Depth at running back a welcome sight for Mercer’s Lamb

Last season, Mercer struggled with depth and injury issues at running back.

Head coach Bobby Lamb thinks the Bears have that covered this year. Alex Lakes, the program’s all-time leading rusher is back for his senior season, and he will have plenty of help.

Tee Mitchell, the team’s leading rusher in 2015 who was suspended from the program last season, returned this summer, and former Georgia Tech running back CJ Leggett transferred to Mercer from Mesa Community College before spring practice. The Bears signed two freshmen in their 2017 recruiting class: Rashad Haynes and Tyray Devezin.

On Monday, Lamb announced Mitchell as the starter but said all five running backs will play.

“The big discussion was do you redshirt one, or do you play them both?” Lamb said of the freshmen. “After what happened last year, we’re not taking any chances. We’re playing them all because we were at zero last year at the end of the season, and now we’re five deep so that’s a good problem to have.”

Kicking off Porter’s second season

Kevin Porter’s first season at Fort Valley State finished with a bang as the Wildcats won the SIAC championship, beating Kentucky State.

On Thursday, the Wildcats begin Porter’s second season with the program at West Georgia.

“It comes around pretty quick, and we feel like we’ve had a productive offseason,” Porter said. “We’ve been able to find quality players and get a full recruiting class in. And we were able to get a full winter in and then a full spring, and then we had a really good summer. We feel like we’re getting to the point we want to be.”

Tough opener

Tyson Summers’ first season at Georgia Southern didn’t go as planned with a 5-7 record. After winning their first three games, the Eagles lost three straight. They also had a four-game losing streak.

On Saturday, the Eagles begin their second season with Summers as their head coach with a difficult opener: at Auburn. It marks the second time the programs have met as Auburn won 32-17 in 1991.

Around the state: On Thursday, Georgia State hosts Tennessee State. On Saturday, Albany State hosts Valdosta State, Shorter hosts Mars Hill and Kennesaw State travels to Samford.

This story was originally published August 29, 2017 at 9:26 AM with the headline "Depth at running back a welcome sight for Mercer’s Lamb."