Chattanooga Hopes to Learn from Late-Game Miscues

The Chattanooga Mocs were the SoCon darlings two years ago, and many felt they were a play away from the postseason, and two games against FBS foes didn't help either.

The Mocs were 12 points away from the postseason last year, and quite simply, an offense that was supposed to be explosive was anything but in 2011.

This fall, the Mocs return eight starters on offense, but among the three losses on offense are quarterback B.J. Coleman and Joel Bradford. Both Bradford and Coleman battled injuries last season, but a majority of the lack of offensive productivity for the Mocs last season could be laid directly at the feet of the offensive line, which had to replace three starters along the offensive front entering the season.

One of the good things that did come out of what was a dismal 5-6 finish for the Mocs last season was the fact that the Mocs got some good experience for their younger players on the offensive side of the football, such as signal-caller Terrell Robinson (27-of-43 passing, 336 yds, 6 TDs, 3 INTs/90 rus att, 417 yds, 5 TDs, 4.6 YPC).

While the season was a struggle for the Mocs, those struggles couldn't be put on Robinson, who would go on to become the first Mocs player to garner the award since 1987, when James Brooks claimed the Freshman of the Year plaudit.

Robinson has Armanti Edwards-like potential under center for the Mocs if he can improve as a passer. He showed the whole Southern Conference what he could do in UTC’s heartbreaking road loss at Georgia Southern last season. Robinson came off the bench and put together a near flawless effort in 2.5 quarters of work in relief of an injured B.J. Coleman. All Robinson did was rush for 114 yards and three scores, while completing 5-of-9 passes for 62 yards and an INT.

For Robinson to lead the Chattanooga offense back to respectability, he must get more support from his offensive line and other offensive backfield mates in order to make the Mocs’ offense more versatile.

The running back position is a deep one heading into fall camp, with three worthy backs to tote the pigskin returning. Marquis Green (120 rush att., 530 yds, 3 TDs, 4.4 YPC), Keon Williams (103 rush att., 500 yds, 4 TDs, 4.9 YPC) and Chris Awuah (58 rush att., 227 yds, 3 TDs, 3.9 YPC/9 REC, 121 YDS, 13.4 YPR ) are all back and poised to be a dangerous three-headed monster this fall.

Green led the Mocs in rushing a year ago and showed future promise for the Mocs in the offensive backfield, garnering SoCon All-Freshman Team honors for the Mocs in 2011. His 530 rushing yards as a freshman last season were the second-most all-time by a UTC freshman running back.

Williams was the highest rated offensive recruit a couple of years ago, and he was immediately thrust into the fold when Bryan Fitzgerald decided to give up football as a result of injuries. Williams was a workhorse in his first season, but was dismissed from the team last season for violating team rules. Williams is powerful and fast, and performed well in the spring. He will be a player to watch this fall and I wouldn’t be surprised if he earns the starting job in the offensive backfield by the time fall camp concludes.

Awuah might be the best all-around athlete of the three running backs heading into the season as he enters the campaign. In his career as a Chattanooga running back, the rising senior has fashioned a couple of solid seasons for the Mocs, especially in his freshman season of 2009 when he garnered SoCon All-Freshman team accolades after leading the Mocs with 459 rushing yards during that campaign. He enters his senior campaign with 803 career rushing yards and eight TDs on 237 attempts (3.4 YPC). He will also benefit the Mocs in the return game and as an extra receiving threat out of the backfield this coming fall.

The patchwork offensive line the Mocs had last season was one of the worst the program has had in quite awhile. Chattanooga completed the 2011 season yielding  24 sacks, which ranked eighth out of nine teams in the sacks against category. Only lowly Western Carolina, which surrendered 36 sacks last fall, was worse.

The Mocs return four starters from the inexperienced front of a year ago, with the veteran-most player along that offensive front being rising junior Adam Miller, who should contend for All-SoCon honors at right tackle this fall.

Kevin Revis (RG), Patrick Sutton (C) and Brandon Morgan (LT) round out the returning starters along the offensive line for the Mocs heading into the fall. Sutton was a walk-on who started every game for the Mocs last season, while Revis logged starts in 10 of 11 games for the Mocs, while Morgan booked eight starts.

Despite losing Bradford, who finished his career as the school’s fifth all-time leading receiver (1,944 yds), the Mocs should be strong at wide receiver this fall, led by Marlon Anthony (27 rec, 333 yds, 4 TDs, 12.3 YPR).

Anthony has good size and athleticism and is ready to step into his role of being the team's leading wide receiver this fall. Anthony enjoyed his best season as a sophomore, hauling in four passes for a career-high 86 yards and a TD in the 28-27 loss to Wofford. Anthony is set to start at the split end receiver position for the Mocs this fall.

Joining Anthony as a part of what should be a strong corps of wideouts this fall will be Tommy Hudson (5 catches, 30 yds), who came out of the spring as the Mocs' starter at slot receiver. The speedy Hudson didn't see all that much action last fall, but he is poised for a big season in 2012 if the spring is any indication of how the the rising sophomore might fare this fall.

Redshirt freshman Max Zinchini and Malcolm Jones are also candidates to see significant action as a part of the receiving corps this fall.

