dillonpanthers Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Spring Hill is open. Mercer is leaving after 4 seasons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolbear99 Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Didn't see that coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDtommy Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Wow! Heard it was coming. Still surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sportsguru02 Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Think he got the bad end of the straw not going 3a and being stuck in a district he was in every yr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Spring Hill's Mercer resigns after four seasons with the Panthers Quote Spring Hill head football coach and athletic director Kelly Mercer informed his players today the 2018 season was his final one with the Panthers. Mercer resigned from the post, and interim superintendent Rod Townsend said a search for a replacement will begin immediately. "The rumors were that I'd been let go, or that I'd been fired. None of that's true," said Mercer. "I'm doing this on my own accord. There are some other opportunities that have presented themselves that I think are best for my family." Mercer, who was hired to replace Mark Sartain in April of 2015, assumed the position after working several years as the offensive coordinator at Class 6A Plano West. Mercer came to town with an impressive resume built on his offensive prowess. The Plano West offense, under his tutelage, averaged better than 45 points and 430 yards per game in 2014. Spring Hill was looking for stability within its athletic program, having gone through three head football coaches over a five-year stretch. Mercer was able to stabilize and infuse new-found enthusiasm with his proclamation to “Build The Hill”, thus making that a community-wide battle cry. "I think we have definitely increased the validity of our program," Mercer said. "Somebody said to me the other day Spring Hill used to be everybody's homecoming because they wanted to start out with a win. But, they said nobody really thinks that way anymore. The outside perception has changed, and the inside perception has changed because they believe in themselves more. I believe they think they can play with just about anyone." Mercer, who finished with a four-year record of 11-29, was never able to get the Panthers in the playoffs. His best chance came in 2017 when Spring Hill, which opened the season with five straight victories, went into the regular-season finale at Atlanta with a chance to snap a decade-long playoff drought. The Panthers came up short that evening, 56-49, and finished the year on a five-game losing streak. Spring Hill failed to win a district game its last three seasons and finished 1-18 in district over Mercer’s four seasons. His lone district win, a 30-27 decision over Tatum in 2015, avoided a winless season for the Panthers and gave Mercer his first victory as a head coach. During Mercer’s tenure the Panthers had the difficult task of competing in a district loaded with gridiron heavyweights like Pittsburg, Gladewater, Gilmer and reining two-time state finalist and 2017 state champion Pleasant Grove. The Panthers were 2-8 overall and 0-4 in district play this past season. Spring Hill lost its first two games of the season, defeated arch-rival White Oak and Rusk, and then ended the year with six straight losses. "We're going to post this position immediately and try to move just as quickly as we can," Townsend said. "We're not going to go too fast. We want to make sure we get the best person and the right person for the position. Coach Mercer is an outstanding individual and very conscientious. I never saw him do anything but the right thing, and he always put kids first." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDtommy Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 So, which way will SH go? Local or DFW route? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTI Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 28 minutes ago, TDtommy said: So, which way will SH go? Local or DFW route? Dunno, but whoever gets it will have the tough task of stopping athletes from flocking to a certain crosstown juggernaut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamalious Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 alls i kno is that Kerry strong is from sprang hill. i hope he dont leave us in BSandy but i cud undertnond him leafing for this. knot that they any good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dillonpanthers Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 He did very well at spring hill with what he had. Wonder where Mercer is headed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acewell Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 I have been in Spring Hill for 15 years and attended all football games etc. Coach Mercer is a very good leader, mentor, and coach. I don't think anyone out there could have done more than he did. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odetoapig Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Ok you got me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JugLine Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Chapel Hill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTman7 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 2 hours ago, Jamalious said: alls i kno is that Kerry strong is from sprang hill. i hope he dont leave us in BSandy but i cud undertnond him leafing for this. knot that they any good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playactionpass39 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 15 hours ago, dillonpanthers said: He did very well at spring hill with what he had. Wonder where Mercer is headed Back to Plano West? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDtommy Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 I hope they try to go local. As a former Buckeye, I’ve seen 1st hand the success East Texas guys have had here in East Texas. Surrett, Taylor, Frazier, Russell, Lane. All East Texas boys. I hope for SH sake they don’t go with DFW coaches. East Texas kids are a lot different than DFW kids. Takes one to know one. Just my 2 cents. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach0001 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 They have a great group of 8th graders coming up 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETIREDFAN1 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Any further personal attacks against a specific coach will be met with suspensions....consider this your only warning....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HHS90 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 21 hours ago, Acewell said: I have been in Spring Hill for 15 years and attended all football games etc. Coach Mercer is a very good leader, mentor, and coach. I don't think anyone out there could have done more than he did. I couldn't agree more. He did a phenomenal job given what he came in to 4 years ago. He flipped the attitude, expectations and culture of a community (that had been very deflated) in the 4 years he was here. The "Build the Hill" attitude he rallied around worked well. I'm not sure everyone remembers just how bad it was before he arrived. Wins and losses do not measure the amount of success he achieved with our programs. I wish him well and believe it's a sad day for SH that he "chose" to leave. Too bad our administrative leadership wasn't able to work out a better situation to keep him here if that were a possibility. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgman Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 22 hours ago, TTman7 said: I just spoke with The Kerry Strong (actually got his autograph too!) but he said unless the booster club is willing to put the same size video board in the gym, he will have to decline the lucrative offer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTman7 Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 38 minutes ago, Dawgman said: I just spoke with The Kerry Strong (actually got his autograph too!) but he said unless the booster club is willing to put the same size video board in the gym, he will have to decline the lucrative offer. Yea, I too have talked to The Legend Kerry Strong. Every time we shake hands, I refuse to wash that hand for days, lol. Seems there could be some competition for his services. Ore City, it seems, wants him really bad. In addition to a very lucrative HC/AD salary & benefit package...They've also offered him very enticing perks to include: free Sonic meals during the duration of his contract, free beard oil/balm for life, 13-inch black&white TV and VCR for his coaches office, AND a free boat-landing pass down at Lake O' da Pines. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgman Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 Word is that if he does take the SH job, his weekly press briefings will be aired only with PopWatch 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 Kerry Strong once coached a team to an infinity-point win. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamalious Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 16 hours ago, TTman7 said: Yea, I too have talked to The Legend Kerry Strong. Every time we shake hands, I refuse to wash that hand for days, lol. Seems there could be some competition for his services. Ore City, it seems, wants him really bad. In addition to a very lucrative HC/AD salary & benefit package...They've also offered him very enticing perks to include: free Sonic meals during the duration of his contract, free beard oil/balm for life, 13-inch black&white TV and VCR for his coaches office, AND a free boat-landing pass down at Lake O' da Pines. dang men. much as i dont wont to loose him he need o gone on and take that deel. look like oar sty is relly going after him. dang men 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sackem Posted January 31, 2019 Share Posted January 31, 2019 I hear tell he is holding out for free meals at the Original David Beard's Catfish Kings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PelvisPresley Posted January 31, 2019 Share Posted January 31, 2019 so things were tons worse before this 4 year period...11-29? I don't know -- seems Spring Hill was tougher, more consistent...in that they could at least compete for a .500 record 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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