Foreverfriday

Drew Davis returns for his senior season at QB. He has struggled with ankle problems that have kept him from playing a complete season without limitations. But he has a good arm, leadership abilities, and is football-smart. Trayvan Faulkner returns for his sophomore season at WR. He is a great athlete and I look for big things out of him this year. Chase Moore is another capable receiver that returns this season after missing most of last year with an injury. I'm hoping that Malik Dowell (who transferred from Louisville Ballard and played on the basketball team this year) will come out for football. He is a great athlete that would pair well with Moore and Faulkner in the receiving corps. Braxton Bradshaw and Dee Smith will be capable running backs. Braxton Bradshaw will anchor the defense next year at LB. Mercer's success next year will hinge upon the play of their offensive and defensive line.

Delighted with the hire. Welcome to the community, Coach. We desperately need a coach to put down roots and lay a strong foundation for our program going forward. As a community, we also need to work with Coach to support him when he changes the status quo, endures some setbacks as he gets his system in place, and encourage our young men to come out and be a part of this program.

Whoever they hire needs time to teach his assistant coaches the offensive / defensive system he plans to install and the techniques / reads he wants taught. Ideally, this would need to be done BEFORE spring practice. To some degree, fundamentals are fundamentals, but techniques and reads vary some according to what type of system you're running. If all of the assistant coaches have to stand and watch, along with the players, while the new guy does all the teaching, spring practice (and even summer workouts) won't be as effective as they could be.

Also need the head coach in place to finalize the coaching staff and get the summer calendar formulated and out to the team before school is out. Everyone's season is over, so I don't know what the advantage would be of waiting on anything at this point.

Very important to get someone in place to oversee spring practice and be ready to hit the ground running after the dead period.

I think David Buchanon is always on Mercer's radar whenever there is a coaching opening in the football program. In the past, he just couldn't walk away from Mason County, but I think I've heard that he is retiring from there this year. If so, would he consider coming home to Mercer County to help bring much-needed stability to the Titans program? He's a Mercer County graduate. Would seem to be a good move to come back home to be near family at this stage in his career.

Anybody heard anything as far as names of those who have interest in the job or who Mercer might be interested in talking to?