Game Program vs Western Carolina (Oct 10 2026) by MercerAthletics

BEARS SPOTLIGHT #77 BRODY BALLIEW CLASS, POSITION: Senior, Offensive Line HOMETOWN: Calhoun, Ga. TWITTER / INSTAGRAM: @BalliewBrody / @brody_balliew7 MAJOR: Communications CAREER NOTES: • Has played in 1,128 offensive snaps across collegiate career • Played two seasons (2023-24) at Furman • Earned all-conference honors as sophomore at West Georgia (2025) • Has started all six games for the Bears this season (365 snaps) HOW DO YOU WANT MERCER FANS TO REMEMBER YOU? I want the Mercer fans to not only remember me as a football player, but also the person I am outside of the game of football. I try to meet as many people as I possibly can and I want people to remember me by the conversations and the interactions we have had. My goal is to be the best football player I can be, but also the best man I can possibly be. I want people to remember me for both. WHAT IS THE GREATEST RISK THAT YOU HAVE EVER TAKEN? It was deciding to transfer from Furman. I didn’t know what was going to happen with my life at that point. All I knew is that I needed a change and I decided that if God had football in my future that I would land where I needed to. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened and I am very thankful. WHAT’S THE ONE PRODUCT THAT YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? One product I could not live without is, hands down, Dude Wipes. I carry Dude Wipes everywhere I go, you’ll never see me without some. I am not sponsored, but please sponsor me! WHAT IS THE THING YOU’RE TOO OLD TO DO BUT YOU STILL ENJOY? One thing I am too old to do yet still enjoy is most definitely Legos. If you put some Legos in front of me you could distract me for a long time. WHAT IS SOMETHING YOUR BRAIN WANTS TO CONVINCE YOU TO DO BUT YOU HAVE TO FIGHT IT? One thing my brain convinces me to do but I fight is eating when I’m bored. Every time I’m bored, all I want to do is eat, if you could not tell.

TODAY’S PROBABLE LINEUPS WHEN THE BEARS HAVE THE BALL MERCER OFFENSE Pos. X LT LG C RG RT TE Z SLOT QB RB

No. 0 23 77 71 63 73 57 67 55 79 58 76 14 18 1 4 9 84 2 19 7 21

Name Eric Rasheed McCord Purdy Brody Balliew Luke Schultz Kelan Washington Roman Mock Tyler Murray Pierson Sears Abiathar Curry Bryson Wilson Jacorey Wright Lucas Tselentis Jackson Kostmayer Samuel Albee Travion Solomon Kel Calixte Brayden Smith Zachary Lowe Jaylen King JP Pickles Zahmari Palode-Gary Devon Caldwell

WHEN THE CATAMOUNTS HAVE THE BALL WESTERN CAROLINA OFFENSE

Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown 5-9, 185, Sr., Fletcher, N.C. 6-1, 195, Fr., Pickens County, Ga. 6-5, 305, Sr., Calhoun, Ga. 6-7, 295, Jr., Birmingham, Ala. 6-3, 295, So., DeFuniak Springs, Fla. 6-4, 290, Fr., Venice, Fla. 6-2, 295, Jr., Altavista, Va. 6-1, 280, Jr., Canton, Ga. 6-3, 305, 5th, Jamesville, Wisc. 6-7, 350, Sr., Adel, Ga. 6-5, 305, Jr., Americus, Ga. 6-4, 290, Fr., Charlotte, N.C. 6-6, 255, 5th, Biloxi, Miss. 6-5, 245, Sr., Dunwoody, Ga. 6-1, 190, 5th, Macon, Ga. 6-4, 210, So., Orlando, Fla. 5-10, 185, Sr., Macon, Ga. 5-8, 175, Jr., Apex, N.C. 6-4, 210, Sr., Folkston, Ga. 6-1, 215, Jr., Tallahassee, Fla. 5-8, 190, 5th, Kansas City, Mo. 5-9, 190, Fr., Dacula, Ga.

Pos. WR LT LG C RG RT TE WR WR QB RB

No. 5 10 72 58 56 79 53 52 67 58 55 75 87 88 0 6 1 13 2 17 3 8

Name Michael Rossin Santana Carlos Andrew Threatt Isaac Boulger Aaron McIver Vito Moriana-Sigel Zach Watson Brayson McIver Steven Hamby Isaac Boulger Secrea Algie Renard Smith Jake Young Cole Craddock AJ Colombo Marcus Striggles Jai Boyd Richard Hollis Lex Thomas Patrick Harding Josh Perry Marlin Cochran

WESTERN CAROLINA DEFENSE

MERCER DEFENSE

Pos. DE

No. 18 33 NT 91 99 DT 16 14 BANDIT 90 13 LB 3 8 LB 0 11 SPUR 1 21 CB 4 7 FS 5 12 SS 2 17 CB 6 29

Name Trystan Anderson Gavin Rowell Jakoby Diamond Adrian Stone Chase Kerns Vanier Baptiste III Da’Shawn Davis Caleb Turner-Allen Joshua Collins Ryan McKinnis Blue Monroe Marco Patierno Ken Moore Jr. Nassor Ashenafi Andre Jackson Jr. Marseille Taylor Braylon Jones Julian Quintero Na’Koma Simpson Ja’Torian Mack Jayden Cornelius Christian Robbins

Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown 6-4, 255, 5th, Buffalo Grove, Ill. 6-3, 255, 5th, Melbourne, Fla. 6-1, 305, So., Cedartown, Ga. 6-3, 290, Jr., Fort Myers, Fla. 6-1, 280, Jr., Decatur, Ga. 6-3, 280, Jr., Fort Myers, Fla. 6-2, 235, 5th, Charlotte, N.C. 6-2, 250, Jr., Miami, Fla. 6-1, 225, Jr., Bryson City, N.C. 6-2, 220, Sr., Buford, Ga. 6-1, 230, 5th, Concord, N.C. 6-1, 230, 5th, Wake Forest, N.C. 5-10, 165, 5th, Miami, Fla. 5-9, 170, So., Washington, D.C. 5-10, 180, So., Charlotte, N.C. 6-2, 190, 5th, Sanford, Fla. 6-1, 205, Sr., Rockmart, Ga. 6-0, 200, Jr., St. Augustine, Fla. 5-10, 175, Jr., Altamonte Springs, Fla. 5-11, 185, So., Eatonville, Fla. 5-10, 175, So., Fort Meade, Fla. 6-1, 190, So., Orlando, Fla.

