Most Probable Starting Line-up For Your Team Saturday [Archive]

FUBeAR

September 5th, 2015, 12:42 AM

MERCER BEARS

OFFENSE
QB - #7 - JOHN RUSS 6-0 | 202 | Jr. | Buford, Ga. *Led the SoCon with a 158.3 passing efficiency *Threw for a school record 293 yards at No. 14 Chattanooga *Named the PFL Offensive Freshman of the Year

RB - #27 - ALEX LAKES 5-11 | 216 | So. | Newnan, Ga. *Selected to the Preseason All-SoCon First Team *Led the SoCon in rushing with 1,107 yards in 2014 *Named a finalist for the 2014 Jerry Rice Award

WR - #6 - JOSH JONES 5-11 | 185 | Jr. | Washington, Ga. *Owns 22 starts over the course of his career at Mercer *Ranked second on the team with 18.9 yards per catch in 2013 *93-yard touchdown catch in 2013 was the FCS’ longest of the year

WR - #13 - CHANDLER CURTIS 5-11 | 201 | So. | Calhoun, Ga. *Finalist for the 2014 Jerry Rice Award *Had a career-high 232 all-purpose yards at Samford *2014 Second Team FCS All-America selection

WR - #84 - AVERY WARD 6-2 | 178 | So. | Alpharetta, Ga. *Had a career day against The Citadel with 4 receptions for 104 yards *Had five catches of 20 yards or more in 2014

TE - #38 - ROBERT BROWN 6-1 | 229 | Jr. | Nashville, Tenn. *Finished third among SoCon tight ends with 246 receiving yards in 2014 *2014 CFPA Tight End of the Year Watch List selection *Second Team All-Pioneer Football League pick in 2013

LT - #78 - THOMAS MARCHMAN 6-3 | 276 | So. | Gainesville, Ga. *Started all 12 games at left tackle as a true freshman *Made SportsCenter’s Top 10 with “Big Man” TD Celebration

LG - #67 - WILSON HERES 6-1 | 298 | Sr. | Roswell, Ga. *Second Team All-SoCon selection in 2014 *Has started all 24 games for the Bears *Transferred to Mercer from the Air Force Academy

C - #54 - KIRBY SOUTHARD 6-0 | 273 | Jr. | Alpharetta, Ga. *Served as a team captain in 2014 *Has started all of Mercer’s 24 games in the last two seasons *Two-time Academic Honor Roll selection

RG - #65 - CALEB YATES 6-3 | 289 | So. | Murfreesboro, Tenn. *Saw action in nine games as a freshman *Named to the 2014 SoCon Academic

RT - #73 - BRET NIEDERREITHER 6-2 | 280 | Jr. | Etters, Pa. *Moved from defensive tackle to the offensive line in 2015 *Tallied 34 tackles including three tackles for loss last season

DEFENSE
DE - #95 - JALEN PENN 6-1 | 255 | So. | Powder Springs, Ga. *Had a career-best four tackles and an assisted sack vs. Reinhardt *Forced first career fumble at Chattanooga

NT - #99 - AUSTIN BARRETT 6-2 | 314 | So. | Milton, Tenn. *Named to the 2014 SoCon All-Freshman Team *Had a career-high seven tackles in a win over Ave Maria

DE - #41 - ISAIAH BUEHLER 6-3 | 247 | R-Fr. | Apopka, Fla. *Former three-star recruit

SAM - #16 - LEMARKUS BAILEY 5-11 | 206 | So. | Marietta, Ga. *Moved to linebacker from safety for 2015 seasons *Led the team with two fumble recoveries in 2014 *Named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll

MLB - #40 - LEE BENNETT 6-0 | 223 | So. | Leesburg, Fla. *Had seven tackles and an interception in a win over Stetson *Named to the 2014 SoCon Academic Honor Roll

WLB - #37 - TYLER WARD 6-1 | 236 | Jr. | Macon, Ga. *Posted a career-high 18 tackles against Furman (9/6/14) *Owns the school’s single season (104) and career (205) tackle marks *Named to 2013 and 2014 Academic Honor Rolls

BAN - #11 - TOSIN AGUEBOR 6-3 | 238 | Jr. | Johns Creek, Ga. *Missed the 2014 season due to injury *First Team All-Pioneer Football League selection in 2013 *Led Mercer with 10 sacks in 2013

FC - #36 - ALEX AVANT 5-8 | 176 | Sr. | Lithonia, Ga. *Led the SoCon with 19 pass break-ups *Notched a career-best 10 tackles against VMI *2014 INT return vs. Drake made SportsCenter’s Top Play

SS - #9 - LENDELL ARNOLD 5-9 | 199 | Jr. | Newnan, Ga. *Has made 18 starts in his career at Mercer *Tallied 50 or more tackles in each of the past two seasons *Ranked second on the team with two interceptions in 2014

FS - #30 - MIKE GRAY 6-0 | 190 | Jr. | Jacksonville, Fla. *Started 23 of his 24 games at Mercer *Had a career-high 11 tackles against Campbell in 2013 *Two time Academic Honor Roll recipient

BC - #26 - JEREMY JAMES 5-10 | 174 | So. | Flowery Branch, Ga. *Starred at corner before going down with a season-ending injury *Led all SoCon freshmen with 1.0 passes defended per game *Tallied a season-high eight tackles on two occasions in 2014

SPECIALISTS
PK - #47 - JAGGER LIEB 5-8 | 192 | So. | Port Orange, Fla. *Stepped into starting role part way through the 2014 season *3-for-3 on field goals inside of 30 yards in 2014 *2014 SoCon Academic Honor Roll recipient

P - #97 - MATT SHIEL 5-11 | 205 | So. | Dorcaster, Australia *Named to the Preseason All-SoCon Second Team *Transferred from Auburn *Pinned two punts inside the 20 during freshman season at Auburn

LS - #66 - JOHN ABERNATHY 6-2 | 262 | Sr. | Macon, Ga. *Two-time Academic Honor Roll selection *Appeared in 19 games over the past two seasons *Helped team convert 82.2 percent of its red zone opportunities in 2014

H - #50 - ROB EAST 5-11 | 181 | Sr. | Dublin, Ga. *Two-time Academic Honor Roll selection *Served as Mercer’s primary holder since 2013 *Owns a career punting average of 38.1 yards

KR - #13 - CHANDLER CURTIS 5-11 | 201 | So. | Calhoun, Ga. *2014 CFPA FCS Returner of the Year honoree *Led the FCS with four total return touchdowns in 2014 *Ranked fourth in the FCS with a kickoff return average of 29.8 yards

PR - #13 - CHANDLER CURTIS5-11 | 201 | So. | Calhoun, Ga. *2014 CFPA FCS Returner of the Year honoree *Led the FCS with four total return touchdowns in 2014 *Ranked second in the FCS with a punt return average of 24.6 yards