Mocs 2005 Football Preview

No one hurts more than Rodney Allison. No one suffered on the inside more than the Chattanooga head football coach while his team endured a disappointing 2-9 season in 2004.Any football observer could point out a number of reasons why the Mocs struggled last year. Allison identifies just one explanation. As obvious as it may be, Allison doesn’t shy away from the facts. And the very day after the Mocs’ 2004 season ended, he set out to correct the problem.UTC had trouble keeping opponents out of the end zone and off the scoreboard. The defensive difficulties led to high-scoring performances by the other team or high-scoring games for both squads. - College Football -
The Mocs gave up an average of 48.1 points per game.“Our biggest area to get corrected is scoring defense,” Allison says. “It’s the number one area. We’ve been good enough on offense to win some games, but we have not been good enough from a production standpoint. We’ve given up too many points. We’ve got to get that number down.“I’m not unrealistic in saying that we are going to get it to a national level this year, but at some point, it has to get to 17, 18, 19 points per game. Each of your playoff teams and conference champions are playing defense well and giving up 17, 18, 19 points per game. You look at your Furmans and your Georgia Southern. They are giving up between 16 and 19 points per game. We have to get to that point. I think we addressed that need this offseason. - College Football -
We should start seeing a significant result in that area this fall.”His voice exudes confidence as he discusses the changes and expectations for the coming season. He is enthused, not discouraged.The turnaround starts with the hiring of Billy Taylor as the defensive coordinator. Taylor is admired in Southern Conference circles for his stinginess on defense. His formula for success calls for a 3-4 defense with zone coverage in the secondary. He formulated his philosophy at East Tennessee State and Elon prior to accepting Allison’s challenge to reverse the fortunes of UTC’s defense.“Looking back in a few years, I think bringing in Billy Taylor will be very significant,” the third-year coach says. - College Football -
“He’s had success every where he has been. He has always had a defense which is always in that point production area that you are looking for to have a successful program. I fully expect that this is what he will bring to the table. We’ll play good defense here, and we won’t be a defense that gives up big plays.”Assistant coaches Jimmy Brumbaugh, Ahren Self and Matt Weikert are new to the staff and, along with Jason Greene, will aid Taylor on the defensive side of the ball.Yes, the offense in 2004 averaged nearly 30 points per game and was held under 20 points just once, but there will be some tweaking with this unit also.Personnel over the past two years dictated that the Mocs attack with the passing game. Especially last season, as Division I-A transfer quarterback Cedric Stevens joined the squad for his senior year and had All-America receiver Alonzo Nix to throw it to. - College Football -
Stevens threw for 20 touchdowns and over 3,700 yards. He was named National Offensive Player of the Week after leading UTC to a 59-56 victory over Appalachian State in which he threw for 515 yards and five touchdowns.Despite being a former quarterback himself, Allison has preached since his arrival in 2003 that he would rather have a running team then a throwing team. He firmly believes a dominant running game is a key to becoming a championship program. Finally, he feels, his offense possesses many of the necessary tools to transform it into a strong running unit. - College Football -
“The running game has got to take off,” Allison says. “We’ve changed our mentality, our philosophy about running the ball. It’s something that we’ve always wanted to do here, but looking back, it wasn’t very realistic. The personnel wasn’t right for us to do that, and the quarterback situation wasn’t right. Now we have those pieces in place. There is no excuse now for us not to line up and be able to run the ball effectively and be a more physical offense.”The offensive adjustments begin at quarterback. Sophomore Antonio Miller was recruited by Allison to UTC for this very moment. - College Football -
