After its best season, Mercer head football coach leaving for another job. Here’s where

Mercer University head football coach Drew Cronic resigned this week to become the offensive coordinator at Navy, the school announced Tuesday evening in a press release.

Cronic coached the Bears for four seasons and led them to arguably their best finish in program history this year when Mercer made its first-ever appearance in the FCS Playoffs and won a game.

“Coach Cronic has made great contributions to the Mercer football program, as well as to Mercer University, over the last four seasons,” Mercer Director of Athletics Jim Cole said in the news release. “We want to thank him for not only the impact that he has had on Mercer, but the entire Middle Georgia community. We wish him and his family the very best.”

The Bears went 17-4 at home under Cronic and 28-17 overall throughout the head coach’s tenure, which began when Mercer hired him in 2019. The Bears came close to qualifying for the FCS Playoffs multiple years during that span and were featured in the top 25 for FCS teams several times. The Bears faced the Alabama Crimson Tide, Ole Miss Rebels and Auburn Tigers during that span as well.

The school did not announce any plans on who would replace Cronic, nor did it say whether any assistant coaches would leave with the head coach.

Mercer started its football program again in 2013 after they stopped playing the sport during World War II. Cronic was the revived program’s second head coach after Bobby Lamb led the team from 2013 to 2019.

Cronic will replace former Navy offensive coordinator Grant Chestnut, who was fired from the Midshipmen staff last month.