Photo courtesy of Mars Hill University Athletics/marshilllions.com
For the first time in program history, UMHB Football will square off against an NCAA Division II opponent, as the Crusaders prepare to travel east for Saturday’s duel at Mars Hill University in Mars Hill, North Carolina. MHU is one of three non-D3 opponents on The Cru’s 2025 schedule, and is certain to challenge UMHB before Larry Harmon’s squad enters a key two-game ASC stretch, facing both ETBU and No. 9 Hardin-Simmons on the road in the first two weeks of October.
A consistent contender out of the South Atlantic Conference, MHU has posted four consecutive seasons above .500 overall, including a pair of eight-win campaigns in both 2021 and 2023. Through three games this fall, the Lions are 2-1, with a flawless 2-0 mark in SAC play. That league record makes them one of just two programs in the 10-team conference to be undefeated against SAC opponents heading into this week, and the only one to be undefeated with at least two SAC games under their belt.
Coming out of a 26-6 loss to now-No. 10 UW-Whitewater at home, The Cru will look to bounce back in the hills of North Carolina against an MHU squad aiming at stretching its win streak to three. As we do each week, we have compiled a breakdown of five things that stand out about The Cru’s upcoming opponent, giving a short preview of what to look for from the opposition on Saturday.
So, what should you know about UMHB’s first D2 opponent in program history? Glad you asked. Here’s a look at the Mars Hill Lions.
Mars Hill knows the pressure of a close game
Few teams have found themselves in as many down-to-the-wire finishes as Mars Hill this season, and that isn’t an exaggeration. The Lions’ season-opening loss was decided with 31 seconds left, when Winston-Salem capped an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, sealing a 28-25 win. A week later, Mars Hill bounced back in its conference opener at Carson Newman, winning a 31-24 game in overtime on Javont Sherman’s 9-yard touchdown catch. And just last Saturday, they kept it going, holding off a late charge from Anderson to win, 21-14.
That’s three straight weeks with a one-possession game, and a 2-1 record in those contests. There is real value in repeated experience in such tight fourth quarters, from the ability to handle the pressure of needing a defensive stop to preserve the lead, as they did twice against Anderson in Week 3, to staying mentally poised in overtime after watching a 14-point lead evaporate, like they did against Carson-Newman. It is an intangible that should serve MHU well as the season goes on. No, they haven’t executed perfectly in those late-game situations to this point—the Week 1 loss to Winston-Salem showed that—but being in those sorts of games can only build more poise for when they encounter the same type of situation down the road, perhaps even this coming week.
An established voice in a new role is guiding Mars Hill through 2025
On August 11, less than a month before the season-opener, veteran head coach Tom Clifton announced his retirement, noting that he wanted “to spend more time with my family, especially our 4 grandchildren.” Clifton, who led Mars Hill for 32 seasons, departed as the winningest coach in program history, along with tallying the second-most overall and conference wins amongst SAC head coaches. Big shoes to fill, no doubt.
But Mars Hill wasted little time announcing Kevin Barnette as Clifton’s successor, and it made a lot of sense. Like Clifton, Barnette has three-plus decades of experience with Mars Hill, having served as the Lions’ defensive coordinator for the last 31 years. A native of Mars Hill, North Carolina and a four-year letterwinner at defensive back for the Lions, Barnette began coaching with his alma mater in 1988. As his 31 years of service indicate, he never wavered in his commitment to a school that has been part of his life from his youth.
“I want to thank God for the opportunity to be the Head Football Coach here at Mars Hill University,” Barnette said in a news release. “Knowing that I’m an alumnus and grew up in this town makes it even more of a blessing to me.”
It will be the second time in three games this season that UMHB has faced a first-year head coach. Also worth noting is the fact that all three opposing head coaches thus far are the former defensive coordinators of their respective programs. Of course, UMHB head coach Larry Harmon served as The Cru’s defensive coordinator for 20 seasons prior to his hiring as head coach, adding to the defensive coordinator-to-head coach storyline present in the early part of UMHB’s schedule.
The SAC’s leading passer starts under center for Mars Hill
Three games is hardly an adequate sample size, but third-year starting quarterback JR Martin has stood out in the South Atlantic Conference in this early stretch. The senior from Suwanee, Georgia is coming off three consecutive 200-yard passing performances, and leads the conference in passing yards per game (225.7 YPG) entering Week 4. That mark also ranks No. 37 nationally amongst D2 quarterbacks, and is a continuation of his output in 2024, where he closed the fall with four-straight games of at least 220 passing yards.
