New faces key for Mercer football team

When Mercer switched to a scholarship program a couple of years ago, head coach Bobby Lamb predicted fans would see a difference in the team’s recruiting.

That showed up last season, and it will do so in a big way this season.

Lamb said he expects five freshmen who redshirted last year to play important roles this season, while he named six true freshmen who will play, and there could be more. The Bears open their season Saturday at Austin Peay.

“You can see a difference in our recruiting, for sure,” Lamb said. “And there are guys who are going to play this year who are going to have a big impact.”

That starts with five players who redshirted last year who should be key this season: defensive ends Isaiah Buehler and Austin Wysor, cornerback Brandon Gurley, guard Zac Rice and tight end Sam Walker.

“Buehler is going to start at one of the defensive ends, and Wysor is going to play a lot,” Lamb said. “Gurley got the starter’s reps during the spring and in the preseason, and that’s huge. Sam Walker is going to be a real threat at tight end. All those guys are ready to go.”

Then there are the six true freshmen Lamb singled out: cornerback Stephen Houzah and nose tackle Blake Jones on defense and wide receiver Marquise Irvin, running back/wide receiver Jimmie Robinson, tackle Mitch Mathes and place-kicker Cole Fisher.

“The great thing about playing defense early in the season is it’s hot and humid, and defense is a different animal,” Lamb said. “You have to go 100 mph and run across the field, so you have to play a lot of people, and we’re going to play a lot of people. Blake Jones is in the rotation at nose guard with Austin Barrett. Houzah will be rotating in at corner. Irvin is a guy when your top three receivers are out there, he’s out there at the X position, and Jimmie Robinson is a guy we’re excited about who can play running back or receiver. Mitch Mathes is probably the No. 6 guy on the offensive line.”

Lamb pointed to cornerback as the perfect example of the team’s increased depth with the improved recruiting the past two years with scholarship players. Last year, the Bears were thin at cornerback, but this year, they have returning starter Alex Avant, a senior, along with sophomore Jeremy James as the other starter, while Gurley and Houzah back them up.

“That’s a prime example,” Lamb said. “You’ve got four guys right there that we feel comfortable with to play that position. Last year, we had two. That’s a big difference.”

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 7:31 PM with the headline "New faces key for Mercer football team ."