Mercer University Football

A 21-year collegiate coaching veteran with a wake of defensive dominance throughout each stop of his storied career, Joel Taylor was announced as the 22nd head coach in the history of the Mercer football program on Dec. 11, 2025. Taylor, who led West Georgia to a dozen victories in the program’s first two seasons at the NCAA Division I FCS level, returns to Mercer after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Bears from 2020-23. He is fresh off of an 8-win campaign in 2024 that garnered him both United Athletic Conference and American Football Coaches Association Region 3 Coach of the Year accolades. West Georgia showcased an offense that tacked up more than 355 yards of total offense per game, while yielding just 122.9 rushing yards and 21.2 points an outing, on the way to an 8-3 campaign in 2025, doubling the program’s win total from his first year at the helm. The Wolves won each of their first five games in 2025, including victories over Southern Conference foes Samford and East Tennessee State, and climbed as high as No. 16 in both the AFCA and Stats Perform national rankings. The early-season winning skein also included a dominant 34-10 road triumph over then-No. 22 Nicholls. Prior to trekking to Carrollton, Ga., Taylor constructed a dominant defensive unit in Macon from 2020-23 – one that helped the Bears register 28 victories, including a 9-4 mark in 2023 that culminated with the program’s first berth into the NCAA FCS Playoffs. Mercer yielded just 142.1 rushing

A seven-year coaching veteran with previous stops at four other collegiate institutions, Austin Davis begins his first year at Mercer in 2026-27, as well as ...

A 15-year coaching and administrative veteran with previous stops at two other collegiate institutions, Bennett Houston begins his seventh year at Mercer in 2026-27 as the general manager for the Bears. Houston originally joined the coaching staff in Macon in February 2020 as the director of football operations on former MU head coach Drew Cronic's staff, and continued in that same role under head coach Mike Jacobs for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. While in Middle Georgia, Houston has been instrumental in the success of several community-based and team-building initiatives, including the Build The Bear program that aids Mercer's student-athletes in both life skills and personal development. He has also spearheaded a plethora of fundraising strategies such as MU's annual Month of Giving which has averaged nearly $26,000 in contributions, as well as the program's annual Mega Camps that regularly attracts more than 3,000 campers to Five Star Stadium across two days over each of the last three summers. Houston enjoyed similar success while serving a dual role as both the wide receivers coach and director of football operations at Gardner-Webb for three seasons (2017-19). In his administrative role, he headed up fundraising efforts, including GWU's annual "Calling All Dogs" phone-a-thon that averaged more than $14,000 in donations, as well as the program's annual golf tournament and alumni outreach. On the field, he mentored a trio of all-conference selections, including Izaiah Gathi

A seasoned athletic training professional with previous stops at two other collegiate institutions, Brad Drake begins his first year at Mercer in 2023-24 as the Associate Athletics Director for Sports Medicine for the Bears. Drake joined the Bears family in August 2023 after spending the previous three years with the University of Florida Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Institute. While in Gainesville, Drake assisted sports medicine surgeons and non-operative physicians with clinical duties, while also assisting in the creation of treatment plans and clinical exams. In addition to his office duties, he was also charged with supervision of the doctoral athletic training students in their coverage of local high school athletic departments. Drake spent 13 seasons at Charleston Southern, including 10 as the Associate Athletics Director for Medical Services where he provided medical coverage for the football program, as well as CSU's men's and women's golf teams. As department head, he provided oversight of 15 varsity athletic programs, and was also responsible for budget and inventory management. An associate athletic trainer at CSU from 2007-10, he more than doubled his personnel at CSU from 2010-18, while also serving as the drug testing and insurance coordinator for the athletics department. He got his start in the field in 1999 as an athletic trainer in the Greenville (S.C.) Hospital System and provided medical coverage for Greenville Senior High School, as well as PRN covera