MERCER SPECIALISTS Pos. PK HOL KR P LS PR

No. 37 92 97 19 30 0 96 97 56 91 9 30

Name Simon Zeidan Sully Croker Kody Arnold JP Pickles Javious Bond Eric Rasheed Senin Seymour Kody Arnold Jaiden Hamilton Ben Porter Brayden Smith Javious Bond

No. 15 14 NT 4 11 DT 54 55 DE 16 10 STRIKER 24 21 LB 0 26 LB 48 3 CB 30 18 S 5 6 S 13 1 CB 8 25

Name Kobe McInnis Ethan McDowell Cam Moore Delano Marcelus Ke’Vion Wellington Ean Johnson-Kelley Marquis Williams Eric Brantley Jr. Nigel Gay Shareef Jackson Jyarius Carter Jase Jordan Ronin Dangler CJ Favors Javious Bond Justin Ferguson Jeremy Richardson Sam Martin Jr. Mike Polke Brandon Gunn Cameron Goggins Evin McDowell

Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown 6-0, 195, So., Live Oak, Fla. 5-11, 175, Fr., Hollywood, Fla. 6-6, 285, 5th, Charlotte, N.C. 6-2, 295, Jr., Northport, Ala. 6-2, 305, 5th, Charlotte, N.C. 6-5, 315, 5th, Estepona, Spain 6-1, 295, Sr., Waycross, Ga. 6-2, 280, Jr., Charlotte, N.C. 6-5, 325, Sr., Statesville, N.C. 6-2, 295, Jr., Northport, Ala. 6-5, 320, Jr., Snellville, Ga. 6-4, 325, 5th, Dallas, Ga. 6-3, 245, 5th, Waxhaw, N.C. 6-4, 245, So., Tarboro, N.C. 5-8, 170, 5th, Waxhaw, N.C. 5-9, 180, Jr., North Lauderdale, Fla. 6-2, 180, Sr., Ridgeway, S.C. 5-8, 165, So., Pompano Beach, Fla. 5-11, 205, Jr., Raleigh, N.C. 6-3, 190, Fr., Zephyrhills, Fla. 6-0, 205, So., Orlando, Fla. 6-0, 200, Sr., Miami, Fla.

Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown 6-2, 255, So., Marietta, Ga. 6-2, 245, Sr., Newnan, Ga. 6-2, 290, Jr., Atlanta, Ga. 6-2, 275, 5th, Columbus, Ga. 6-3, 275, Sr., Indianapolis, Ind. 6-1, 290, So., Bradenton, Fla. 6-2, 255, So., Quitman, Ga. 6-0, 240, Sr., Valdosta, Ga. 5-10, 190, Jr., Kernersville, N.C. 5-10, 180, Fr., Jacksonville, Fla. 6-1, 240, So., Douglas, Ga. 6-2, 220, Fr., Warner Robins, Ga. 6-0, 220, Fr., Bradenton, Fla. 6-0, 225, So., Manchester, Ga. 5-10, 185, Sr., Macon, Ga. 6-0, 185, So., Winston-Salem, N.C. 5-11, 200, Jr., Waynesboro, Ga. 5-10, 190, 5th, Staten Island, N.Y. 6-0, 200, So., Toombs County, Ga. 5-11, 190, So., Decatur, Ga. 6-2, 195, Sr., Hampton, Ga. 6-2, 185, Fr., Snellville, Ga.

WESTERN CAROLINA SPECIALISTS Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown 6-2, 200, So., Kennesaw, Ga. 6-0, 185, Sr., Auburn, Ga. 5-10, 175, Sr., Brunswick, Ga. 6-1, 215, Jr., Tallahassee, Fla. 5-10, 185, Sr., Macon, Ga. 5-9, 185, Sr., Fletcher, N.C. 6-0, 175, Sr., Melbourne, Australia 5-10, 175, Sr., Brunswick, Ga. 6-2, 215, Sr., Carrolton, Ga. 6-1, 210, Fr., Chapel Hill, N.C. 5-10, 185, Sr., Macon, Ga. 5-10, 185, Sr., Macon, Ga.

Pos. PK HOL KR P LS PR

No. 60 95 63 95 20 24 95 63 57 50 0 6

Name Bryan McCollum Mark Fitzgerald Thomas Guerrero Mark Fitzgerald Jadarius Dobie Anthony Benjamin Mark Fitzgerald Thomas Guerrero Kaden Powell Xavier Nocco AJ Colombo Marcus Striggles

2026 MERCER BEARS FOOTBALL GAMEDAY PROGRAM

Ht., Wt., Yr., Hometown 5-8, 165, So., Sanford, N.C. 6-1, 210, Fr., Dublin, Ireland 5-9, 160, So., Greenville, S.C. 6-1, 210, Fr., Dublin, Ireland 5-8, 170, Fr., Lakeland, Fla. 5-10, 170, Sr., Fort Myers, Fla. 6-1, 210, Fr., Dublin, Ireland 5-9, 160, So., Greenville, S.C. 6-8, 270, So., Woodstock, Ga. 6-1, 200, Fr., Tampa, Fla. 5-8, 170, 5th, Waxhaw, N.C. 5-9, 180, Jr., North Lauderdale, Fla.

MERCER NUMERICAL ROSTER #

NAME

0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 8 8 9 9 10 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 23 23 24 25 25 26 27 29 30 31 33 34 35 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 55 56 57 58

Jyarius Carter LB 6-0 Eric Rasheed WR 5-11 Travion Solomon WR 6-1 Brandon Gunn S 5-11 Jaylen King QB 6-4 Emmanuel Lane CB 6-2 Apollos Cook WR 6-3 CJ Favors LB 6-0 Cam Moore DL 6-2 Kel Calixte WR 6-4 Javarius George WR 5-10 Jeremy Richardson S 5-11 Adrian Parker QB 6-2 Sam Martin Jr. S 5-10 Zahmari Palode-Gary RB 5-8 Cam Hill QB 6-3 Cameron Goggins CB 6-2 Brayden Smith WR 5-10 Javonte Walker S 6-2 Eric Brantley Jr. OLB 6-0 Delano Marcelus DL 6-2 Jake Wilson QB 6-2 McKaden Smith CB 6-0 Mike Polke S 6-0 Braylon Stewart WR 6-0 Ethan McDowell OLB 6-2 Jackson Kostmayer TE 6-6 Kobe McInnis DE 6-2 Karlise Price RB 5-10 Jake Maxwell QB 6-3 Marquis Williams DE 6-2 Asa Gregg WR 6-1 Christian Barrett CB 6-3 Samuel Albee TE 6-5 Justin Ferguson CB 6-0 JP Pickles QB 6-1 Aaryn Askew OLB 6-3 Ryan McNally S 5-9 Colby Smith RB 5-10 Shareef Jackson S 5-10 Devon Caldwell RB 5-9 Carter Kermott S 5-11 Roman Douthit CB 5-10 McCord Purdy WR 6-1 Nigel Gay S 5-10 Bryson James RB 5-9 Evin McDowell CB 6-2 Jase Jordan LB 6-2 Micah Bell RB 5-10 Evan Taylor CB 6-2 Javious Bond CB 5-10 Jayvyn Fraziars S 6-2 Antonio Butts Jr. LB 6-1 Mac Bradley LB 6-2 Jacob Joseph OLB 6-1 Simon Zeidan K 6-2 Malik Dryden RB 5-11 Billy Martin RB 5-8 CJ Peoples CB 6-1 Brian Clark II OLB 6-4 Thomas Lubben OLB 6-2 Jaise Davis LB 5-11 Gerald Walker Jr. LB 5-11 Kaiden Gibson S 5-8 Ronin Dangler LB 6-0 Kanon Nelson LB 6-0 Batu Subasi DL 6-3 Jake Atha OL 6-3 Wyatt Hester LB 6-0 Jayden Bowden LB 6-1 Ke’Vion Wellington DL 6-3 Ean Johnson-Kelley DL 6-1 Abiathar Curry OL 6-3 Jaiden Hamilton LS 6-2 Tyler Murray OL 6-2 Jacorey Wright OL 6-5

POS. HT. WT. CL. 240 So. 185 Sr. 190 5th 190 So. 210 Sr. 185 Sr. 210 Sr. 225 So. 290 Jr. 210 So. 185 Jr. 200 Jr. 225 5th 190 5th 190 5th 200 Fr. 195 Sr. 185 Sr. 190 Sr. 240 Sr. 275 5th 205 Sr. 175 So. 200 So. 190 So. 245 Sr. 255 5th 255 So. 180 Fr. 210 Jr. 255 So. 190 Sr. 190 So. 245 Sr. 185 So. 215 Jr. 230 Fr. 170 Jr. 185 Fr. 180 Fr. 190 Fr. 195 Jr. 170 Jr. 195 Fr. 190 Jr. 180 Sr. 185 Fr. 220 Fr. 210 5th 195 Jr. 185 Sr. 205 So. 230 Jr. 235 So. 230 So. 200 So. 210 Jr. 190 Jr. 170 Fr. 210 Fr. 225 Sr. 205 So. 225 Fr. 190 Fr. 220 Fr. 210 Fr. 325 Fr. 290 So. 210 Jr. 220 Fr. 275 Sr. 290 So. 305 5th 215 Sr. 295 Jr. 305 Jr.

