Mercer keeps its focus on turnovers

Every Sunday, Mercer focuses on turnovers, working through a circuit to get better at turnover-margin.

That work paid off Saturday as the Bears forced five turnovers in their 24-10 loss to Auburn. Yes, it was a loss, but the five forced turnovers by the defense — while Mercer’s offense didn’t have a turnover — kept the Bears (1-2) in the game.

“With five turnovers, I think anybody would have confidence,” Mercer linebacker LeMarkus Bailey said. “We’re really excited about that. We felt like a hard week of practice really prepared us for those opportunities, and we made the most of the opportunities we had.”

The game against Auburn was a big turnaround from Mercer’s loss to Wofford the week before. In that 28-27 Southern Conference loss, Mercer had three interceptions and a lost fumble, while Wofford didn’t have a turnover.

Mercer returns to conference play this week at East Tennessee State.

“The turnover ratio is big,” Mercer head coach Bobby Lamb said. “We do a circuit, and we just did it out there on Sunday afternoon, a turnover circuit, a takeaway circuit, and our guys really respond to that and have really done a good job of it.”

Through three games, Mercer is plus-three in turnover margin, which is tied for first in the conference with Wofford and The Citadel. Mercer leads the conference in turnovers forced (eight) and fumbles forced (six). Samford is second in the conference with two forced fumbles.

“If they keep that up, just wow. It’s hard to expect that every game, but they’re doing a great job right now,” Mercer quarterback Kaelan Riley said. “If they keep taking the ball away, and we keep not giving the ball up, I think that’s going to work in our favor.”

This story was originally published September 18, 2017 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Mercer keeps its focus on turnovers."