{"url":"https://www.mymcr.net/news/new-look-bears-compete-in-spring-game/article_ad1dd9ff-7376-40cd-bcce-c1162c0f291b.html","title":"Defense surges late for 66-43 spring game win","domain":"mymcr.net","imageUrl":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/159792/football-american-football-football-player-defender-159792.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=650&w=940","pexelsSearchTerm":"college football defense","category":"Sports","language":"en","slug":"229ba587","id":"229ba587-2676-4788-aa80-dbd676f7822b","description":"Mercer's defense rallied late to win the spring game 66-43 over the offense at Five Star Stadium.","summary":"## TL;DR\n- Mercer's defense rallied late to win the spring game 66-43 over the offense at Five Star Stadium.\n- Jaise Davis sacked QB Jaylen King with 1:23 left, earning three points for a lead the defense held.\n- Coach Joel Taylor praised the competition, signaling areas for improvement before summer workouts.\n\n## The story at a glance\nMercer's defense overcame a 43-43 tie by scoring 23 points in the final two minutes for a 66-43 spring game win. Key players included transfer Jaise Davis, QBs JP Pickles and Jaylen King, and first-year coach Joel Taylor. The game used a scoring system rewarding defensive stops and takeaways, marking the end of 15 spring practices.\n\n## Key points\n- Game tied 43-43 late in the fourth before defense forced three-and-outs and constant pressure.\n- Jaise Davis, ex-Shorter transfer, sacked Jaylen King for three points with 1:23 left, securing the lead.\n- Offense led early with JP Pickles' TD passes: 55-yard to Asa Gregg, 22-yard to Apollos Cook.\n- Simon Zeidan kicked a 48-yard field goal and another; Sully Croker added a 24-yarder.\n- Contest at Five Star Stadium concluded Mercer's 15 spring sessions; strength work continues into May.\n\n## Details and context\n- Specialized scoring favored defense, with stops and takeaways worth points, flipping a close game.\n- Defense tied it on a three-and-out with just over two minutes left, then pulled ahead for good.\n- Taylor, in his first year, viewed the game as vital competition despite its spring nature.\n- Team resumes activities in early June after conditioning.\n\n## Key quotes\n- “Just because it’s a spring game doesn’t mean it’s any less important than practice,” *Taylor said*. “The guys competed, and the intent was there.”\n- “I saw some good things,” *Taylor said*. “We’ve still got a lot of getting better to do.”\n\n## Why it matters\nThe spring game tested Mercer's revamped defense under new coach Joel Taylor ahead of the regular season. It shows promise in late-game execution and new talent like Davis, but highlights work needed on consistency. Watch summer conditioning and early June practices for signs of broader improvement.","hashtags":["#college","#football","#mercer","#bears","#spring","#game"],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.mymcr.net/news/new-look-bears-compete-in-spring-game/article_ad1dd9ff-7376-40cd-bcce-c1162c0f291b.html","title":"Original article"}],"viewCount":2,"publishedAt":"2026-04-09T02:46:07.801Z","createdAt":"2026-04-09T02:46:07.801Z","articlePublishedAt":"2026-04-08T20:25:00.000Z"}