A 10-year coaching veteran with previous stops at seven other collegiate institutions, including stints with two Southeastern Conference teams, Brandon Taylor begins his first season at Mercer in 2026-27, as well as his third year alongside head coach Joel Taylor, as the special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach for the Bears. Taylor spent the 2025 season in the same role at West Georgia. Taylor was pivotal in West Georgia’s success over the last two seasons, especially with his knack for engineering key special teams units. The Wolves showcased what would have been (UWG was amid transition to NCAA Division I; not eligible for statistics ranking) the nation’s 32nd-best punt return defense (6.13 yards/return) amid an 8-win season in 2025, while also boasting one of the best net punting averages (38.71) among the 127 FCS squads as well. That followed a 2024 campaign in which the Wolves averaged 9.48 yards per punt return, while also boasting one of the nation’s most electric return specialists. Taylor made the move to Carrollton, Ga., from the Sunshine State where he helped guide Florida to 11 victories across two seasons (2022-23) under head coach Billy Napier as the GameChanger (special teams) graduate assistant. The Gators boasted the nation’s fourth-ranked net punting squad during both the 2022 (43.39) and 2023 (43.26) campaigns, while also tallying FBS’s sixth-ranked kickoff return defense (15.07 yards allowed/return) during the latter season as well. Florida

A 15-year coaching and administrative veteran with previous stops at six other collegiate institutions, Brandon Wright begins his third year at Mercer in 2026-27, as well as his third season alongside head coach Joel Taylor, as the Director of Football Operations for the Bears. Wright was a part of former Mercer head coach Drew Cronic’s staff as an offensive analyst for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Wright, who served as the Assistant Athletics Director of Compliance at Edward Waters in Jacksonville, Fla., for a majority of the 2025 calendar year, most recently served on the football staff at Stetson for three seasons (2022-24). While in Deland, Fla., Wright was key in establishing new building blocks for Stetson, providing oversight for all development activities including the Hatter Fellows program, the annual giving challenge and the engagement of alumni and donors. Stetson increased its year-over-year fundraising by 22 percent under the leadership of Wright who also handled a bulk of the program’s day-to-day operations, including all logistics of team travel, while also serving as the program’s gameday marketing liaison. Wright kicked off an impressive 12-year collegiate coaching career as the defensive backs coach for Franklin College and helped pace the Grizzlies to 19 victories across two seasons (2010-11), including two conference championships and a pair of trips to the NCAA Division III Playoffs. Franklin boasted the nation’s 11th-ranked total defense and 14th-ranked p

A three-year collegiate coaching veteran who possesses invaluable playing experience as part of the offensive front on two different NCAA FBS squads, Brian Greene begins his first season at Mercer in 2026-27 as the offensive line coach for the Bears. He spent the 2024 and 2025 campaigns in a similar role at NC State. NC State’s offensive line flourished in two seasons under Greene’s guidance as the unit paved the way for an offensive attack that averaged nearly 150 yards per game on the ground, while also yielding less than two sacks per game. Greene served as the graduate assistant offensive line coach in Raleigh, N.C., for the 2024 campaign, before diving into a role as assistant offensive line coach for the unit in 2025. The Wolfpack churned out 14 wins across that span, while also making a pair of bowl appearances. Greene kicked off his coaching career in 2023 as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Highland (Kan.) Community College. While also overseeing the in-season strength & conditioning program, Greene constructed a unit that helped the Scotties finish with a 6-5 clip – to their first winning record in four seasons – and conclude the campaign with a No. 16 national ranking. A product of Yakima, Wash., Greene began his career as a non-scholarship player for head coach Mike Leach at Washington State in 2017, and was eventually awarded a scholarship prior to the 2019 campaign. A 2020 All-PAC 12 Conference selection, he was named to the watch list for th

FootballSkip AdFoster, BryantBrown, BarryBurgess, DerwinDavis, AustinEaglin, JosephEllis, SumnerFoster, BryantGreene, BrianHazelray, DJHudgens, NickKing, CalLankford, RichieMarshall, JordanMcDonald, KyleRoyston, DustinSalmon, DavidTaylor, BrandonTaylor, JoelWeaver, Tripp

