Drew Cronic, previously the head coach at Lenoir-Rhyne University, is Mercer University’s 20th head football coach. A native of Sharpsburg, Ga., Cronic is considered one of the more innovative offensive minds across all levels of college football. Driven by the motto “Raise the Bar”, he has posted a 47-6 record in four years as a head coach and has been named the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year all four seasons. He has also helped lead his teams to four straight conference titles – Reinhardt (2016), Furman (2017) and Lenoir-Rhyne (2018, 2019).
Cronic engineered one of the most impressive turnarounds in college football, taking Division II Lenoir-Rhyne from a 3-8 season in 2017 to a 25-3 record under his guidance the past two seasons. After being named the AFCA National Coach of the Year for the 2018 season, he led the Bears to a school record-tying 13 wins in 2019 and a second consecutive berth in the NCAA Quarterfinals.*
*Mercer University Athletic Department
Kevin Butler is a business consultant, sports analyst, and professional speaker. His exemplary athletic career as a NCAA and NFL placekicker earned numerous awards and accolades including the College Football Hall of Fame. Mr. Butler is the only kicker to have ever attained this prestigious distinction. Butler also earned All-SEC and All-American teams while playing for UGA. Kevin was recently named to the National Football Foundation 150th All American Team, honoring the top 46 players in college football over the last 150 years.
His professional career with the Chicago Bears included a Super Bowl victory and numerous scoring records. Since 1985, Butler is the all-time leading rookie scorer for the NFL. He remains the all-time leading scorer for the Bears, a record he has held for 22 years. In 1995 Butler was named the NFL Man of the Year for his involvement with the Chicago Heart Association, a philanthropy he still supports today.
Mr. Butler remains very involved in athletics and media. He is the co-host for the pre- and post-game radio shows for the Official Network of the University of Georgia Football program. He also participates in numerous appearances and speaking engagements in Chicago and nationwide, and as a commentator and analyst for Chicago Bears’ football and UGA football. He co host “Foot&Mouth”Podcast with Jeff Dantzler.
Mr. Butler is a general partner in Bulldog Park and Tailgate Station properties, which are luxury tailgating parks located at the University of Georgia.*
*From Linked in
We are getting closer to September 14th, and the start of the 75th Year of The Macon Touchdown Club.
I have attached 2 pictures that will give you a look at how the room will look. There will be 7 rows of tables on the floor, each row will hold 14 people. There will be tables upstairs also.
For now, it looks like we will have 98 seats on the floor, 18 seats upstairs, and 6 seats on the stage. If we are slightly over the 122 number, we have the option of letting a few people eat in the Dining Hall that is on the other side of the kitchen from the gym. After they eat, we will have some chairs at the back of the gym that they can sit in for the meeting. This will be limited to no more than 10 people.
Masks will be required to be worn upon entry into The Rumford Center, and will be worn at all times, except after everyone has been seated, and while eating.
The salads, salad dressing, dessert, a glass of water and Tea will be on the table when you get there. We will have to maintain spacing while in line for the food, so this will take a little longer than normal. Instead of having pitchers of tea and water on the tables, As we go through the food line, The Methodist Home will have someone placing the food on your plate. The Methodist Home will have someone going around and filling up glasses. Plates will not be picked up during the meeting like in the past, plates will be picked up after the meeting is over, and we exit the building. Lonnie is trying to limit the exposure between his staff, and the kids that serve us each Monday.
Garland’s table will be at the end of the hall, near the elevator, so as to not create a logjam of members at the door.
Johnny’s Raffle Table will remain in the same location as last year.
Oby Brown will be running the Guessing Game for us this year.
Due to space and finances this year, we will need to make a change in the number of seats that we allow for our Ortho Georgia Players of the Week, and our featured high schools.
Players of the Week will be limited to 4 seats.
Featured High School will be limited to 4 seats.
If the Featured High School happens to have a Player of the Week, we will still use the same formula as above.
I do not believe that we will be able to hand out the Players of the Week trophies, as before. My thought is that we place the trophy at the reserved seat for the player, and as Russell names the Players of the Week, they can stand up and be honored by the club.
If anyone would like to be on the High School Committee, please get with Russell. He would love your assistance.
The Methodist Home for Children will be at the doors taking temperatures, and keeping a count of the number of people in the building. Once we get to the 122 number, we will have to delay anyone from coming into the building. If anyone would like to assist The Methodist Home with taking temperatures, please let me know.
The elevator will only be available for members that are Handicapped, or a member that needs the elevator. All other members should use the door on the lower level.
At the end of the meeting, we will have to make a great effort not to congregate in groups. I see this as a problem that we will have to make an effort to accomplish.
Thank You for all that you do for the Macon Touchdown Club,
If you have any questions, or comments on the notes in the email, please give me a call.
Bryant