posted October 15, 2009
The Chattanooga Mocs (4-1, 2-1 SoCon) are in the middle of a three-game road swing at Georgia Southern this weekend. UTC is set to visit the Eagles on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Ga.
The Mocs are off to their best start since the 1997 season after a 14-7 win at Samford last weekend. UTC snapped a six-game SoCon road losing streak with the win over the Bulldogs in Birmingham, Ala.
Georgia Southern is 3-3 on the year and tied with the Mocs for third place in the SoCon at 2-1. GSU has wins over Albany, Western Carolina and Wofford while posting losses at South Dakota State, Elon and last weekend at North Carolina.
The Samford win is one of many streak-breakers for the Mocs in 2009. Chattanooga broke a 10-game losing streak with their season-opening 30-13 win against Glenville State and snapped a nine-game road skid with a 29-13 win at Presbyterian College last week. UTC also ended a 13-game SoCon slide with a 38-9 win over No. 17 Wofford at home on Sept. 26.
Saturday’s contest is the 23rd in the series between these two teams. The Eagles lead 19-3, but Chattanooga has posted two wins in the last three years. The last time the Mocs visited Paulson Stadium they came away with a 45-38 win in overtime on Sept. 22, 2007. GSU got revenge for that loss in the last meeting, a 52-28 Eagle victory in Chattanooga last year.
The game will broadcast on ESPN Radio 105.1 FM in Chattanooga with Jim Reynolds handling the play-by-play duties. Reynolds is joined on the broadcast by Todd Agne (color commentator) and Will Poindexter (sideline). There will also be a live video stream of the game and live stats available on GoMocs.com.
NOTES TO KNOW BEFORE THE GAME
• The Mocs will be without starting senior RB Bryan Fitzgerald against GSU. He suffered a sprained foot in the first quarter at Samford and did not return. Fitzgerald came into the game leading the SoCon with 109.3 rushing yards/game. He had 14 yards on three carries against Samford and is now fourth in the league with 85.5 yards/game.
• Sophomore QB B.J. Coleman created quite a stir in the Scenic City when he announced his decision to transfer from Tennessee to Chattanooga. The former high school standout at McCallie in Chattanooga won the Mocs’ starting job over senior Jare Gault. He is currently fourth in the SoCon in total offense (221.6/game) and third in the league in passing efficiency (141.8) and passing yards (226.4/game).
• Coleman has 1132 passing yards on the season and is the first Moc to top the 1000-yard mark since 2007.
• The Mocs offensive line has only allowed five sacks on the season, tying for the second fewest in the SoCon and 15th fewest in the nation. UTC did not allow a sack in their last game against Samford, despite the fact that the Bulldogs came into the game leading the SoCon with 19 sacks on the season.
• Senior WR Blue Cooper is currently fourth in the SoCon and T-24th in the nation with 6.0 receptions-per-game and is fourth in the league 62.6 receiving yards-per-game. He needs two catches for 100 in his career.
• Senior linebacker Joseph Thornton has started in 32 consecutive games heading into the Samford contest. He has posted 10+ tackles twice this season (17 vs. Glenville State and 10 at Samford).
• Senior DE Josh Beard is the reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Week. He had two sacks at Samford and is second in the SoCon with 5.5 sacks on the season. He led UTC’s defensive linemen with seven tackles, including six solos, while adding a pair of quarterback hurries. His sack total is already more than any Moc has had in a single year since 2001.
• The Mocs’ defense has held four of its first five opponents to 13 points or less. UTC has not held five teams to less than 20 points in one season since 2000.
• With a win Chattanooga would improve to 5-1 for the first time since the 1997 season.
- The Mocs are 2-0 on the road for the first time since 1980 when head coach Russ Huesman and offensive line coach Russ Ehrenfeld were players.
• The Mocs currently lead the SoCon with a +6 turnover margin. UTC has picked off seven passes and recovered three fumbles while only turning the ball over four times in 2009. Chattanooga is No. 15 in the nation in the turnover margin category.
• UTC has been strong on 3rd downs in 2009, converting 30/64 chances (46.8%). That is second in the SoCon and 10th in the FCS.
- Chattanooga’s defense held Samford’s Chris Evans, the leading rusher in the SoCon at 100.2 yards/game, to just 64 yards on the ground. It was his lowest output of the season.