HOMETOWN / PREVIOUS SCHOOL

NAME

Douglas, Ga. / West Georgia Fletcher, N.C. / North Greenville Macon, Ga. / Northeast HS Decatur, Ga. / West Georgia Folkston, Ga. / Florida State Willingboro, N.J. / Monmouth Lexington, S.C. / Duke Manchester, Ga. / West Georgia Atlanta, Ga. / West Georgia Orlando, Fla. / Florida Atlantic Dallas, Ga. / North Paulding HS Waynesboro, Ga. / Shorter Manchester, Conn. / Franklin Pierce Staten Island, N.Y. / Wagner Kansas City, Mo. / Pittsburg State Thomasville, Ga. / Thomasville HS Hampton, Ga. / Florida Atlantic Macon, Ga. / Tattnall Square Academy Lacey, Wash. / Central Washington Valdosta, Ga. / Florida Atlantic Columbus, Ga. / West Liberty Trophy Club, Texas / Purdue Ellenwood, Ga. / West Georgia Toombs County, Ga. / Toombs County HS Raleigh, N.C. / Middle Creek HS Newnan, Ga. / Miami (Ohio) Biloxi, Miss. / Central Arkansas Marietta, Ga. / Wheeler HS Tallahassee, Fla. / Rickards HS Bonaire, Ga. / Veterans HS Quitman, Ga. / West Georgia Waldorf, Md. / Alabama State Tallahassee, Fla. / Gadsden County HS Dunwoody, Ga. / Fellowship Christian School Winston-Salem, N.C. / West Forsyth HS Tallahassee, Fla. / UTEP Moore Haven, Fla. / Moore Haven Middle HS Winder, Ga. / Winder-Barrow HS Brooklet, Ga. / Southeast Bulloch HS Jacksonville, Fla. / Raines HS Dacula, Ga. / Hebron Christian Academy Carlsbad, Calif. / La Costa Canyon HS Atlanta, Ga. / Lakeside HS Pickens County, Ga. / Pickens HS Kernersville, N.C. / Catawba Cross Hill, S.C. / Anderson Snellville, Ga. / South Gwinnett HS Warner Robins, Ga. / Houston County HS McDonough, Ga. / Charlotte Charlotte, N.C. / Nebraska Macon, Ga. / Austin Peay Dunnellon, Fla. / Dunnellon HS Savannah, Ga. / Effingham County HS Bogart, Ga. / Prince Avenue HS Davie, Fla. / West Georgia Kennesaw, Ga. / West Georgia Hoschton, Ga. / Stetson Kite, Ga. / David Emanuel Academy Dacula, Ga. / Bethlehem Christian Academy Palo Alto, Calif. / Pace (Ga.) Academy Woodstock, Ga. / The King’s Academy Forsyth, Ga. / Shorter Dahlonega, Ga. / Lumpkin County HS Gray, Ga. / Baldwin HS Bradenton, Fla. / Manatee HS Buford, Ga. / Buford HS Tampa, Fla. / Gaither HS Bogart, Ga. / West Georgia Newberry, Fla. / Newberry HS Lithonia, Ga. / Miller Grove HS Indianapolis, Ind. / Austin Peay Bradenton, Fla. / Manatee HS Jamesville, Wisc. / Northern Illinois Carrollton, Ga. / Carrollton HS Altavista, Va. / Liberty Christian Academy Americus, Ga. / Shorter

59 61 62 63 64 66 67 69 71 72 73 74 76 77 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 94 95 96 97 99

Macin James OL 6-0 335 Kwaku Mensah DL 6-3 240 Gavin Kirkland OL 6-4 260 Kelan Washington OL 6-3 295 Garrett Weisgerber OL 6-2 275 Emanuel Rumanura OL 6-6 275 Pierson Sears OL 6-1 280 Patrick Reddick DL 6-2 250 Luke Schultz OL 6-7 295 Michael Horton OL 6-4 295 Roman Mock OL 6-4 290 Jamarcus Hill OL 6-5 295 Lucas Tselentis OL 6-4 290 Brody Balliew OL 6-5 305 Bryson Wilson OL 6-7 350 Connor McGeehan WR 6-0 190 Wayne Blake II WR 6-3 185 Reid McCollum TE 6-4 215 Camauri Simmons WR 5-10 175 Zachary Lowe WR 5-8 175 Jayden Futrell WR 6-3 190 Nick Buggie TE 6-3 230 Cooper Berry TE 6-2 235 Kaden Hanson TE 6-2 250 Andrew Marsden WR 6-4 190 Aiden Holewski DE 6-3 250 Benjamin Porter LS 6-1 210 Sully Croker K 6-0 185 Patrell Reddick DL 6-0 250 Rashawn Washington DL 6-4 310 Senin Seymour P 6-0 175 Kody Arnold P 5-10 175 Kehinde Akintunde DL 6-5 285

POS. HT. WT. CL. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. So. Fr. Jr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. 5th Fr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Fr. So. So. Fr. So. Fr. Sr. Fr. 5th Fr. Sr. Sr.

HOMETOWN / PREVIOUS SCHOOL Millbrook, Ala. / Stanhope Elmore HS Atlanta, Ga. / Midtown HS Cumming, Ga. / West Forsyth HS DeFuniak Springs, Fla. / Walton HS Lithia, Fla. / Carrollwood Day School Luton, England / St Columba’s College Canton, Ga. / Creekview HS Powder Springs, Ga. / Hapeville Academy Birmingham, Ala. / Briarwood Christian HS Macon, Ga. / Westside HS Venice, Fla. / Venice HS Jefferson, Ga. / Kent State Charlotte, N.C. / Providence HS Calhoun, Ga. / West Georgia Adel, Ga. / West Georgia Raleigh, N.C. / Cardinal Gibbons HS Loganville, Ga. / Loganville HS Hilton Head, S.C. / Hilton Head Academy Hardeeville, S.C. / Navy Prep Apex, N.C. / Apex HS Harlem, Ga. / Harlem HS Charleston, S.C. / Lucy Beckham HS Buford, Ga. / Buford HS Senoia, Ga. / West Georgia Milton, Ga. / Cambridge HS New Port Richey, Fla. / Gulf HS Chapel Hill, N.C. / Northwood HS Auburn, Ga. / Providence Christian Academy Powder Springs, Ga. / Hapeville Academy Norfolk, Va. / South Carolina State Melbourne, Australia / McKinnon Secondary Brunswick, Ga. / Glynn Academy Lagos State, Nigeria / College of Dupage

