to be the perfect time for the Bears to make a move.

As the season begins, the most dependable facet of the team remains its head coach.

Serving as the head Bear since the team’s return to competition, Bobby Lamb – formerly of Furman – has been a steadying force. He faced the steep task of starting a program from scratch and has quickly made the Bears a concern on any team’s schedule.

So, when it comes to 2018, the question remains the same as the last couple of years. Can the Bears take the next step?

To ask the SoCon media that question, you’ll get the same, tepid maybe? Mercer didn’t get a first-place vote in the preseason poll and is picked to finish fourth – right in the range of another 4-4 conference mark.

But the Bears have plenty of reasons to hope for more than that. First and foremost, in that optimism is the return of quarterback Kaelan Riley. Pressed into action as a redshirt freshman last season, Riley responded with over 2,000 yards of offense, including 13 touchdown passes and four more rushing touchdowns.

Riley will continue to lead the Bears’ shotgun, no-huddle attack that will be further balanced out by the return of 2017 leading rusher Tee Mitchell.

Experience across the board will be Mercer’s biggest offensive asset as Lamb’s years of guidance, Mitchell’s seniority, and Riley’s proven leadership will have the Bears confident in any situation.

The defensive side of things also hints at an upward trend for Mercer. The Bears allowed a respectable 23.4 points per game last season and return six of their eight leading tacklers from the 2017 squad.

Highlighting the returners on defense is Will Coneway who was involved on 66 tackles last season, with six of those tackles going for a loss and three fumbles forced.

Mercer should continue to put up workable offensive numbers each week. The Bears’ ultimate fate this season will lie in how well its defense can adjust and perform from week to week.

Pass-heavy Samford and run-heavy Furman are the favorites in the SoCon. Running down the preseason rankings, the conference is full of teams whose offensive attacks will force defensive coordinators to vary their schemes wildly from week to week.

With the Southern Conference strong enough to send two or three teams to the playoffs, this will be a barometer season for Mercer. The Bears have been and should continue to be playoff-caliber on certain Saturdays.

The next step is to keep it consistent through an entire season and clinch the Bears’ first FCS playoff appearance.