MOCS ARE CLOSING IN ON THE TOP-25
Following a dramatic 14-7 win at Samford last weekend, UTC received 38 votes in the FCS Coaches Poll and is 11 votes shy of the top-25. The Mocs also got 84 votes in the Sports Network Top-25. That total would put them at No. 31 on the Sports Network list if the rankings were expanded. The last time the Mocs were ranked was Monday, Oct. 27, 1997, following a 6-1 start to the season. Chattanooga moved to No. 23 in the Sports Network’s Top-25 on the heels of a 24-21 win against Western Carolina in the second game ever played in Finley Stadium. Chattanooga was ranked as high as No. 22 in the nation that year, after starting the season 2-0. Chattanooga’s highest ever national ranking came in 1992 when they broke into the top-10 following a 2-0 start. The Mocs were No. 9 in the Street & Smith Top-25 after posting wins at Boise State and at home against UT-Martin.
MOCS DEFENSIVE STAFF EARNS WEEKLY HONOR
The defensive coaching staff for UTC was named this week’s Game Changing Coaches by FootballScoop.com. The Mocs posted a 14-7 win at Samford last weekend, improving on their best start since the 1997 season. Chattanooga’s defense recorded a pair of take-aways inside their own five-yard line to preserve the win. The Mocs also slowed Samford’s preseason All-SoCon running back Chris Evans to 64 yards on the ground, his lowest output of the season. For a full rundown on the honor, visit FootballScoop.com.
SIX MOCS EARN SOCON PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS IN 2009
UTC had three different student-athletes earn Southern Conference Player of the Week honors for the first time in school history following Week 3. Senior Bryan Fitzgerald won the offensive award, sophomore Ryan Consiglio earned the defensive honor while sophomore Mike Hammons took home special teams recognition. The last time the Mocs won three Player of the Week honors was Sept. 23, 1989, when James Roberts was the Offensive and Freshman of the Week and Junior Jackson won the defensive honor. After not winning a single weekly honor in 2008, Chattanooga has won five awards handed out by the SoCon this season. The other winners were Craig Camay (ST - W2), Chris Awuah (Fr-W2) and Josh Beard (Def-W6).
LOSING STREAKS ENDING IN 2009
The Mocs snapped a 10-game losing streak with their win over Glenville State on Sept. 3. They also ended a 17-game losing streak against Division I opponents with their 29-13 win against Presbyterian. Chattanooga had lost nine straight road games overall before defeating Presbyterian. UTC also won its first non-conference game against a Division I opponent since a 31-7 victory at Tennessee Tech, on Aug. 31, 2006, with the PC win. The Wofford win snapped a 13-game SoCon losing streak. The Samford win stopped a six-game SoCon road losing streak.
COLEMAN-COOPER CONNECTION
Senior WR Blue Cooper and sophomore QB B.J. Coleman have been quite the connection in this season. Cooper has caught 30 of Coleman’s 97 pass completions and has accounted for 313 of Coleman’s 1132 passing yards. Here is a breakdown of their connection on the field:
- 13 first downs
- 12 completions for 10+ yards
- 7 completions on the first play of a drive
- 6 third-down conversions
- 3 touchdowns
- Coleman has only thrown 11 incompletions in 42 attempts to get the ball to Cooper
COOPER CLOSING IN ON THE TOP-10 IN RECEIVING YARDS
Senior receiver Blue Cooper currently leads the Mocs with 313 yards on 30 catches. He has 1,279 career receiving yards and needs 405 yards to pass Emmanuel Hassell (2004-06) to get into the top-10 in the UTC record book.
WOODS RECEPTIVE
Senior wideout Clint Woods led the Mocs with 512 yards on 49 catches in 2008. He also caught three touchdown passes averaging 10.4 yards per catch. With 114 career receptions, Woods needs 5 more to move into the Mocs’ top-8 all time. He also has an outside chance of breaking into UTC’s top-10 for receiving yards, sitting 498 yards out of the top-10.
MOCS IN THE TOP-20 IN THE FCS FOR 2009 HOME ATTENDANCE
Mocs fans have been spinning the turnstiles at Finley Stadium at a near-record pace in 2009. The Mocs had the third largest crowd at Finley Stadium against Glenville State (14,002) and the fifth highest attendance against Furman (11,201). UTC is now No. 17 in total attendance (33,655) and No. 29 in average attendance (11,218) in the FCS.
