SB Nation Atlanta - Mercer Names Augusta Native Bobby Lamb Head Coachhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46601/atlanta-fave.png2011-01-18T20:55:30-05:00http://atlanta.sbnation.com/rss/stream/15941952011-01-18T20:55:30-05:002011-01-18T20:55:30-05:00Mercer Football: Bobby Lamb Hired As Bears Head Coach
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<p><a href="http://www.macon.com/2011/01/18/1414952/lamb-to-be-mercers-first-football.html#ixzz1BPxhpdMd"><strong>Macon.com</strong></a> is reporting that the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/mercer-bears" class="sbn-auto-link">Mercer Bears</a> have landed the man to lead their football program. 48 year old Bobby Lamb will be formally introduced at a press conference on Thursday in Macon.</p>
<p>Lamb resigned from the Furman head coaching position after more than 29 years involved in the Paladin program. Pressure increased after Furman did not reach the <span class="caps">FCS</span> Playoffs for four consecutive years.</p>
<p>Lamb has amassed a 67-40 record in 9 seasons and is accustomed to strict academic demands. Under his leadership, Furman led the Southern Conference football teams in the NCAA’s Graduation Progress Rate (<span class="caps">GSR</span>) and Academic Progress Rate (<span class="caps">APR</span>) for six straight years.</p>
<p>In a twist of irony, Lamb actually met with new Furman President Rod Smolla to resign the same day that Mercer officials announced the launch of the football program. Mercer reached out in December and talks began to heat up in the last two weeks.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-st-panthers/2011/1/18/1943198/mercer-football-bears-find-their-man-in-bobby-lambBen Moore2010-11-22T14:18:14-05:002010-11-22T14:18:14-05:00Mercer Football Program Looking For Head Coach After 70 Dormant Years
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<p>The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/mercer-bears" class="sbn-auto-link">Mercer Bears</a> voted Friday to join the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/georgia-st-panthers" class="sbn-auto-link">Georgia St. Panthers</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kennesaw-st-owls" class="sbn-auto-link">Kennesaw St. Owls</a> in starting up a metro Atlanta football program. They expect to play their first game in 2013. The Bears are unique, however, in that they already have a rich football history, boasting one of the Southeast's oldest football traditions. In 1892 they debuted against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs" class="sbn-auto-link">Georgia Bulldogs</a>, and they were the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-tech-yellow-jackets" class="sbn-auto-link">Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets</a> first opponent. The program was put on hold during World War II, and never started back up.</p>
<p>Mercer's currently on a losing streak, having dropped a tough contest against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/chattanooga-mocs" class="sbn-auto-link">Chattanooga Mocs</a> in 1941, but the school announced today on 790 The Zone that they'll begin looking for a new head coach to turn things around soon.</p>
<p>The Bears will form a bridge between the classic and brand new in Peach State college football. Besides their ancient rivalries with Georgia and Tech, they and KSU have a decent little rivalry in basketball and other sports, busing to road games and handing out BEAT ___ shirts and so forth. The two schools are almost certain to play each other in football once KSU starts up a year later.</p>
<p>With three FCS programs near the metro area, plus the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/georgia-southern-eagles" class="sbn-auto-link">Georgia Southern Eagles</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/savannah-st-tigers" class="sbn-auto-link">Savannah St. Tigers</a> elsewhere in the state, fewer and fewer local recruits are going to leave Georgia to play football elsewhere. State and KSU have both declared eventual FBS intentions -- with all this sudden competition in the area, it seems more and more likely that one of these schools might wind up with a chance to play on the highest level. And Mercer, for one, has already been there.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/2010/11/22/2324896/mercer-football-program-looking-for-head-coach-after-70-dormant-yearsJason Kirk