A seven-year collegiate coaching veteran with previous stops at three other collegiate institutions, Cal King begins his first year at Mercer in 2026-27 as the safeties coach for the Bears. He spent the 2025 season as the linebackers coach and interim defensive coordinator at Samford. King’s linebackers unit accounted for a large share of the defensive success that Samford registered in 2025, amassing 246 tackles – more than 30 percent of the team’s total stops (807) – while also tacking up 16-1/2 tackles for loss (83 percent of team total) as well. Those achievements were headlined by senior Jaden Mosley who bullied his way on to the All-Southern Conference squad with 107 stops, including a team-best 9-1/2 stops behind the line of scrimmage. King assumed the role of interim defensive coordinator for Samford in Week 10 and engineered a defense that limited FCS opponents to just 148.9 yards per game on the ground, including two outings in which Samford surrendered 111 rushing yards or fewer. The Bulldogs also forced five turnovers across that four-game stretch as well. Prior to venturing to the Iron City, King left a wake of success amid a five-year stay on the defensive staff at Georgia Southern. He began his stint in Statesboro, Ga., as a graduate assistant defensive coach for two seasons (2020-21), while also taking on a role as the interim cornerbacks coach for the final eight games of the 2021 campaign. He mentored the nickel position players for the Eagles during the 202

An eight-year coaching veteran with two previous stops at Mercer, David Salmon begins his fifth season at Mercer in 2026-27, as well as his third year alongs...

FootballSkip AdBurgess, DerwinBrown, BarryBurgess, DerwinDavis, AustinEaglin, JosephEllis, SumnerFoster, BryantGreene, BrianHazelray, DJHudgens, NickKing, CalLankford, RichieMarshall, JordanMcDonald, KyleRoyston, DustinSalmon, DavidTaylor, BrandonTaylor, JoelWeaver, Tripp

A 12-year coaching veteran with a lion’s share of experience on both the prep and collegiate levels, DJ Hazelray begins his first season at Mercer in 2026-27, as well as his second year alongside head coach Joel Taylor, as the wide receivers coach for the Bears. Hazelray spent the 2025 season in the same role at West Georgia. Hazelray was essential on the sidelines for the Wolves in 2025, crafting a unit that accounted for nearly 192 receiving yards per game and 18 touchdowns. West Georgia registered 200 or more receiving yards six times, including a 308-yard day in a big win over United Athletic Conference foe North Alabama. Four different players amassed 22 or more catches on the season. Prior to trekking to Carrollton, Ga., Hazelray served two seasons (2023-24) as the offensive coordinator at nearby Warner Robins High School and helped pace the Demons to 16 victories and a pair of postseason berths, including a deep run in the state playoffs in 2024. Fourteen players, including six on the offensive side of the ball, from those 2023 and 2024 squads made the transition to the college stage under Hazelray’s mentorship. Hazelray has three other previous stops on the Georgia prep level. He made his Peach State coaching debut as the running backs and tight ends coach at Valdosta High School in 2018 and 2019 and helped guide the Wildcats to a combined 18-8 clip, as well as two appearances in the state quarterfinals. He left another footprint of success at Thomasville High School

A 12-year coaching veteran with previous stops at four other collegiate institutions, Dustin Royston begins his first season at Mercer in 2026-27 as the co-d...