MOCS SET RECORD FOR SEASON TICKET SALES
The Chattanooga Mocs broke the all-time season ticket mark at Finley Stadium with 2,527 sold in 2009. The previous school record of 2,300 season tickets sold was set in the 1997 season, the first year of Finley Stadium. This is the third year UTC has topped the 2000-sold mark, including 2,003 sold in 1998. Chattanooga nearly doubled its sales from 2008 when 1,271 were sold. .
TWO TOP-5 CROWDS AT FINLEY STADIUM IN 2009
Ticket sales are booming for the Mocs in 2009. All three of the Mocs’ home crowds have ranked in the top-15 all-time at Finley Stadium. UTC had 14,002 at the Glenville State game on Sept. 3, the third largest crowd in school history. UTC’s record crowd is 22,642 set against Tennessee State in the first game at Finley Stadium on Oct. 18, 1997. The largest crowd to watch a football game at Finley is 23,010 when Appalachian State defeated Delaware 49-21 in the FCS National Championship game on Dec. 14, 2007.
Below are the Mocs crowds of 8,000+ at Finley Stadium:
Att. Opponent W/L Score Date
1. 22,642 Tennessee State W 28-7 Oct. 18, 1997
2. 15,072 Georgia Southern L 10-31 Sept. 23, 2000
3. 14,002 Glenville State W 30-13 Sept. 3, 2009
4. 13,186 Samford W 23-6 Aug. 31, 2000
5. 11,201 Furman L 20-38 Sept. 12, 2009
6. 10,329 VMI W 45-7 Oct. 17, 1998
7. 10,102 Furman L 21-43 Nov. 22, 1997
8. 9,778 Samford W 23-13 Sept. 3, 1998
9. 9,499 Savannah State W 49-0 Sept. 18, 1999
10. 9,003 Samford L 23-31 Aug. 28, 2003
11. 8,887 Appalachian State L 21-56 Oct. 7, 2006
12. 8,842 VMI W 27-14 Oct. 14, 2000
13. 8,566 Georgia Southern L 10-38 Sept. 28, 2002
14. 8,495 The Citadel L 17-20 Nov. 3, 2001
15. 8,452 Wofford W 38-9 Sept. 26, 2009
16. 8,316 Mississippi Valley St. W 72-17 Sept. 16, 2000
17. 8,240 Jacksonville State L 3-31 Sept. 20, 2008
18. 8,228 Georgia Southern W 27-26 Sept. 23, 2006
SEASON NO. 102
The Chattanooga Mocs are in their 102nd season of collegiate football. The University of Chattanooga was founded in 1886 and football began play in 1904. No teams were fielded in 1917 and 1918 due to World War I. There was also a two-year hiatus from football action during World War II in 1943 and 1944. The Mocs have an all-time record of 452-464-32 (.494) and have won 10 conference titles.
ROSTER, DEPTH CHART AND BREAKDOWNS
A complete roster is located on pages 14-15 while a depth chart is found on pages 16-17 of the notes. A full roster breakdown is on page 18.
19 MOCS SEE FIRST COLLEGIATE ACTION IN FIRST FOUR GAMES
The Mocs had 16 players see their first collegiate action against Glenville State in the season opener. There were four first-timers in the starting line-up, including RT Dustin Tate, LG Will Hewitt, RB Bo Dyer and LB Ryan Consiglio. Two more, sophomore Thomas Green and freshman Arsenio Clemmons, got their feet wet against Furman for the first time against Furman. Adam Miller saw his first playing time at Presbyterian.
TEAMS NOTES VS. SAMFORD
- The Chattanooga Mocs defeat Samford 14-7 in Birmingham, Ala...UTC improves to 4-1 (2-1 SoCon) for the first time since the 1997 season...the Bulldogs fall to 3-3 and 1-2 in the SoCon.
- Chattanooga dominated the first half, putting up 14 points and 229 yards of total offense...Samford came into the game ranking No. 3 in the nation in total defense (214.4 yds/g allowed) and No. 4 in the FCS in scoring defense (12.6 ppg allowed). The Mocs only gained 71 yards in the second half. Samford still has not allowed a point in the second half since their season opener against UCF.
- Sophomore B.J. Coleman’s 36-yard pass to junior Chris Pitchford in the first quarter was the first play over 26 yards allowed by the Samford defense this season.