Bryant Belew and Ron Moore (3 rec., 147 yds., 2 TDs, 49.0) should also factor in prominently in the UTC passing game in 2012. Moore posses great speed and could be a factor as a deep threat for the Mocs this fall. Moore’s first-career reception was a 60-yard scoring reception against The Citadel. He also had another 52-yard reception against The Citadel.  Moore could be set to have a big season for the Mocs at flanker.

Tight end will be one of the deepest positions on the offensive side of the football for the Mocs this fall, with the return Faysal Shafaat (19 rec., 179 yds., 2 TDs) and Sean Stackhouse. Stackhouse, who was a high school All-American three years ago as a prep, transferred into Chattanooga from the University of Kentucky a couple of years ago, and he redshirted last season. Shafaat garnered SoCon All-Freshman honors last season, and should once again be one of the league’s top tight ends.

The strength for the Mocs this season will once again be their defense. The unit welcomes the return of eight starters, which helped Chattanooga finish the campaign ranking No. 1 in the SoCon and No. 13 nationally in total defense (305.3 YPG). There was a significant loss on the defensive side of the ball, as leading tackler Ryan Consiglio (120 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 1.0 sack, 2 FRs, 2 FFs) has graduated.

The strength of the Chattanooga defense this fall will definitely be its defensive front, which returns all four starters from a year ago.

Leading the way for the Mocs will be 2011 First Team All-Southern Conference honoree Josh Williams (42 tackles,10.0 TFLs, 9.5 sacks, 7 QBHs ). Williams has already established the school record for career sacks, having recorded 21.5 sacks in his previous three seasons. His 9.5 sacks a year ago was the third-highest single-season total in school history, and that tally was also enough to lead the Southern Conference.

Williams, who will enter the season as the league’s most dominant bookend, garnered SoCon Defensive Player of the Week accolades after amassing seven tackles in a 24-9 win at Samford last season. Williams also had three sacks for the Mocs in the win over Samford, setting a new single-game high.

Starting opposite Williams at the other bookend position will be Davis Tull (30 tackles, 8.0 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, 2 FRs, 1 FF), who was a SoCon All-Freshman selection last season. Tull gave the Mocs the most versatile pass-rushing tandem of defensive ends last season, as the he and Williams combined for 14.5 of the team’s 23 sacks a year ago.  Tull had one sack in each of the final five games for the Mocs last season.

The two starters at defensive tackle entering the 2012 season will be Josh Freeman (23 tackles, 2 FRs) and Toyvian Brand (15 tackles, 0.5 TFLs, 1 FR). Freeman was a Southern Conference All-Freshman selection last season. Freeman recorded a season-high seven tackles in the 14-12 loss at Appalachian State.

Wes Dothard (98 tackles, 15.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, 6 PBUs, 1 INT, 5 FFs) and Gunner Miller (51 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, 1 INT, 1 FF) return at two of the three linebacking positions, with the lone loss being Consiglio in the middle.

Dothard is coming off a season which saw him garner first-team All-America praise by the Sports Network, and he will play the middle linebacker position for the Mocs this fall. Dothard finished second on the team in tackles last season, and he enjoyed his best individual of the 2011 campaign against The Citadel, posting 12 stops.  Dothard also had 11 stops against Appalachian State and had 10 tackles, including three for a loss, in a win over Eastern Kentucky.

Miller will occupy the weakside linebacker position for the Mocs in the fall. Miller is coming off a 2010 campaign, which saw him start eight of 11 games for Chattanooga. His best highlight of the season came on a 24-yard interception return against Elon. He posted a season-high eight tackles in UTC’s home loss to Furman.

Rounding out the starters for the Mocs at linebacker heading into fall camp will be strong-side linebacker Shane Heatherly (45 tackles, 1 FR, 0.5 TFL), who emerged from the spring as the starter for the Mocs.  He recorded his best performance of the season against Western Carolina, recording four tackles and a PBU.

The secondary remains the biggest question mark for the Mocs heading into the 2012 campaign. The Mocs must replace cornerback Chris Lewis-Harris and safety Jordan Tippitt, and that won’t be easy considering both were All-Southern Conference performers.

Returning to anchor the Mocs’ secondary this fall will be veterans Kadeem Wise (45 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, 2 INTs) at left cornerback and D.J. Key (77 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, 3 INTs, 6 PBUs, 2 FFs, 1 FR) at safety. Both Wise and Key were second-team all-conference performers last fall, and are poised to key figures on the Chattanooga defense once again this fall.

Wise posted a career-high eight tackles in a late-season win at Samford, while recording six tackles and an INT in a win at Elon. Key was sensational in his freshman season and is maybe the best athlete on the Mocs defense. He had a school-record 85-yard INT return for a score in a win at Western Carolina last season.

Coming out of spring practice, the two new starters in the UTC secondary were rising sophomore Zach McCarter (7 tackles, 1 INT) at free safety, while rising junior Chaz Moore (20 tackles, 2 INTs) was penciled in as the starter at right cornerback.

The Mocs should be sound defensively once again in 2012 and should be in the mix for the Southern Conference title this fall. The Mocs were a bit unlucky last season, but head coach Russ Huesman isn’t a coach that makes excuses and he knows that championship caliber teams make those plays in the fourth quarter to win games. We will see how much those experiences from last season might benefit the Mocs in 2012.

The Furman spring football preview will be available in the coming days, so stay tuned for more Southern Conference football on Bleacher Report