Bagley glad to take on bigger role
Richardre Bagley has waited his turn before, not becoming a full-time starter in high school until his senior season.
He’s ready for a similar opportunity in his final season at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
The 5-foot-9, 180-pounder from Hillgrove High in Powder Springs, Ga., has stepped into more of a leadership role in a room full of young UTC running backs since the end of the 2016 season. Bagley had an opportunity to become the lead back for two games last season when All-American Derrick Craine was out with a lower leg injury, and he thrived with 315 yards and four touchdowns in wins over Virginia Military Institute and Western Carolina.
Those two games gave him confidence he could be a primary ball carrier for the Mocs in his final season, and he’s continuing to work this spring.
“I feel like last year kind of helped prepare me for my role this year,” Bagley said after Thursday’s practice. “Craine helped me with it, and now I’m ready to embrace the role and help this team try to get where we’re trying to get.”
Bagley added muscle to his frame to be able to withstand the punishment of running in between the tackles. Although he’ll have those opportunities, offensive coordinator Justin Rascati said that he’s also
looking for opportunities to get the versatile Bagley — who has 69 career catches — out in space, where he’s equally effective.
“Dre has a ton of talent and I’m really, really excited about him,” Rascati said. “We’re going to find different ways to get him the ball, and I’m very, very fired up to work with him.
“We have to find ways to get him the ball because he’s a difference maker and extremely dynamic.”
He’s also — by far — the most experienced running back on the roster. Juniors Kyle Nalls and Alex Trotter have yet to consistently crack the rotation, while sophomore Chris Miller and senior Shaqualm McCoy — who stood out
in the 2015 spring but didn’t play last season — are trying to find ways to contribute. The Mocs signed big back Chris Broadwater out of Tucker, Ga., but the 6-foot, 210-pounder won’t be with the team until preseason camp begins.
That leaves Bagley as not only a leader on the field, but a leader in position group meetings as well. Running backs coach Shawn Bryson, the lone coaching holdover from former coach Russ Huesman’s staff to Tom Arth’s new group, has taken notice.
“What I’ve seen is a guy who’s coming in ready to work, ready to compete,” Bryson said. “He’s taken over that leadership role. I can tell by the way he handles the guys in the room, by how he responds on the field. I think he’s really focused on making that next step to be the guy, and he pushes the other guys to be the best also. He’s really stepped up as a leader; he’s been more vocal than he’s been, and even in the morning workouts he’s had, he’s dominating, been working hard.
“I just want him to continue to keep at that pace, learn the offense and keep developing as a leader and a player.”
With so much turnover on the coaching staff, Bryson’s return helps a running backs group that, while inexperienced, has a lot of talent — a statement that could describe the entire UTC team this upcoming season.
“Everything has been positive so far,” Bagley said of the change. “The coaches came in and saw greatness in us. They want us to perform and live up to that greatness they see in us. Each day that’s what we have to do, come out and live up to that.”
“The coaches came in and saw greatness in us. They want us to perform and live up to that greatness they see in us. Each day that’s what we have to do, come out and live up to that.”
– RICHARDRE BAGLEY