Mercer Head Coach Mike Jacobs on His Coaching Influences, Building Culture & the Bears’ 2025 Season

Preferred Walk-On: A College Sports Show

This week on The Preferred Walk-On Show, host Seth Saunders welcomes Mercer Head Coach Mike Jacobs for an in-depth conversation about leadership, growth, and the rise of Mercer football.

Coach Jacobs opens up about:

🏈 His journey from walk-on at Ohio State to Mercer head coach

💪 Building a winning culture built on trust, discipline, and resilience

🔥 How he knew this year’s Mercer team had the potential to be special

💫 The rise of freshman QB Braden Atkinson and what makes him special

⚔️ Previewing the Western Carolina matchup and the challenges the Catamounts present

💭 The legacy and life lessons he hopes to leave with his players

🎧 It’s the story of a coach who’s been where his players are — and built something lasting from the ground up.

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Plus: We’re on the hunt for College Football's Tailgate All-Americans. From Athens to Ann Arbor, Madison to Baton Rouge — we want to see whose the cream of the tailgate crop from coast-to-coast.

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