A six-year collegiate coaching veteran with previous stops at Mercer as both a player and a coach, Jordan Marshall begins his sixth season at Mercer in 2026-27, and his second on the coaching staff, as the running backs coach for the Bears. Marshall was an offensive standout at MU from 2013-16, and returned to Middle Georgia as a quality control coach for the 2020-21 campaign. Marshall made the return trip to Macon after spending the previous three years (2023-25) constructing the program at Anderson (S.C.) as the running backs coach under former MU head coach Bobby Lamb. The Powder Springs, Ga., native wasted little time in building a formidable ground attack in Anderson, S.C. The Trojans increased their total rushing yards by more than 27 percent across the first two years of the program’s existence, including a 2025 campaign that watched Anderson chew up nearly 157 yards per game on the ground. AU totaled 175 or more rushing yards four times that season and highlighted its potent ground attack with a program-record 291 yards in a 35-28 road upset of perennial NCAA Division II southeast region powerhouse Lenoir-Rhyne. Prior to making the move to northwest South Carolina, Marshall reaped incredible success as both the running backs and wide receivers coach for two seasons (2021-22) at Methodist in Fayetteville, N.C. Methodist boasted NCAA Division III’s 29th-ranked total offense during the latter campaign, averaging 280.0 yards through the air and 157.6 yards on the ground,

FootballSkip AdEaglin, JosephBrown, BarryBurgess, DerwinDavis, AustinEaglin, JosephEllis, SumnerFoster, BryantGreene, BrianHazelray, DJHudgens, NickKing, CalLankford, RichieMarshall, JordanMcDonald, KyleRoyston, DustinSalmon, DavidTaylor, BrandonTaylor, JoelWeaver, Tripp

Having already logged unique experience in a variety of areas across the Mercer athletics department as an undergraduate, as well as two separate stints as a key member of MU's external operations department, Kayla Vick returned to Mercer on May 1, 2025, as the Coordinator of On-Campus Recruiting and Creative Services for the football program. She was promoted to Director of Recruiting Operations for the Bears in December 2025. Vick initially joined the athletics department in January 2021 as a student manager for Mercer's nationally-ranked football team and was charged with practice equipment preparation and travel logistics, as well as day-to-day football operations duties. She began a dual role as a marketing intern in December 2022 where she was responsible for producing creative content, as well as assisting in the planning and execution of home events, including gameday logistics, venue coordination and participant management. She would later undertake similar duties as a graduate assistant for marketing and fan experience. A Macon native, Vick undertook a 7-month internship with the Coastal Plain League's Macon Bacon baseball team where she was charged with a variety of marketing tasks, including managing multiple social media platforms, as well as developing content calendars and producing and implementing effective marketing email campaigns. An active member of the Phi Mu Sorority as an undergraduate, she also volunteered her time at the Beverly Knight Olson Childr

A certified athletic trainer with previous experience at two other NCAA Division I institutions, including a fellow Southern Conference member, Kimberly Wynn begins her first year with the Mercer athletics department in 2023-24 as an assistant athletic trainer for the Bears. Wynn is specifically responsible for the prevention and care of injuries for MU's softball and football teams. Wynn trekked to Macon from Clinton, S.C., where she undertook a brief stint working with the Blue Hose football and women's tennis teams. She also spent two seasons (2021-22) as a graduate assistant athletic trainer at Chattanooga where she provided day-to-day support coverage of the football team for the Mocs. While attaining a wealth of experience at UTC, Wynn also immersed herself in a plethora of other clinical opportunities, including a stint with the National Independent Soccer Association's Chattanooga Football Club, as well as work in the C4: Outpatient Physical Therapy Clinic. She logged additional experience working with Chattanooga-area high schools. In addition to her professional experience, the native Californian has also recorded a lion's share of volunteer work. She was on-site for the 2021 and 2022 Little Debbie Ironman events, and also staffed the 2021 SoCon Tennis Tournament, as well as the 2022 Frost Winter Classic softball event. Wynn earned her bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Sonoma State in 2020, and earned her graduate degree in athletic training at Chattanooga in Ma

FootballSkip AdHudgens, NickBrown, BarryBurgess, DerwinDavis, AustinEaglin, JosephEllis, SumnerFoster, BryantGreene, BrianHazelray, DJHudgens, NickKing, CalLankford, RichieMarshall, JordanMcDonald, KyleRoyston, DustinSalmon, DavidTaylor, BrandonTaylor, JoelWeaver, Tripp