- The Mocs came away +2 in the turnover margin. Chattanooga picked off a pass and recovered a fumble, both inside its own 5-yard line...UTC is now lead the SoCon at 10-4 (+6) in that category on the season.
- Chattanooga was 6/8 on third downs in the first half, but just 1/6 in the second half.
- UTC snaps a six-game road losing streak in SoCon action...the last road win in league play came at Georgia Southern on Sept. 22, 2007. Chattanooga has broken a 10-game losing streak (Glenville State), a nine-game road skid (at Presbyterian) and a 13-game SoCon slide (Wofford) so far this season.
- With four wins on the season, the Mocs have topped their combined total of the last two years - 1-11 in 2008 and 2-9 in 2007...UTC has not had four wins in a season since going 6-5 in 2005.
- The Mocs defense held Samford to seven points in the game...it is the fourth time this season UTC has held its opponent to less than 13 points...the last time Chattanooga held four teams under 20 points in a season was 2000.
- UTC’s offensive line did not allow a sack...Samford came into the game tied for the SoCon lead with 19 sacks on the year. The Mocs registered five on the game, which ties a season high (Presbyterian, 9/19).
- All three TDs in the game were scored on 1-yard runs.
- The Mocs held Samford to 43 yards rushing...it is the fewest yards allowed on the ground since holding Western Carolina to 12 yards rushing in 2007.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES VS. SAMFORD
Freshman RB Chris Awuah
- Career-high 20 carries...finished with 40 yards rushing
- Shouldered the running load when Bryan Fitzgerald (foot) went down in the first quarter
Senior DL Josh Beard
- Career-high two sacks and two TFLs
- Tied a career-high seven tackles
Sophomore QB B.J. Coleman
- Finished with 249 yards on 18-31 passing...against the top passing defense in the SoCon...Samford came into the game allowing a league-low 133.2 yards passing per game.
- Topped the 1,000-yard mark on the season...now has 1,132 on the year...most by a Moc in a season since Antonio Miller had 1,564 in 2007
- Scored his first career rushing TD
- 9 TDs and 1 INT on the season
Sophomore Ryan Consiglio
- Recovered a fumble in the second quarter
- Finished with five tackles
Sophomore DL Nick Craig
- First career sack (stopped Samford on downs in the 4th quarter)
Senior RB Bryan Fitzgerald
- Had three carries for 14 yards in the first quarter
- Missed the rest of the game with a sprained left foot
- Came into the game leading the SoCon and No. 8 in the nation with 109.3 yds/game
Junior WR Chris Pitchford
- Career-High 135 receiving yards...all in the first half...on five catches
- Most receiving yards by a Moc in a SoCon Game since Alonzo Nix had a school-record 247 against Appalachian State in 2004.
- Career-long 54-yard reception in the 2nd quarter to set-up a Chris Awuah TD
Senior LB Steven Smigelsky
- Recorded five tackles
- Had knee surgery (meniscus) on Sept. 29 following the Wofford game
Senior DL B.J. Taylor
- Recorded his first sack of the season
- Forced a fumble and finished with four tackles
Sophomore DB Jordan Tippit
- Had his third INT of the season...picked off a pass on the Moc’s 1-yard line
Freshman OL Austin Wilson
- Got his first career start at center.
FITZGERALD POUNDS HIS WAY TO OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS (WEEK 3 - SEPT. 21)
In his first career start, senior RB Bryan Fitzgerald ran for a career-high 181 yards on 22 carries as Chattanooga defeated Presbyterian, 29-13 on Sept. 19. The senior scored multiple touchdowns for the first time in his career while leading the Mocs to their first road win in two years. The Memphis native recorded the first 100-yard rushing game by a Moc since he and Erroll Wynn accomplished the feat in the last game of 2007. It was the most yards on the ground by a Moc since Eldra Buckley had 187 against Elon on Oct. 28, 2006.
CONSIGLIO GRABS SOCON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD (WEEK 3 - SEPT. 21)
Ryan Consiglio, a sophomore linebacker, recorded a career-high 12 tackles, which also tied for the game high, in the win at Presbyterian on Sept. 19. He also grabbed his first career interception on the Blue Hose’s first offensive play of the game. In addition, Consiglio, who hails from Franklin, Tenn.,
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