Head Coach: Joel Taylor, 1st Season (South Carolina State, 2004) Associate Head Coach/Defensive Line: Sumner Ellis (Louisiana Tech, 2011) Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator: Austin Davis (Duke, 2016) Defensive Coordinator: Tripp Weaver (East Carolina, 2012) Special Teams/Outside Linebackers: Brandon Taylor (Florida International, 2016) Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers: Dustin Royston (Georgia, 2013) Tight Ends: Barry Brown (Georgia State, 2020) Nickelbacks: Joseph Eaglin (Southeastern Louisiana, 2019) Cornerbacks: Bryant Foster (Gardner-Webb, 1999) Offensive Line: Brian Greene (Washington State, 2021) Wide Receivers: DJ Hazelray (Bethel, 2013) Safeties: Cal King (Presbyterian, 2019) Running Backs: Jordan Marshall (Mercer, 2016) Quarterbacks: David Salmon (Campbell, 2016) Wide Receivers Assistant: Derwin Burgess (Georgia Southern, 2025) Offensive Line Assistant: Nick Hudgens (The Citadel, 2020) Quarterbacks Assistant: Richie Lankford (West Georgia, 2025) Cornerbacks/Special Teams Assistant: Kyle McDonald (Georgia Southern, 2024) Linebackers Assistant: Derrick Brown (Union, 2015)

2026 MERCER BEARS FOOTBALL GAMEDAY PROGRAM

WESTERN CAROLINA NUMERICAL ROSTER #

NAME

0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 24 24 25 25 26 27 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

AJ Colombo WR 5-8 Blue Monroe LB 6-1 Jai Boyd WR 6-2 Ken Moore Jr. SPUR 5-10 Lex Thomas QB 5-11 Na’Koma Simpson-Nealy S 5-10 Josh Perry RB 6-0 Joshua Collins LB 6-1 Kha’leal Sterling WR 5-9 Andre Jackson Jr. CB 5-10 Michael Rossin WR 6-0 Braylon Jones S 6-1 Marcus Striggles WR 5-9 Jayden Cornelius CB 5-10 Trey Walker WR 5-10 Marseille Taylor CB 6-2 Marlin Cochran RB 6-0 Ryan McKinnis LB 6-2 Bode Burns TE 6-5 Draco Robinson II LB 6-0 Santana Carlos WR 5-11 Jabari McWilliams DL 6-0 Isaac Lee QB 6-4 Marco Patierno LB 6-1 Jake Morrow QB 6-0 Julian Quintero S 6-0 Richard Hollis WR 5-8 Caleb Turner-Allen BAN 6-2 Kale Woodburn WR 5-8 Vanier Baptiste III DL 6-3 Michael Davis Jr. WR 6-0 Hank Bodine LB 6-0 Caleb Tucker QB 6-2 Chase Kerns DL 6-1 Patrick Harding QB 6-3 Duke Mack S 5-11 Matthew Keener WR 6-2 Trystan Anderson DL 6-4 Mouhamadou Mane WR 6-2 Cain Jefferson BAN 6-3 Jadarius Dobie RB 5-8 Quency Grant III CB 5-10 Joshua Balloon Jr. RB 5-9 Nassor Ashenafi SPUR 5-9 Derrick Davis Jr. RB 6-1 Anthony Benjamin RB 5-10 Terrell Poyser CB 6-3 Noah Best RB 5-11 Caleb Young Jr. S 6-0 Devin Brown CB 5-10 Jermiyah Douglas SPUR 5-10 Elijah Hadley RB 5-10 Chris Hobbs CB 6-2 Christian Robbins CB 6-1 Jaden Meeks DL 6-2 Alant’e Reese S 6-2 AJ Mintze S 6-0 Gavin Rowell DL 6-3 Jordan Martin-Durham BAN 6-3 Trey Berry III LB 6-1 Devon Wilson Jr. CB 5-11 Jayden Joselin S 6-0 Jonathan Powell-Battle S 6-0 Landon Pope RB 5-10 Beady Waddell V LB 6-0 Luke Waters K/P 6-2 Braeden Barger LB 6-1 Isaac McLellan TE 6-2 Honor Paxton LB 6-3 Nolan McClanahan LB 6-1 Dylan Harris DL 6-5 Roman Jones TE 6-3 Bryce Hart LB 6-2 Xavier Nocco LS 6-1 Aaron Sanez OL 6-2 Brayson McIver OL 6-2

POS. HT. WT. CL. 170 5th 225 5th 180 Sr. 165 5th 205 Jr. 175 Jr. 205 So. 225 Jr. 170 So. 180 So. 200 So. 205 Sr. 180 Jr. 175 So. 175 So. 190 5th 200 Sr. 220 Sr. 245 Jr. 230 5th 175 Fr. 270 Jr. 190 Jr. 230 5th 195 Fr. 200 Jr. 170 So. 250 Jr. 170 Jr. 280 Jr. 170 Fr. 230 So. 200 Fr. 280 Jr. 190 Fr. 185 So. 200 Jr. 255 5th 180 Fr. 225 So. 170 Fr. 170 Fr. 170 Fr. 170 So. 210 5th 170 Sr. 170 Fr. 195 So. 210 Fr. 160 So. 175 Fr. 200 Sr. 180 So. 190 So. 225 Jr. 205 Fr. 185 So. 255 5th 260 So. 220 So. 190 Fr. 185 Fr. 170 Fr. 225 Fr. 220 Jr. 205 Fr. 230 So. 240 5th 215 Fr. 220 So. 245 Fr. 230 So. 220 So. 200 Fr. 295 5th 280 Jr.

HOMETOWN / PREVIOUS SCHOOL

NAME

POS. HT. WT. CL.

HOMETOWN / PREVIOUS SCHOOL

Waxhaw, N.C. / Cuthbertson HS Concord, N.C. / Jay M. Robinson HS Ridgeway, S.C. / Fairfield Central HS Miami, Fla. / Christopher Columbus HS Raleigh, N.C. / NC State Altamonte Springs, Fla. / Seminole HS Orlando, Fla. / Edgewater HS Bryson City, N.C. / Swain County HS Miami, Fla. / Miami Central HS Charlotte, N.C. / Hampton Live Oak, Fla. / Suwannee HS Rockmart, Ga. / Reinhardt North Lauderdale, Fla. / Concord Fort Meade, Fla. / Durant HS Hoschton, Ga. / Mill Creek HS Sanford, Fla. / Stephen F. Austin Miami, Fla. / Miami Northwestern HS Buford, Ga. / Appalachian State Dunnellon, Fla. / Dunnellon HS Pensacola, Fla. / Robert Morris Hollywood, Fla. / Flanagan HS Picayune, Miss. / Mississippi Gulf Coast CC Concord, N.C. / Jay M. Robinson HS Wake Forest, N.C. / Eastern Michigan Grand Blanc, Mich. / Community School St. Augustine, Fla. / St. Augustine HS Pompano Beach, Fla. / Blanche Ely HS Miami, Fla. / Dr. Michael M. Krop HS Warner Robins, Ga. / Cincinnati Fort Myers, Fla. / Dunbar HS Leesville, La. / Leesville HS Velva, N.D. / Velva DAG HS Woodbridge, Va. / Woodbridge HS Decatur, Ga. / Georgia Military College Zephyrhills, Fla. / Zephyrhills HS Eatonville, Fla. / Appalachian State Pilot Mountain, N.C. / East Surry HS Buffalo Grove, Ill. / Drake Kathleen, Ga. / Veterans HS Decatur, Ga. / Columbia HS Lakeland, Fla. / Lakeland HS Columbia, S.C. / Ridge View HS Tampa, Fla. / Gaither HS Washington, D.C. / Mallard Creek (N.C.) HS Pittsburgh, Pa. / Pittsburgh Fort Myers, Fla. / Jacksonville State Wildwood, Fla. / South Sumter HS Charlotte, N.C. / Corvian Community HS Gainesville, Fla. / Buchholz HS Miami, Fla. / Northwestern HS Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas HS Charlotte, N.C. / West Liberty Decatur, Ga. / Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School Orlando, Fla. / Jones HS Charlotte, N.C. / Julius L. Chambers HS Fort Walton Beach, Fla. / Choctawhatchee HS Miami, Fla. / Miami Norland HS Melbourne, Fla. / Tusculum Jacksonville, Fla. / Zarephath Academy Bartow, Fla. / Lakeland Christian HS Mauldin, S.C. / Mauldin HS North Lauderdale, Fla. / Monarch HS Wilson, N.C. / Wilson Prep Academy Canton, N.C. / Pisgah HS Summerville, S.C. / West Mecklenburg (N.C.) HS Toccoa, Ga. / Stephens County HS Weddington, N.C. / Weddington HS Rock Hill, S.C. / Northwestern HS Apex, N.C. / Middle Creek HS Lake Mary, Fla. / Lake Mary HS Ocala, Fla. / Vanguard HS Robbinsville, N.C. / Robbinsville HS Ringgold, Ga. / Ringgold HS Tampa, Fla. / Jesuit HS Clearwater, Fla. / Clearwater HS Charlotte, N.C. / Coastal Carolina