While Miller played a significant number of snaps last year as a true freshman, he was seemingly always directing the offense from behind.Miller, 6-foot-2, 192 pounds, completed 24-of-37 passes for 295 yards and one score in 2004, so the passing talent is present. But it is his ability to scamper around the ends, out step a middle linebacker and seem like an extra running back that has Allison and offensive coordinator Jason Simpson excited. He ran for two touchdowns and 111 yards. Miller’s abilities and familiarity with a running offense will be the basis for the 2005 offensive schemes.“We feel very comfortable with Antonio,” Allison says. “There will be some growing pains with him as we go through the early parts of the season. We’ll have to be smart as coaches to make sure that we take some burdens off of him. We have players who are good enough where we can win some games early and not have to put it totally on his shoulders.“We feel very strongly that he is the type of quarterback that we want to play with. He will make us a better team running the football. - College Football -
It’s going to make us a better play-action team. He’s not a drop back passer, which is what we’ve been forced to use here in the past.“We’ve gotten to the point with him where we can do what we want to offensively and hopefully play good defense. With the kind of offense that I want to be, we’ll play some 21-14 games and some 24-17 games. He fits the mold of what we are trying to do and gives us a better chance of being successful.”The battle to back up Miller is led by junior Matt Lopez. The 6-4 hurler started as a redshirt freshman for the Mocs but a serious injury forced him to work as a student coach last season. Junior college transfer Nick Ross (6-0, 209) and freshman signee Clint Woods (6-2, 205) will also work on learning the system this year.The stable of running backs may be the best at UTC since 2000. This position has been one of the main focuses on the recruiting trail in the last two years. The Mocs are changing to a two-back set with a tailback and a fullback. - College Football -
Sophomores Muhammad Ahmad Abdus-Salaam and Lironnie Davis both played last season as true freshmen. Abdus-Salaam (5-9, 191) will enter the preseason as the starting tailback. He picked up 314 yards in 2004 and scored once. Davis (6-2, 242) was the team’s leading rusher last season with 420 yards. He proved to be one of the top scorers in the Southern Conference by finding the end zone a team-best 11 times.Senior Eugene Cousart (5-11, 227) had similar numbers of 298 yards and three touchdowns. The junior college transfer, who coaches call one of the hardest workers on the team, led the Mocs with 5.2 yards per carry.Joining the trio at tailback this year is junior college transfer Eldra Buckley. - College Football -
Buckley (5-10, 190) one of the top finds in the most recent signing class, led two-year college running backs in rushing yards last season.“We have a bunch of powerful running backs that should fit our running game,” Allison says. “We have recruited to the running game philosophy the last couple of years. We had the running backs we wanted to run the ball, but it didn’t fit with the other pieces of the puzzle.“Now we have it back in shape. We have a good group and are still looking for that one guy that can be a 1,000-yard rusher. If that can happen here, that will signify that we have it to where we want it. - College Football -
“We are going to let these four compete. We’ll start one and hope that eventually the cream will rise to the top and someone will take the starting job.”The fullback will need tight end-like qualities and have similar duties. UTC experimented with the fullback last year but never fully committed to it until this spring.Levonte Barber (5-11, 208) is the leading candidate for the fullback job. He is another running back who played as a true freshman in 2004, running the ball nine times for 29 yards and catching four passes out of the backfield. Newcomer Edward New (5-9, 211) played at Iowa Wesleyan College last year but proved in the spring that he could help the offense from the fullback spot.“We are adding a fullback, by design, but we will also be more tight end oriented,” Allison says. “Levonte Barber is a legitimate fullback in this league. Edward New might be a little undersized but has the abilities to play the position. We also want the tight end to be that fullback type of player too, so we can be interchangeable with our personnel groupings and still run some different plays when we run the ball.”Senior Brian Arnold (6-3, 263) is the only returning tight end. - College Football -
He caught four passes for 34 yards and one touchdown last season. John Parkinson (6-2, 230) and Joseph Pitman (6-4, 230) are impressive recruits. Parkinson used the junior college route to get to UTC, while Pitman is one year removed from high school.Freshman Robbie Elliott (6-6, 280) used his redshirt year to learn about the defensive line. He was moved to tight end late in the spring session. Redshirt freshman Brian Heflin (6-3, 223) attracted some attention at the position in the spring.Nix, last year’s leading receiver, spent his summer trying to latch onto a roster spot with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans. - College Football -
