The dominoes are starting to fall with LR players hitting the portal

[FootballCoach]

Football Coach, I will have to hand it to yo, in that, you had you finger on the pulse of the players and what was in their mind, more than anyone else.

So tell us all, when will LRU cancel the coming season?

Ok, that was tongue in cheek. But what I think, not tongue in cheek, is the fact that what I am hearing is that some of the players that recently hit the portal had no interest until they saw that others were getting full scholarship opportunities AND THAT was just the pull that they could not resist.

I know D2 has scholarship restrictions but I would content the way those scholarships are used and offered might should to be rethought and reconsidered.

Or I could be completely wrong. BUT I AM NOT WRONG that LR is and will be much better off without Jacobs and Soto over the coming years.

I will not speak on the status of player’s Scholarships at LR because the knowledge of player scholarships should only be between the coaches at LR and that player. I will however say that I doubt that’s why they transferred. I have also never said that LR won’t be better under Socha than Jacobs. Only time will tell what happens. However, with so many starters leaving, I do think it will be hard to replace them for this upcoming season. In order to have a better record than Jacobs and staff will mean that LR will have to make it to the natty. Is that your expectation for this upcoming season?

[Mule]

Very, very unlikely LR contends for a natty this upcoming season; and though not out of the realm of possibility, I would not expect them to repeat as SAC champs given the transfer upheaval along with the coaching staff changes. Nonetheless, they will likely still contend in the upper tier of the conference. The new coaching staff is a proven winner...the remaining players will be hungry...and like most everyone else, while significant players are transferring out, I'd be shocked if the program didn't see its share of quality transfers coming in.

[SACgrad]

Very, very unlikely LR contends for a natty this upcoming season; and though not out of the realm of possibility, I would not expect them to repeat as SAC champs given the transfer upheaval along with the coaching staff changes. Nonetheless, they will likely still contend in the upper tier of the conference. The new coaching staff is a proven winner...the remaining players will be hungry...and like most everyone else, while significant players are transferring out, I'd be shocked if the program didn't see its share of quality transfers coming in.

They are proven winners in NAIA. Jacobs was a proven winner in the conference and division

[Mule]

They are proven winners in NAIA. Jacobs was a proven winner in the conference and division

Like I said...LR hired a proven winner. Socha won a national championship, for crying out loud, and that's difficult to do and impressive at any level. Why piss on him?

[BearFan1]

My older son played Football at an NAIA school and anybody that looks "down" on NAIA as being less than D2 is just full of crap.

Socha's only experience as a coach is no just at his previous school. It might take a couple of years but I have no doubt his success was not a fluke but rather the combine experiences of his history at all levels.

I talked with several of the recruits and their parents at the Spring Game and each one that I talked with were excited with the new coaching staff and about being at LR. Whatever the situation is with the portal, it is not just LR that is going to be affected.

[Eagle74]

If you've ever been to Mercer University, especially one of their football games, you can understand the allure it has for potential D2 football player transfers. A very nice campus, facilities, and impressive football stadium which is basically packed with 10,000+ enthusiastic fans for most games. Add in the opportunity for potential scholarships $$$$ coverage, and demographics of an enrollment of over 9,000 with around 65% (5,850) of the students being of the female persuasion, and a move to play for the Mercer Bears tends look pretty attractive for a lot of college student athlete football players, just saying.

[BearFan1]

Can anyone provide an update on the LR Portal Guys? Where they have committed, offers, etc?
Any news from other SAC schools also would be interesting.

[87Bear]

I haven't seen any with commitments so far but have seen some post of offers, most are FCS but I did see JRM posted offer from Coastal and one guy said offer from Wake. Don't recall any SAC schools being shown as offer.

[FootballCoach]

Back up LB's Luke Gilbertson and Jusean Parks have hit the portal. Also back up OL Ryan Frans has also hit the portal. He had seen a few starts during his time at LR.

Offered List

Xavier Jennings
BYU, Houston, Liberty, Ohio, Arkansas State, Akron, Rhode Island, Missouri State, North Alabama, Norfolk State, Grambling State, Georgia State, FAMU, Austin Peay, Old Dominion, Marshall, Houston Christian, Campbell, Georgia Southern, Samford, Charleston Southern, Northern Arizona, North Carolina Central, Mercer, Coastal Carolina, Gardner Webb

Jon Ross Maye
Coastal Carolina, UTEP, Buffalo, Western Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Arkansas State, Utah State, Tennessee State, Missouri State, EKU, WCU, Gardner Webb, Stony Brook, Samford, Hampton

CD Kelley
Wake Forest, UTEP, Jacksonville State, Delaware, West Georgia, Mercer, Missouri State, Stony Brook, Hampton

Dwayne McGee
Mercer, Western Illinois, Tennessee State

Kelin Parsons
WCU, Mercer

Will Montgomery
Elizabeth City State

No offers yet... Ryan Frans, Luke Gilbertson, Jusean Parks, Jeremiah Penick, Malachi Howell

Commits
Malachi Sumner- Virginia Union
Joel Hunt- Elizabeth City State

[SACgrad]

Back up LB's Luke Gilbertson and Jusean Parks have hit the portal. Also back up OL Ryan Frans has also hit the portal. He had seen a few starts during his time at LR.

Offered List

Xavier Jennings
BYU, Houston, Liberty, Ohio, Arkansas State, Akron, Rhode Island, Missouri State, North Alabama, Norfolk State, Grambling State, Georgia State, FAMU, Austin Peay, Old Dominion, Marshall, Houston Christian, Campbell, Georgia Southern, Samford, Charleston Southern, Northern Arizona, North Carolina Central, Mercer, Coastal Carolina, Gardner Webb

Jon Ross Maye
Coastal Carolina, UTEP, Buffalo, Western Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Arkansas State, Utah State, Tennessee State, Missouri State, EKU, WCU, Gardner Webb, Stony Brook, Samford, Hampton

CD Kelley
Wake Forest, UTEP, Jacksonville State, Delaware, West Georgia, Mercer, Missouri State, Stony Brook, Hampton

Dwayne McGee
Mercer, Western Illinois, Tennessee State

Kelin Parsons
WCU, Mercer

Will Montgomery
Elizabeth City State

No offers yet... Ryan Frans, Luke Gilbertson, Jusean Parks, Jeremiah Penick, Malachi Howell

Commits
Malachi Sumner- Virginia Union
Joel Hunt- Elizabeth City State

Thank you for this wonderful update

[FootballCoach]

DJ Taylor Defensive End has entered the portal today. Currently holds an offer from Johnson C. Smith

Toney Black Defensive End also entered the portal and committed to Washburn

Xavier Jennings picked up an offer from Michigan State.
Jon Ross Maye picked up an offer from Kansas State.
C’Darius Kelley picked up an offer from West Virginia
Luke Gilbertson picked up offers from Kentucky Wes., Emory & Henry, Bluefield State.
Ryan Frans picked up offers from Mars Hill, Valdosta State, Johnson C Smith, Allen, Tiffin, Davenport, Shaw, Benedict, and Fayetteville State.
Jusean Parks picked up an offer from Concord

no offers: Jeremiah Penick, Malachi Howell

[FootballCoach]

Also, speaking of the portal, I just saw Mooresville stand out Jawarn Howell entered the portal from SC State and committed to the University of South Carolina. He was on campus at Lenoir Rhyne for an official visit out of high school. Potential D2 player who made it to the SEC. Crazy how recruiting works with the portal