53 55 56 57 58 60 61 62 63 64 65 67 68 69 71 72 73 75 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 94 95 96 97 98 99

Zach Watson Secrea Algie Aaron McIver Kaden Powell Isaac Boulger Bryan McCollum Marcus Trout Brian Wheat Thomas Guerrero Konrad Henderson Nicholas Foster Steven Hamby Aidan Cooper Cole Cooke Sawyer Nelson Andrew Threatt Colin McClellan Renard Smith John Hammond J’veon Bush Vito Moriana-Sigel Corey Swint Emanuel Palmer Davon Washington Austin Cunningham Jemarious Reaves Paul Hartman III Davis Waddell Jake Young Cole Craddock Ellis Chappell Da’Shawn Davis Jakoby Diamond Brandon Joseph II Malachi Hill Mark Fitzgerald Jeremy Johnson II Fernando Jeanty Aiden Black Adrian Stone

OL 6-1 295 OL 6-5 320 OL 6-2 305 LS 6-8 270 OL 6-2 295 K 5-8 165 K 5-11 175 OL 6-3 285 P 5-9 160 OL 6-3 305 OL 6-1 295 OL 6-5 325 OL 6-4 305 OL 6-8 330 OL 6-3 280 OL 6-6 285 OL 6-3 265 OL 6-4 325 OL 6-5 320 OL 6-5 320 OL 6-5 315 WR 6-0 170 WR 5-8 160 WR 5-8 160 WR 6-0 185 WR 6-1 190 TE 6-5 240 TE 6-5 220 TE 6-3 245 TE 6-4 245 WR 6-0 185 DL 6-2 235 DL 6-1 305 DL 6-3 275 DL 6-3 295 K/P 6-1 210 DL 5-10 300 DL 6-5 270 DL 6-1 295 DL 6-3 290

Waycross, Ga. / Ware County HS Snellville, Ga. / Brookwood HS Charlotte, N.C. / Gardner-Webb Woodstock, Ga. / Brevard Northport, Ala. / Auburn Sanford, N.C. / Southern Lee HS Cocoa, Fla. / Cocoa HS Callahan, Fla. / West Nassau HS Greenville, S.C. / Greenville HS Alpharetta, Ga. / Chattahoochee HS Charlotte, N.C. / Indian Land HS Statesville, N.C. / Statesville HS Charlotte, N.C. / Butler HS Fort Myers, Fla. / Riverdale HS Lenoir, N.C. / Hibriten HS Charlotte, N.C. / Gardner-Webb Plant City, Fla. / Durant HS Dallas, Ga. / University of Pikeville Spartanburg, S.C. / Spartanburg HS Orlando, Fla. / Jones HS Estepona, Spain / Mississippi Valley State Miami, Fla. / Killian HS Collierville, Tenn. / Collierville HS Altamonte Springs, Fla. / Lake Brantley HS Columbia, S.C. / White Knoll HS Hopkins, S.C. / Lower Richland HS Springfield, Ill. / Coastal Carolina Cartersville, Ga. / Cartersville HS) Waxhaw, N.C. / Charlotte Tarboro, N.C. / Tarboro HS Hickory, N.C. / Hickory HS Charlotte, N.C. / Georgia Southern Cedartown, Ga. / Tuskegee Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas HS Burgaw, N.C. / Pender HS Dublin, Ireland / Clongowes Wood College Atlanta, Ga. / Concord North Miami Beach, Fla. / North Miami Beach HS Concord, N.C. / Jay M. Robinson HS Fort Myers, Fla. / North Fort Myers HS

Sr. Jr. 5th So. Jr. So. So. Fr. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. So. So. Fr. 5th Fr. 5th So. So. 5th Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Fr. 5th So. So. 5th So. So. Fr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Jr.

Head Coach: Kerwin Bell, 6th season (Florida, 1988) Associate Head Coach / Special Teams: Kerry Webb (Florida, 2004) Defensive Coordinator: Nick Reveiz (Tennessee, 2011) Offensive Coordinator: Rylan Wells (Jacksonville, 2018) Cornerbacks: Malik Chevry (Southeastern, 2019) Tight Ends: Kyle Dickey (Tusculum, 2014) Safeties: Malik Goodman (Tusculum, 2020) Wide Receivers: Corey Headley (Carson-Newman, 2013) Offensive Line: Jeremy King (Valdosta State, 2018) Quarterbacks: Parish Metzger (Western Carolina, 2024) Bandits: Ty Phillips (Georgia Southern, 2020) Linebackers: Ross Pryor (Carson-Newman, 2018) Running Backs: Rudi Small (Jacksonville, 2012) Defensive Line: Mike Welch (William Penn, 2013) Offensive Line Assistant: Nick Back (Cumberlands, Ky., 2025) Special Teams Assistant: Evan Dvorchik (UCF, 2022) Wide Receivers/Tight Ends Assistant: Jeremiah Judd (Wingate, 2025) Cornerbacks Assistant: Joseph Kieser (LSU, 2024) Wide Receivers Assistant: Cale Matthews (Greensboro College, 2022) Linebackers Assistant: Austin Shealy (Florida State, 2023)

2026 MERCER BEARS FOOTBALL GAMEDAY PROGRAM

THE BEAR ESSENTIALS u Visiting and 21st-ranked Mercer amassed nearly 650 yards of total offense, including 402 yards on the ground, and

climbed on the backs of a stalwart defense to fuel a 54-3 win over Southern Conference rival VMI on Saturday afternoon at Foster Stadium in Lexington, Va. It was the second-straight win for the Bears who also put the wraps on a 3-game road trip with the fireworks display as well. u RB ZAHMARI PALODE-GARY ran for 130 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries to lead the Mercer rushing attack. Five players recorded at least 34 rushing yards on Saturday, while four backs tallied at least one run of 25 yards or longer. u Southern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week K SIMON ZEIDAN finished the day with a perfect 10-for-10 tally on kicking attempts, including a 4-for-4 clip on field goals. His 18 points shattered former Mercer standout Devin Folser’s 4-year-old school record for points by a kicker. u Mercer’s 658 yards last week is the fourth-highest offensive output in program history. Its 402 yards on the ground matches the second-highest rushing output in school history. u The Bears have now outscored VMI, 188-6, over the last four series matchups and have outgained the Keydets, 2,416-582, across that 4-game span. The Bears have limited VMI to 155 or fewer yards in three of those contests. u Mercer enters the week playing its best football of the season after back-to-back road wins over Abilene Christian and