Even with his absence and the ineligibility of third-leading pass catcher Tyrus Ward, the Mocs are in good hands at the wideout positions.Junior Emanuel Hassell (5-11, 192) may turn out to be as good if not better than Nix. The Louisville transfer hauled in 55 passes for 647 yards and two touchdowns last year. Junior Michael Gilmore (5-11, 176) made 17 receptions for 212 yards and one touchdown in 2004. Together, they form a pair of outstanding outside receivers.Returnees Matthew Angeloni (6-1, 190), Johnnie Powell (6-2, 191) and Terrence Thomas (6-4, 184) will add depth at wideout. But it is two junior college transfers and a high school signee who really have receivers coach Justin Watts ready to begin the season.T.T. Harper (5-8, 170) and Michael Johnson (6-2, 195) both gained experience in the junior college ranks. Jordan Hazard (5-9, 165) is a speedster with good hands. All three will likely find their way into the receiver rotation.“Emanuel Hassell is probably the most explosive player we have,” Allison says. “He’s going to need to be a big-play guy. Gilmore has got to come on and be the player that he is capable of being. He has the potential to be a great player in this league.“We don’t have a lot of receivers coming back, but we do have three to five really talented kids. We signed a few good ones, but what we are going to do from a philosophy standpoint, we don’t need eight or nine receivers. Now we need six. We’ve got enough to be good and not have a dropoff from the past.”The offensive line has been solid since Allison arrived with his line coach, John Turner. While the talent level continues to increase, so does the line’s responsibilities. Even more so this season. Pass blocking has been the norm in the UTC camp for at least the last five years. With this year’s focus on the ground game, the line must change its concentration to fit the offense. This requires intelligent players and linemen willing to try something new for the sake of the team and the sake of winning. - College Football -
Fortunately, the Mocs must only replace their center. Josh Goodin was a dependable two-year starter who has graduated. Expected to step into that role is sophomore Tripp Ward (6-4, 267). Ward played sparingly last year as Goodin rarely took a breather. But he played well enough in the spring to be the man to beat heading into the preseason. UTC signed a junior college center, Adam Daigler (6-2, 270) and the New York native will get every chance to show that he is capable of handling the blocking assignments.“We are counting heavily on Tripp Ward to come in and play,” Allison says. “But we went out and got a junior college center in Adam Daigler. We’ve got to be good at that position. It has to be either Tripp or Adam starting at center. That will be key for this fall to see who develops there, and could be the key part to our success.”The remainder of the line all has experience. Led by seniors Josh Morris and Josh Shinpaugh, the pair is poised to lead by example. - College Football -
Both Joshes are all-conference-caliber performers, with Morris (6-4, 288) lining up at right tackle and Shinpaugh (6-5, 298) on the left side.Junior Justin Matherson (6-4, 290) and sophomore Sam Bentley (6-5, 327) gained valuable experience as part of the line rotation in 2004 and are the leading guard candidates this summer. Sophomore Marlon Gillis (6-1, 323) and senior Dustin Freeman (6-3, 303) have the abilities to play either guard or tackle, and both will push the others for starting roles.Sophomore Brandon Bellamy (6-6, 273) has great size for line play, but he was on the defensive line last season before switching sides in the spring. Redshirt freshmen William Giles (6-4, 303) and Garrett Windham (6-6, 274) are still learning the schemes and will add to the depth of the unit.“The offensive line needs to be the strength of this offense,” Allison says. “We’ve been kind of a pass-happy team here. We’ve been a finesse offensive line with pass protection and draws. - College Football -
We’ve not had the philosophy that our linemen were physical, and we’ve had to change our mentality. We started this spring.“They are a veteran group. We lose one guy from last year. We have seniors and juniors and plenty of good players. They’ve got to become the heart and soul of this offense. They’ve got to become a physical unit and set the personality of this offense. That’s as important an area as we have.”It may have taken three years, but Allison and his staff feel they are close to having two talented players at every position for the first time since they took over the program. It comes down to hard work and recruiting, and UTC has done a number in these departments. - College Football -
