That's a tired take that ignores how much harder it is to even reach six wins now. The Pioneer Bowl was against a Division II opponent. Mercer's last bowl, the Myrtle Beach Bowl, was against a fully-fledged FBS team in Appalachian State, a program that's won multiple major bowls. The achievement is objectively bigger. The transfer portal means rosters change, but the core of a team that fights through a SoCon schedule to become bowl-eligible is still full of guys who bled for the program. Last season, Mercer's defense held opponents to 22 points per game, a top-30 FCS mark, and that unit was built on multi-year starters. To say those players lack pride because some teammates might transfer is disrespectful. The trip is still special, the ring is still earned, and the accomplishment of a winning season in a tough conference hasn't diminished. If anything, maintaining success with roster turnover shows the strength of the culture, not a lack of it.