A promising sign for the Mars Hill offense—in addition to the raw yards per game numbers, which often don’t tell the full story—is the fact that Martin’s passing efficiency has steadily increased through MHU’s first three games. He was just 20-of-42 in the opener for an efficiency of 107.21, but followed that with a much better outing against Carson Newman, throwing for 3 TDs and completing 66% of his passes (19/29) to finish with an efficiency of 153.01. He improved on that again in Week 3 against Anderson, posting an efficiency of 172.84 as he averaged 15.5 yards per completion.
Martin heads into Saturday’s game against UMHB with seven touchdown passes, having thrown for two or more in each of MHU’s first three contests. That said, he has also already tied his 2024 interception total (4), though half of those came against Carson-Newman, when he attempted a season-high in pass attempts (42).
This is a Top 20 third-down defense in D2
MHU’s first three games revealed a few notable trends, particularly on defense. Chief amongst those is the Lions’ ability to consistently get off the field on third down, a valuable quality that has kept MHU competitive during several stretches when the offense has gone quiet. Heading into Saturday’s game, MHU ranks 18th in D2 in third-down defense, with opponents converting for a first down on just 29.4 percent of their third-down plays.
That was shown no better than in last Saturday’s win over Anderson, an offense that entered its fourth game averaging 33.0 points per game. But the Trojans managed just 14 points and were shut out in the first half in large part due to a dismal 1-of-9 (11%) third-down conversion rate. Six of Anderson’s first nine drives ended in punts, with two others resulting in a turnover on downs. Of note, MHU’s opponents have converted on just 33% of fourth-downs this season, a mark tied for 34th nationally. That included a key stop with under a minute left in the second quarter and Anderson knocking on the door to the red zone on the MHU 27-yard line. After bringing down the Anderson receiver two yards shy of the first-down marker on third down, MHU’s run defense stepped up, driving Anderson running back JB Seay backwards on the pivotal fourth down play for a loss of a yard. It kept the Trojans off the board, giving MHU a 14-0 halftime lead.
There is also a link between MHU’s exceptional third-down defensive performance and the Lions’ passing defense, which has allowed just 180 yards per game. That average is 47th-best in D2, and considering third-downs tend to be passing downs, it makes sense that MHU has been so consistent in answering the call in those specific instances. The Lions have eight pass breakups, two interceptions, and 5.0 sacks on the year, having benefitted from a very experienced defensive unit. Every seven defensive backs with at least one pass breakup is a junior, senior, or grad student, and of the four MHU players with 2.0 tackles for loss, there is a grad student, two seniors, and one redshirt junior.
A tale of two halves? Both sides of the ball have struggled in the second half
So to this point, we’ve detailed that: 1) MHU has plenty of experience in tight games, 2) The Lions have a veteran QB with a solid passing skill set, and 3) MHU’s defense has been very effective in getting third-down stops. But it’s necessary to point out that for as well as MHU has played to this point—save for Winston-Salem’s late TD drive, MHU would be 3-0—much of the Lions’ success has been powered behind fast starts, rather than especially strong finishes.
For the offense, that is seen in the simple contrast between first-half and second-half point production. In the first two quarters of MHU’s three games, the Lion offense put up 45 points, averaging 15.0 per half, with a season-high of 21 coming against Carson-Newman. In the second two quarters of that same stretch? 10.6 points per half, if you don’t count the overtime TD in Week 2, being as it came after regulation. There have been anecdotal moments too, such as going 3-and-out on two drives with under five minutes in last week’s win, giving Anderson two opportunities at a game-tying drive (which, thanks to the defense, never gained much momentum).
But the second-half defensive performance has by far been the unit with the most difference, playing a part in putting MHU in those down-to-the-wire games. Against Winston-Salem, the Lions allowed a single TD in the first half, but 21 points in the second. The following week, they surrendered 24 in the second half after shutting out Carson-Newman in the first. Similarly against Anderson, the Trojans were scoreless through the first two quarters, but found a spark in back-to-back third-quarter scoring drives. All in all, MHU has allowed just seven points in six quarters this season, only counting the first half of each game. But in the second halves? It has been an average of 19.6 points per half.
It is an interesting storyline that should be front-and-center again this week. Will MHU turn the page and find a way to replicate its first-half success in the second? Or will the UMHB offense be able to adjust at halftime and take charge over the final two quarters, as previous opponents have done? The answer to those two questions may end up playing a primary role in determining Saturday’s outcome.
UMHB and Mars Hill are set to kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sept. 27 at Meares Stadium, Mars Hill’s home stadium since 1965. FloSports.com, a subscription-based live sports streaming service, will have the broadcast.
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