UTC’s 2004 signing class was the top-rated class among Division I-AA programs, while this past year’s recruiting class ranked fifth nationally. Along with blue-chip prepsters like Antonio Miller in 2004 and highly-rated junior college transfers like Eldra Buckley in 2005, the Mocs have also been successful in attracting Division I-A transfers. While some are marginally talented, others like 2004 quarterback Cedric Stevens from Toledo, receivers Michael Gilmore and Emanuel Hassell from North Carolina and Louisville respectively, or this year’s finds, defensive lineman Richard Cook from Georgia and safety Lonnie McCowan of Marshall, find a home in Chattanooga.“We have a great recruiting staff, a bunch of coaches who understand the urgency of getting good players in here,” Allison says. “When we started this program, we made a decision to totally start over. In a two-year period, we replaced 60 out of 63 scholarships, and that was by plan.“We don’t ever look at negatives. There are so many positives here that you have a lot to impress a kid with. - College Football -
We’ve never let it get in the way that a lot of people don’t think it can be done here. This school has never had back-to-back top-five classes. If we would have listened to most people, where would we be now? We have emphasized the potential to win a championship here. I’ve said from day one that I think this place has all the potential to win a championship.”The Mocs have also attracted Tennessee’s Ovince St. Preux and two defensive backs from Illinois, Anthony Brodnax and Jarvis Newson. Defensive backs Brandon Johnson of Tennessee and Brian Staley of Mississippi State participated in spring drills with the Mocs before being ruled ineligible for the upcoming season.“We are looking at six or seven guys from quality programs who should come in and give us some sound play,” Allison says. “What it does to the team more than anything is show them that you are trying to get good players to come in here and win. Most of these kids are tired of losing. - College Football -
They want to do everything they can to win. Obviously they want to play, but I think it’s a situation where we are just getting to the point that there is still not enough competition at every position like we wanted. But this gives us some icing on the cake. I think the chemistry and the blend is good where everybody feels good.”Allison understands that the addition of Taylor and his defensive scheme will not pitch 11 shutouts in 2005. All he is looking for is a drastic improvement from last year when the Mocs were, more often that not, trailing after the opponents’ first offensive series. - College Football -
Taylor’s bend-but-don’t-break defensive reputation will have the challenge of turning the tables on the opponent, handing the ball over to the offense with workable field position and giving the Mocs a chance to win the game.For the first time in quite awhile, UTC may just have the athletes on that side of the ball to do just that.“The bottom line last year came down to giving up too many points,” Allison says. “Offensively, we were forced to have to score too many points to try to win games. We have to get that defensive scoring down to a respectable number. Then I think you become better offensively. - College Football -
“We may be a little more conservative offensively than we have been before, but now we have good players. We have kids who have grown up in the program. We have gone out and gotten six or seven transfers which give us maturity.”The last line of defense, the secondary, may be the strongest group on this side of the ball. New defensive backs coach Ahren Self walked into a grand situation. His roster includes true secondary players instead of makeshift defenders switched over from another position.Senior Greg McConico (6-0, 184) returns to lead the crew from his free safety spot. In fact, he is the only secondary player who saw action in 2004. In his first season with the Mocs last year after transferring from North Alabama, McConico led the team in interceptions with four and tied for the team lead in tackles with 70. He was voted the SoCon Defensive Player of the Month for the month of October.Joining McConico back deep is Marshall transfer McCowan (6-0, 204). - College Football -