VMI. The Bears are averaging 32.8 points and 437.2 yards per game, while allowing just 17.0 points and 317.7 yards per contest. Their +95 scoring margin ranks among the strongest starts in the FCS. u The Bears have developed into a physical, run-first offense that averages 254.2 rushing yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry. Mercer has surpassed 275 rushing yards in three games already this season. RB ZAHMARI PALODE-GARY leads the team with 432 rushing yards, averaging 8.2 yards per carry, including a career-best 130 rushing yards last week at VMI. QB JAYLEN KING has thrown for 843 yards and six touchdowns while adding 140 rushing yards and two scores. Mercer’s top receiving threat is WR BRAYDEN SMITH who has hauled in 30 receptions for 468 yards and averages 15.6 yards per catch. He has at least 58 receiving yards in four of six games. u The defense has been the foundation of the team’s success in 2026. The Bears are holding opponents to 135.3 rushing yards per game (3.5 yards/carry) and have forced 12 turnovers, including eight interceptions, while posting a +4 turnover margin and limiting opponents to 317.7 total yards and 17.0 points per game. LB JYARIUS CARTER leads the team with 54 tackles, while LB RONIN DANGLER has emerged as one of the defense’s top playmakers with 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks despite cracking the starting lineup for the first time in Week 3 at Georgia Tech. In the secondary, CB CAMERON GOGGINS has four interceptions (4th NCAA), while CB JUSTIN FERGUSON has three. Mercer has already returned one interception for a touchdown this season. u Mercer owns one of the league’s top kicking games. K SIMON ZEIDAN is 14-for-17 on field goals and is a perfect 2-for-2 beyond 50 yards, including a school-record 55-yard field goal in Week 0 against East Texas A&M. P SENIN SEYMOUR averages 43.0 yards per punt, while RS BRAYDEN SMITH averages nearly 15 yards per punt return. u Mercer leads the all-time series with Western Carolina, 10-2 and will ride a 10-game series win streak into today’s matchup at Five Star Stadium. The Bears dropped the initial meeting in the series, 35-21, in Macon back in 2014, but have won five-straight games against the Catamounts in Middle Georgia, including a 44-34 result in 2024. u The Bears have averaged nearly 45 points (44.7) per game against the Catamounts over their current 10-game series win streak, and have tacked up 49 or more points four times across that span. The series has produced plenty of offense recently, with the teams combining for 83 points in 2023, 78 points in 2024 and 96 points in 2025. u Western Carolina won the first two meetings in series history, defeating Mercer 35-21 in 2014 and 24-21 in 2015. Although the series results have been one-sided over the last decade, four of the last five matchups have been decided by 11 or fewer points. The Catamounts have scored 34, 38, and 47 points in the last three meetings - their three highest-scoring outputs against Mercer since 2018.

ABOUT MERCER

Scouting The Bears QUICK FACTS Location:...................................... Macon, Georgia Founded:....................................................... 1833 Enrollment:................................................... 8,945 Colors:........................................... Orange & Black Conference:............................... Southern (SoCon) Facility (Capacity):....... Five Star Stadium (10,200) President:.............................Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D. Athletics Director:............................. Brian Gerrity Head Coach:......................................... Joel Taylor Record at Mercer:................................ 4-2 (1st yr) Overall Record:................................16-12 (3rd yr)

SCHEDULE/RESULTS (4-2, 1-1 SOCON)

AUG. 29

EAST TEXAS A&M

W, 23-15

SEPT. 5

PRESBYTERIAN

W, 62-3

SEPT. 12

* FURMAN

L, 20-13

Sept. 19

at Georgia Tech

L, 44-11

Sept. 26

at Abilene Christian

W, 34-17

Oct. 3

* at VMI

W, 54-3

OCT. 10

* WESTERN CAROLINA

3 P.M.

Oct. 17

* at Samford

7 p.m.

OCT. 31

* THE CITADEL

3 P.M.

Nov. 7

* at Chattanooga

1 p.m.

Nov. 14

* at Tennessee Tech

2:30 p.m.

NOV. 21

* EAST TENNESSEE STATE

3 P.M.

u Despite seeing its 12-game Southern Conference win streak come to an abrupt end against Furman in Week 2, Mercer

is 33-9 (.786) against Southern Conference teams over the last 5-plus seasons (2021-26). The Bears had not fallen to a SoCon rival since Oct. 19, 2024 (55-35 at Samford). That setback snapped a season-opening 6-game win streak for the program. u MU has captured 22 of its last 25 games against SoCon opponents dating back to a 38-3 win over VMI on Sept. 30, 2023. The Bears are 11-2 at home across that stretch and 11-1 away from Macon. Mercer registered an unbeaten 8-0 mark against league teams last season en route to its second-straight conference championship. u The Orange & Black is 55-40 (.579) against SoCon teams since joining the historic league prior to the 2014 campaign. The Bears competed as a member of the Pioneer Football League in 2013.

Freshman LB Ronin Dangler

Head Coach Joel Taylor

5th Year RB Zahmari Palode-Gary 2026 MERCER BEARS FOOTBALL GAMEDAY PROGRAM

SCOUTING WESTERN CAROLINA u RB JOSH PERRY rushed for a career-high 157 yards and two touchdowns, while the Catamount defense forced five turnovers and limited No. 8 Tennessee Tech to just three second-half points, as Western Carolina surged past the Golden Eagles, 44-20, Saturday night in Southern Conference action at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field. The victory marked Western Carolina’s first win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season and handed Tennessee Tech its first loss of the year. u WCU amassed 534 yards of total offense, including 298 rushing and 236 through the air, while controlling possession for more than 39 minutes. The Catamounts also converted five takeaways into 17 points in remaining unbeaten at home this season. Western Carolina finished with a 534-395 edge in total offense while limiting Tennessee Tech to just 53 yards on the ground. u Nine different receivers caught passes for the Catamounts, led by WR AJ COLOMBO with six receptions for 60 yards. WR JAI BOYD hauled in a 49-yard touchdown reception for WCU’s lone passing score. u SPUR NASSOR ASHENAFI led the Catamounts with seven tackles, adding a forced fumble. CB ANDRE JACKSON JR. posted five solo stops with a takeaway, credited with forcing and recovering a fumble that ended a Tennessee Tech drive. CB JAYDEN CORNELIUS had four stops, three pass break-ups, and a fumble recovery. u Western Carolina remains one of the league’s most explosive offensive teams, averaging 34.5 points and 439.5 yards per game. The Catamounts are balanced offensively, producing 261.7 passing yards and 177.8 rushing yards per game, while converting nearly 46 percent of their third downs. u Offensively, everything starts with QB LEX THOMAS, who has completed 65.0 percent of his passes for 1,478 yards, seven touchdowns and zero interceptions while also adding 256 rushing yards and five rushing scores. Thomas is a dual-threat player who extends drives with his legs and has been extremely careful with the football. The Catamounts have been outstanding in the red zone, scoring on 25 of 26 opportunities (96.2 percent), including 17 touchdowns. K BRYAN MCCOLLUM has also been reliable, connecting on 11-of-12 field goals. u Opponents are averaging 33.8 points and 461.3 yards per game, including 288.2 passing yards per contest. Western Carolina has allowed at least 528 yards three times this season and surrendered 58 points in a Week 4 loss at East Tennessee State. The defense does create takeaways, however. The Catamounts have forced 11 turnovers, including six interceptions, and own a +8 turnover margin. Leading tackler LB JOSHUA COLLINS has 33 tackles, while edge defenders BAN CALEB TURNER-ALLEN (3 sacks), SPUR KEN MOORE JR. (2 sacks) and Collins (2 sacks) headline a pass rush that has produced 13 sacks. u Finishing as the runner-up the past two seasons, Western Carolina was picked fourth in the official preseason coaches’

