By Southern Pigskin Staff
SouthernPigskin.com

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‘Bear Down’ has Mercer ready to take the next step in 2015 according to Bobby Lamb.

nBy Robbie Ross

n’Bear Down’, the first two words you hear on Mercer head coach Bobby Lambxe2x80x99s voicemail message, is the phrase that has echoed across middle Georgia over the past two football seasons.

n’Bear Down’ is what Lamb and Mercer have done in rebuilding a football program that was shut down in 1941 into a team that is looking to climb into the upper tier of the Southern Conference in just its third year. ‘Bear Down’ is what Mercer has had to do to win 16 games in their first two seasons. ‘Bear Down’ is what led to Mercer garnering a Top 25 ranking in average home attendance at over 10,000 fans per game. ‘Bear Down’ represents a Mercer team that lost four games in 2014 by a touchdown or less and has Lamb optimistic about 2015

nxe2x80x9cYou have to take baby steps, I felt we took some steps in the right direction. You take a team like Chattanooga that dominated the league and our offense gains 441 yards and we lose 38-31 in a very close, tough game on the road.xc2xa0 We go on the road to Samford and lose by three, so we are right there with these programs,xe2x80x9d Lamb explained on the Southern Pigskin Radio Network.xc2xa0xc2xa0

n’Bear Down’ has landed six Mercer players on the preseason all-conference team. Featured on the first-team were return specialist Chandler Curtis, who had four returns for a touchdown and led the league with 119.2 all-purpose yards in 2014, and running back Alex Lakes, who rushed for a SoCon-best 1,107 yards and 17 touchdowns. Defensively, Mercer had three, defensive back Alex Avant, lineman Austin Barrett and linebacker Tyler Ward, named to the second team.

n’Bear Down’ has Mercer ready to take the next step in 2015 according to Lamb.

n”We have everybody back and we know it is a very competitive league and a lot of teams have a lot of players back, so it will be very tough this year as well,” Lamb added.

n’Bear Down’ for xe2x80x9cMercerxe2x80x99s team, Maconxe2x80x99s team and Middle Georgiaxe2x80x99s teamxe2x80x9d will begin on September 5th as Mercer opens the season on the road at Austin Peay.