The senior joined the Mocs in the spring and immediately found a spot in the secondary at strong safety. His linebacker-like physique and knowledge of the position brought grins to the defensive coaches’ faces.Also thrilling the staff is the return of sophomore corner Quintez Smith (6-0, 180) from a year’s absence. Smith recorded 51 tackles, broke up three passes, forced two fumbles and had one interception as a true freshman in 2003 and adds immediate validity to the backfield.Battling for the other corner position and as backups in the secondary are the Illinois transfers Brodnax (5-11, 185) and Newson (5-11, 200), redshirt freshmen Thomas Graham (6-1, 180) and Terry Lindley (6-0, 183) and junior college transfer Artez McLaughlin (6-1, 191).“Quintez Smith started as a true freshman, had an academic situation last year and had to sit out,” Allison says. - College Football -
“He’s done everything we have asked him to do. You throw him in there with McConico and McCowan and the Illinois kids and you are talking about, potentially, a really good and talented secondary.“Quintez is as good or as talented as any of them. He’s like Lonnie. Maybe this year he is close to being an all-conference-caliber player. We expect big things from him.”The new alignment calls for two inside linebackers instead of three. Brandon Ridgeway started as a true freshman in 2004 on the inside but is ineligible this year. The loss of Ridgeway may be offset by the return of sophomore Nick Rivers (6-2, 257). A transfer from East Tennessee State one year ago, Rivers owned spring camp in 2004. An offseason knee injury required surgery, however, and forced him to miss all of last year and this spring session. - College Football -
He is expected to be at 100 percent, but Coach Taylor has yet to see him line up in a drill. It is a safe bet that it will not take Rivers long to work his way among the top four inside backers.Sophomore Chris Johnson (6-2, 215) earned a starting spot in the spring. Johnson, who was moved from the outside in spring practice, registered 23 tackles and started several games as a true freshman last season. Junior Evan Hermanson (6-1, 230) is a late arrival from junior college but should make an immediate impact at the position. Senior James Hawkins (6-0, 199) has bulked up after a year away from the game and will figure in the four-man rotation.Adding depth to the position are redshirt freshman David Patterson (5-11, 226), junior DeJuan Payne (6-0, 212) and true freshman Steven Smigelsky (6-0, 220).“We had to address inside linebacker,” Allison says. “We moved Chris Johnson to the position. He is very good. We went out and got Evan Hermanson from junior college, and we have Nick Rivers coming back, as well as James Hawkins, who can play. - College Football -
We are not where we need to be there yet. We’re probably one short, but it’s better than it’s been in the past. We have a good combination, especially if we get Rivers healthy and get him on the field. He has a chance to be a big-time player.”The outside linebackers will consist of many new faces. Tennessee transfer Ovince St. Preux (6-3, 240) brings experience to the position and will challenge for a starting role. Junior Jason Vincent (xxxxxx) is another late-arriving junior college transfer who was not on campus for spring practice. Still, his maturity and familiarity with the duties will put him in the running for extensive playing time.Redshirt freshman Jeff Phillips (5-11, 200) was one of the defensive surprises of the spring. A walkon who was on the Murray State team last season, Phillips began spring practice as a safety. But his nose for the ball and hitting abilities made coaches take notice, and he was moved to the outside backer group.Two sophomores with a year’s experience under their belts will also have a lot to say about the two starting positions. - College Football -
Steven Mills (6-3, 216) made 19 tackles last season with 3 ½ behind the line as a part-time starter at strong linebacker. Wilford Blowe (6-0, 194) was talented enough to start on the outside in his first career game last year. He finished the season with 16 tackles.“Defensively we are getting to a point where our two-deep is getting interchangeable,” Allison says. “If you ever get to the point where your second guy is as good as your first guy at about every position, it means you are getting close to being pretty good. And we are a lot closer than we have been in the past. We are close to the point where we can roll kids. You don’t get tired on defense in the fourth quarter, and you don’t give up a bunch of points in the fourth quarter.”Like the offensive line, the defensive line is the first point of attack. The past two years, it hasn’t been a matter of talented players, just a lack of them. - College Football -