poll. After being picked third each of the past two seasons, this year’s prediction is the lowest preseason selection for the Catamounts since a fifth-place pick in both the 2022 and 2023 polls. Three Catamounts landed on the 2026 Preseason All-Southern Conference teams released as part of the SoCon Football Media Day festivities in July. Preseason All-America selection SPUR KEN MOORE JR. was named a first-team All-SoCon selection at defensive back, with WR AJ COLOMBO, who returned from an injury that sidelined him in 2025, and offensive lineman OL ZACH WATSON earning second-team plaudits.

ABOUT WESTERN CAROLINA Scouting The Catamounts

QUICK FACTS Location:......................................Cullowhee, N.C. Founded:....................................................... 1889 Enrollment:................................................. 12,308 Colors:............................................. Purple & Gold Conference:........... Southern Conference (SoCon) Facility (Capacity):......E.J. Whitmire Stadium (14,000) Chancellor:..................................Dr. Kelli R. Brown Athletics Director:..............................Dee Nichols Head Coach:........................................ Kerwin Bell Record at Western Carolina:........... 34-29 (6th yr) Overall Record:............................ 126-71 (19th yr)

SCHEDULE/RESULTS (3-3, 1-1 SOCON)

AUG. 29

EASTERN KENTUCKY

W, 45-21

Sept. 6

at Campbell

L, 28-19

Sept. 12

at Cincinnati

L, 62-10

SEPT. 19

PRESBYTERIAN

W, 58-14

Sept. 26

* at East Tennessee State

L, 58-31

OCT. 3

* #8 TENNESSEE TECH

W, 44-20

Oct. 10

* at #18 Mercer

OCT. 24

* CHATTANOOGA

Oct. 31

* at Furman

NOV. 7

* WOFFORD

1 P.M.

Nov. 14

* at Samford

3:30 p.m.

NOV. 21

* THE CITADEL

1 P.M.

3 p.m. 2:30 P.M. 2 p.m.

u 5 KEYS FOR MERCER TODAY u WIN FIRST DOWN DEFENSIVELY: Western Carolina’s offense is at its best when quarterback Lex Thomas can operate in favorable down-and-distance situations and use both the run and pass game. u CONTAIN LEX THOMAS AS A RUNNER: Thomas is not just a passer. He has already rushed for five touchdowns and is a major red zone threat. Mercer must maintain rush-lane discipline and avoid allowing him to escape the pocket on third downs where he’s capable of extending drives with his legs. u MAKE SOMEONE OTHER THAN AJ COLOMBO BEAT YOU: Colombo is Western Carolina’s leading receiver and primary chain-mover. Mercer should be physical with him at the line of scrimmage and force Thomas to rely on secondary options. Limiting explosive plays to Colombo and Jai Boyd will be critical. u ESTABLISH THE RUN AND CONTROL POSSESSION: Western Carolina’s defense has been vulnerable against the run at times. A productive day from Mercer’s rushing attack would shorten the game, keep Lex Thomas on the sideline and help Mercer win the field position battle. u FINISH DRIVES WITH TOUCHDOWNS: The Catamounts have one of the SoCon’s most reliable kickers in Bryan McCollum, so possessions often turn into points for them. Mercer cannot settle for field goals repeatedly in the red zone. Against an explosive offense, touchdowns instead of threes could be the difference in a close game.

Head Coach Kerwin Bell

Junior LB Joshua Collins

Junior QB Lex Thomas 2026 MERCER BEARS FOOTBALL GAMEDAY PROGRAM

MERCER BEARS

VS. WESTERN CAROLINA 2026 MERCER STATISTICAL LEADERS RUSHING Zahmari Palode-Gary Devon Caldwell JP Pickles

PASSING Jaylen King JP Pickles

RECEIVING

2026 WESTERN CAROLINA STATISTICAL LEADERS RUSHING

GP 5 6 5

Att 53 56 42

Gain 433 373 329

Loss 4 11 27

Net 429 362 302

Avg. 8.1 6.5 7.2

TD 1 1 5

Long 64 83 59

Avg/G 85.8 60.3 60.4

Josh Perry Lex Thomas Marlin Cochran

GP 5 5

Effic 136.4 153.6

Comp-Att-Int 64-106-5 22-32-1

Pct. 60.4 68.8

Yds 843 229

TD 6 3

Lng 51 38

Avg/G 168.6 45.8

Lex Thomas Isaac Lee

Avg/G 78.0 33.5 28.2

AJ Colombo Jai Boyd Michael Rossin

PASSING

RECEIVING

GP 6 6 6

Att 80 66 38

Gain 425 334 196

GP 6 3

Effic 136.5 109.2

Loss 20 78 9

Net 405 256 187

Avg. 5.1 3.9 4.9

TD 5 5 2

Long 62 39 34

Avg/G 67.5 42.7 31.2

Comp-Att-Int 134-206-0 5-11-1

Pct. 65.1 45.5

Yds 1478 68

TD 7 1

Lng 49 36

Avg/G 246.3 22.7

GP 6 6 6

No. 30 14 16

Yds 468 201 169

Avg 15.6 14.4 10.6

TD 2 1 1

Long 51 37 32

PUNT RETURNS

No. 6 1

Yds 89 34

Avg 14.8 34.0

TD 0 0

Long 42 34

No. 1 4

Yds 68 44

Avg 68.0 11.0

TD 0 0

Long 68 23

30-39 4-5

40-49 3-4

50+ 2-2

Lng 55

Blk 0

KICKOFF RETURNS No. Yds Avg Richard Hollis 6 157 26.2 Jadarius Dobie 7 125 17.9 FIELD GOALS FGM-A % I20 20-29 30-39 Bryan McCollum 11-12 91.2 0-0 6-6 3-3

TB 0

I20 50+ 6 5

Blkd 0

Mark Fitzgerald

DXP 0 0 0

Pts 62 36 24

Brayden Smith Travion Solomon Eric Rasheed

Brayden Smith Kel Calixte

KICKOFF RETURNS Sam Martin Jr. Javious Bond

FIELD GOALS Simon Zeidan

FGM-A 14-17

% 82.4

No. 26

Yds 1117

PUNTING Senin Seymour

I20 0-0

20-29 5-6

Avg 43.0

Long 58

FC 11

I-------------PATs--------------I SCORING TD FGs Kick Rush Rcv Pass Simon Zeidan JP Pickles Four players