A former collegiate signal caller with experience on the west coast, as well as at a pair of Georgia universities, Richie Lankford begins his first year at Mercer in 2025-26 as an offensive analyst for the Bears. Lankford joined the coaching staff in Macon after finishing up his playing career at West Georgia. Lankford played in seven games and threw for 222 yards and three touchdowns on 64 percent passing across his lone season at San Mateo College in northern California before trekking back home where he spent the next two seasons (2022-23) at Georgia Southern. Lankford transferred to West Georgia for his final collegiate season in 2024, logging 17 passing yards and 15 rushing yards, including a 7-yard scoring scamper against Lincoln. An all-state prep student-athlete in two sports, Lankford threw for more than 5,000 yards and 71 touchdowns under center for Palmetto Preparatory Academy in Columbia, S.C., while also etching his name among the school’s 1,000-point scorers on the hardwood as well. He closed out his prep career as the football program’s all-time leader in both passing yards and passing touchdowns, and helped lead the basketball squad to a state championship as just a sophomore. A native of McDonough, Ga., Lankford possesses a wealth of athletic-related volunteer experience as well, including a stint as an usher at Talladega Superspeedway for three events during the 2025 season. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management from UWG in 2025.

A 15-year coaching veteran with a trio of stops on the collegiate level, including one in Macon, Sumner Ellis begins his fourth season at Mercer in 2026-27, ...

Embarking on his 28th year in the athletic communications field, Todd Anderson begins his second season as Assistant Athletics Director for Athletic Communications at Mercer in 2024-25, having officially joined the Bears family in July 2023. Anderson trekked to Macon from southeastern North Carolina where he served 17 seasons (2006-23) as the Associate Athletics Director for Communications and Strategic Initiatives at UNC Pembroke. He was hired as the school's sports information director in 2006, was promoted to assistant athletics director for communications prior to the start of the 2011-12 academic year and additionally to associate athletics director at the beginning of the 2014-15 season. While he oversees the athletic media relations efforts for all of Mercer's 18 varsity athletic teams, Anderson handles the day-to-day responsibilities for the football, women's basketball, softball, men's tennis and track & field teams. Prior to his move to North Carolina in 2006, Anderson served nine years in the athletic media relations departments at two Southeastern Conference schools - first as a student assistant/intern at Alabama and then as an assistant athletic media relations director at Mississippi State. He was charged with the day-to-day athletic media relations responsibilities for the nationally-ranked women's soccer and softball programs for both the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs. He also assisted in the game day operations for the football, baseball and basketball progr

A 14-year coaching veteran with previous stops at six other collegiate institutions, Tripp Weaver begins his first year at Mercer in 2026-27, as well as his third alongside head coach Joel Taylor, as the defensive coordinator for the Bears. Weaver joined the coaching staff in Macon in December 2025 after spending the previous season at West Georgia as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Wolves. Player development has been a calling card for Weaver since his first coaching stop. Twenty-one players have raked in all-conference under the guidance of the enthusiastic mentor, including nine that have gone on to be crowned with all-America laurels. That list includes West Georgia defensive lineman David Hoage who became the program’s first NCAA Division I All-American in 2025 after posting 62 stops, including 20 tackles for loss and 8-1/2 sacks. Weaver helped construct a formidable stop troop in just one season at West Georgia. The Wolves boasted what would have been (UWG was amid transition to NCAA Division I; not eligible for statistics ranking) the nation’s 21st-ranked total defense (332.2 yards/game allowed) in 2025, while also limiting foes to just 21.2 points per game (T-21st NCAA). West Georgia amassed 70 tackles for loss (6.4/game) along the way, including 33 quarterback drops, and held opponents to 296 offensive yards or fewer six times. The Wolves also forced 20 turnovers, including 10 interceptions. The dominance followed a similar path for Weaver