This year’s line may share the most experience of any of the defensive units as four down linemen return from last season’s squad. Senior Troy Blackwell (6-7, 290) turned into a solid Southern Conference defender last season. Playing a tackle position, he ranked seventh on the team in tackles with 40 while leading the team in tackles for a loss with 9 ½. Senior Renaldo Jackson (6-2, 271) started at an end position and recorded 20 tackles.Sophomores Charles Profit (6-4, 265) and Craig Gilbeaux (6-2, 257) totaled seven tackles between them in 2004. Sophomore Brian Lomax (6-2, 271) saw action as a true freshman in 2003 but was ineligible last year.The new three-man front will consist of an end, a nose and a tackle. Blackwell and Jackson head into the fall sharing duties at the rock, or tackle, position. - College Football -
The nose, or anchor, job was won by Lomax in the spring, and Profit is set to play the bear, or end. Georgia transfer Richard Cook (6-4, 275), who will make his UTC debut in the preseason, will undoubtedly have a say in who starts at which position, as will junior college transfer Reggie Keys (6-2, 280).“We don’t want to have to count on our guys up front playing 75 snaps on defense,” Allison says. “I think that is critical. We have potentially six, seven or eight guys that give us more depth than we’ve ever had here at defensive line. I have always said that we will never be close to being a good team until we get good on the line, and I think we are pretty close to being there right now. - College Football -
”The kicking game was up and down last year. The Mocs only attempted 13 field goals simply because the score of a game dictated that they needed more points. Junior Esteban Lopez, who spent two years at Wheaton College, had the most notable spring of the kickers. He heads into preseason camp as the frontrunner for field goal kicking duties. Jay Colbert handled some kickoffs last season and will also have a chance to do both. Craig Camay is an incoming freshman with a legendary leg who will be looked at closely for both jobs.Sophomore Jonathan Wright returns as the punter. Though injured several times prior to the season, he averaged 37.8 yards per punt.“Lopez impressed me,” Allison says. “He has a chance to be a talented kicker. Camay kicked 90 percent of his kickoffs out of the end zone. We are counting on him to do that. He will get a chance to kick field goals too. - College Football -
As we begin to play better defense, and the way our offense is structured, our field goal game becomes more critical. Three points and 35 and 38-yard field goals become important. In the past it wasn’t as important because we had to score touchdowns. We have to be able to count on our guy making 80 percent of his kicks inside the 40.“Jonathan Wright has to have a big year. He’s had injuries, and he’s been inconsistent. It will be critical from a field position standpoint that we get consistency from our punting game."Senior Kent Jones (6-0, 286) will handle short snapping situations while Bryan Welch (5-11, 173) will handle the longer instances.Another change for the Mocs this year is their home field itself. The grass at Finley Stadium Davenport Field gave a huge black eye to what some consider the best I-AA stadium in the nation. During the 2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football National Championship Game, new sod ripped right out of the ground with the touch of every football shoe. - College Football -
The national cable television audience saw what resembled a battle zone after just five minutes of play.The embarrassment set off a campaign to replace the Bermuda field with an artificial surface. Community monies were raised, and in May of this year, a new polyethylene, or plastic grass field was installed.While the beauty of the dark green and white colors of the new turf help spruce up the stadium and might give UTC a recruiting edge on another courting school, Allison doesn’t see it as a home-field advantage. - College Football -
“It doesn’t change anything from a strategy standpoint,” he says. “But I think it gives us a lift mentally. Our kids never got to play on a really good field. It was always an issue with the visiting team.“What the people in this community have done is unbelievable. As we go along, it might be something that we look back upon and say it was important to the progress of this program.”An overhauled defense, a new dedication to the running game and a two-year haul of talented players may help the Mocs take a few closer steps toward playing on their new turf in the postseason a few years earlier than anyone dreamed imaginable. - College Football -