0 6 4

14 0 0

TOTAL OFFENSE

GP 5 5 5

Jaylen King JP Pickles Zahmari Palode-Gary

ALL PURPOSE

GP Brayden Smith 6 Zahmari Palode-Gary 5 Devon Caldwell 6

20-20 0-0 0-0 Plays 150 74 53

Rush 8 432 362

0-0 0-0 0-0

0 0 0

Rush 140 302 432

Pass 843 229 0

PR 89 0 0

KOR 0 13 0

Rec 468 6 19

2026 MERCER DEFENSIVE LEADERS

Tackles Leaders Jyarius Carter Jeremy Richardson Ronin Dangler Mike Polke Kobe McInnis Nigel Gay CJ Favors Kehinde Akintunde Justin Ferguson Ean Johnson-Kelley

GP 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 6 6 5

Solo/Ast 16/38 19/14 15/15 14/13 11/10 7/14 3/15 5/10 13/2 7/6

Total 54 33 30 27 21 21 18 15 15 13

Avg. 9.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 3.5 3.5 4.5 2.5 2.5 2.6

Tackles For Loss Leaders Kobe McInnis Ronin Dangler Marquis Williams

Total 4.0 3.5 3.5

Yds 12 17 10

Sacks Leaders Ronin Dangler Three players

Total 2 1.5

Yds 14 28

Interceptions Leaders Cameron Goggins Justin Ferguson Mike Polke

Total 4 3 1

0-0 0-0 0-0

Ret Yds 44 16 20

No. 32 16 16

Yds 382 252 160

Avg 11.9 15.8 10.0

TD 0 4 0

Long 25 49 42

PUNT RETURNS

No. 6 2

Yds 47 16

Avg 7.8 8.0

TD 0 0

Long 12 8

TD 0 0

Long 59 32

40-49 2-3

50+ 0-0

Lng 45

Blk 0

TB 0

I20 50+ 6 4

Blkd 0

DXP 0 0 0

Pts 57 42 30

AJ Colombo Marcus Striggles

Total 983 531 432 IR 0 0 0

GP 6 6 4

Tot 565 451 381

Saf 0 0 0

PUNTING

No. 25

Yds 1011

Avg 40.4

Long 52

FC 9

I-------------PATs--------------I SCORING TD FGs Kick Rush Rcv Pass Bryan McCollum Josh Perry Lex Thomas

Avg/G 196.6 106.2 86.4

TOTAL OFFENSE

Avg/G 94.2 90.2 63.5

ALL PURPOSE

0 7 5 GP 6 6 6

Lex Thomas Josh Perry Marlin Cochran

Josh Perry AJ Colombo Lex Thomas

11 0 0

GP 6 6 6

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON

MER Offense WCU 197.........................................Points......................................... 207 32.8..................................Points/Game.................................. 34.5 116....................................First Downs.................................... 140 2623................................ Total Offense................................. 2637 437.2......................... Total Offense/Game.......................... 439.5 1525................................Rushing Yards................................ 1067 254.2......................... Rushing Yards/Game.......................... 177.8 1098................................ Passing Yards................................. 1570 183.0......................... Passing Yards/Game.......................... 261.7 MER Team Statistics WCU 49-411............................Penalties-Yards............................44-424 24-79 (30%)..............3rd Down Conversions..............43-94 (46%) 8-9 (89%)..................4th Down Conversions................4-11 (36%) MER Defense WCU 102................................. Points Allowed.................................. 203 17.0.......................... Points Allowed/Game........................... 33.8 1906........................... Total Yards Allowed............................ 2768 317.7.................... Total Yards Allowed/Game..................... 461.3 812.......................... Rushing Yards Allowed......................... 1039 135.3..................Rushing Yards Allowed/Game.................. 173.2 1094.........................Passing Yards Allowed......................... 1729 182.3..................Passing Yards Allowed/Game.................. 288.2

24-25 0-0 0-0 Plays 272 80 38

Rush 405 4 256

0-0 0-0 0-0

0 0 0

Rush 256 405 187

Pass 1478 0 0

PR 0 47 0

KOR 0 0 0

Rec 92 382 4

0-0 0-0 0-0

Avg/G 63.7 42.0 40.0

Saf 0 0 0

Total 1734 405 187 IR 0 0 0

Avg/G 289.0 67.5 31.2 Tot 497 433 260

Avg/G 82.8 72.2 43.3

2026 WESTERN CAROLINA DEFENSIVE LEADERS

Tackles Leaders GP Joshua Collins 6 Andre Jackson Jr. 6 Nassor Ashenafi 6 Jayden Cornelius 6 Braylon Jones 6 Ryan McKinnis 6 Ken Moore Jr. 6 Na’koma Simpson-Nealy 6 Ja’Torian Mack 5 Marco Patierno 6

Solo/Ast 16/17 16/12 15/12 15/11 15/10 8/13 8/13 9/10 5/13 8/9

Total 33 28 27 26 25 21 21 19 18 17

Avg. 5.5 4.7 4.5 4.3 4.2 3.5 3.5 3.2 3.6 2.8

Tackles For Loss Leaders Chase Kerns Ken Moore Jr. Caleb Turner-Allen

Total 4.5 4.0 4.0

Yds 13 20 11

Sacks Leaders Caleb Turner-Allen Ken Moore Jr. Joshua Collins Trystan Anderson

Total 3.0 2.0 2.0 2.0

Yds 7 17 16 14

Interceptions Leaders Six players

2026 MERCER BEARS FOOTBALL GAMEDAY PROGRAM

Total 1

Ret Yds 79

2026 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL STANDINGS East Tennessee State Tennessee Tech Chattanooga Mercer Wofford Western Carolina Furman Samford The Citadel VMI

Conf 2-0 2-1 2-1 1-1 2-2 1-1 1-1 1-1 0-2 0-2

Pct. 1.000 .667 .667 .500 .500 .500 .500 .500 .000 .000

Ovr 4-2 4-1 3-3 4-2 3-3 3-3 2-4 1-4 2-3 0-6

Pct. .667 .800 .500 .667 .500 .500 .333 .200 .400 .000

Home 4-1 2-0 1-1 2-1 2-1 3-0 1-2 1-1 0-2 0-2

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE

SATURDAY Mercer 54, VMI 3 The Citadel 34, South Carolina State 31 Wofford 32, Furman 25 UAB 33, Samford 14 East Tennessee State 14, Chattanooga 3 Western Carolina 44, Tennessee Tech 20

SATURDAY Samford at Chattanooga, 1 p.m. Wofford at Elon, 2 p.m. East Tennessee State at The Citadel, 2 p.m. Western Carolina at Mercer, 3 p.m. Furman at Tennessee Tech, 3:30 p.m.

Away 0-1 2-1 2-2 2-1 1-2 0-3 1-2 0-3 2-1 0-4

BYE WEEK VMI

BYE WEEK None

Neu 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

Strk W3 L1 L1 W2 W1 W1 L1 L1 W1 L6

CHATTANOOGA Date 8/27 9/5 9/12 9/19 9/26 10/3 10/10 10/17 10/24 10/31 11/7 11/14 11/21

Opponent Time at West Georgia W, 24-10 Tennessee Tech L, 24-9 at Eastern Kentucky L, 22-17 * Wofford W, 41-7 * at The Citadel W, 27-8 * at East Tennessee State L, 14-3 * Samford 1 p.m. BYE * at Western Carolina 2:30 p.m. * VMI 1 p.m. * Mercer 1 p.m. * at Furman 1 p.m. at Alabama 3 p.m.