Corey Lockett excited about junior season with Mercer football team
Corey Lockett was there almost from the beginning with the Mercer football team, and he used the word “amazing” several times Tuesday to describe how the program has changed since its return just a few years ago.
The Bears kick off their season Saturday at Austin Peay, and Lockett, a junior linebacker, is excited about the team’s prospects.
“It’s amazing. I was talking to one of my teammates last week about it when there was a high school game (at Five Star Stadium), and I said, ‘This wasn’t here when we started. There was no stadium or stands. We worked out a few times on the field because our weights hadn’t gotten here yet,’ ” Lockett said with a laugh. “It’s just the vision that (head coach Bobby) Lamb preached to us when he was recruiting us, and that vision is right here in front of us, and we can see it.
“I’m just so grateful to have the opportunity to play for Mercer and that Coach Lamb gave me that opportunity.”
Lamb and the Bears’ staff didn’t have to go far to find Lockett, who played his high school ball at Northside.
He started all 12 games as a freshman and started the final 10 last year after a preseason injury. Entering its third season, Mercer certainly has made a strong impression in Middle Georgia.
The Bears were 10-2 in 2013 and 6-6 last year, playing in front of large home crowds throughout those two seasons.
“Growing up, the only real football teams I knew were Georgia and Georgia Tech,” Lockett said. “But now, when you go around Middle Georgia, you hear people talking about Mercer football, ‘Are you going to the Mercer game? What’s the Mercer score?’ There’s a big buzz going around about the program, and I love it. I feel like the community has been great, and they are behind us. I knew they would be behind us.
“Being from Middle Georgia, we love football, and I’m just glad we can put a product on the field they enjoy.”
Lockett certainly has enjoyed his time on the field, and while he isn’t slated to start this season, he’s looking forward to his position group’s chances this season. Added depth is a key story line for the Bears throughout their roster, and that is evident at linebacker.
Tosin Aguebor is back on the outside after missing the 2014 season with a preseason injury. Kyle Williams took his spot last year and gained valuable experience as a freshman, and those two battled for playing time throughout the preseason. LeMarkus Bailey is backed up by Kyle Trammell at the SAM spot. Tyler Ward, the team’s leading tackler the past two seasons, is backed up by Devin Davidson on the weakside. And Tripp Patterson will start in the middle and will be backed up by Lee Bennett.
“You have a lot of guys who have played before,” Lamb said. “When I look at my defensive depth chart, I see players at all positions that we can put in and not worry because we know what they can do now. As opposed to last year when someone got hurt it was, ‘Oh gosh, what are we going to do? We’re going to have move this guy over and move that guy over.’ It became a chess match.
“But now when we get someone hurt, we have another guy who can step in and make plays just like he did. That’s exciting.”
Lockett agrees.
“It feels so good to have Tosin back,” he said with a big smile. “He is such a game-changer, and he can make plays at any time of the game. I feel like we are so much more athletic in the linebacker group. The young guys are catching on and making plays, and we’re looking great out there.”
This story was originally published September 1, 2015 at 6:43 PM with the headline "Corey Lockett excited about junior season with Mercer football team ."