Mocs aim for “positive end to a really tough year”,
Darrell Bridges described the mood of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team as being “in a free state.”
The Mocs have lost four straight games. For the first time since 2011, they’ll finish a season with a losing record. Their next two games are Southern Conference road contests against top-10 FCS teams. This Saturday UTC (1-7, 1-4) plays at ninthranked Samford (5-2, 3-1) at 3 p.m. EDT at Seibert Stadium in Birmingham.
The team’s focus? Continue to get better.
“We’re looking to mess up somebody else’s season,” Bridges said Tuesday. “We understand we don’t have the opportunity to go to the playoffs, but we have the opportunity to relax, play free and upset somebody else’s season.
“I think it’ll be a great opportunity for us to go up against a great opponent and see what we can do.”
For the first time in four weeks, the Mocs put together a solid game last Saturday against The Citadel. They had their best rushing performance of the season (143 yards, 7.5 per carry). While the defense gave up 400-plus yards rushing, it yielded only 20 points. It wasn’t enough to win — a 20-14 loss — but for the first time in a while, there was a glimmer of hope.
And now Samford with its high-powered offense awaits. After that comes a visit to eighth-ranked Wofford, which after a 24-21 loss to Samford is now in a four-way tie in the loss column at the top of the
SoCon with the Bulldogs, Western Carolina and Furman.
“That’s why it’s such a great league,” UTC coach Tom Arth said. “You have those types of games, and for us to be the best we can be, we have to play against the best people. We have an opportunity this week; we have an opportunity next week.
“If we can go out there and we can give that type of effort, execute and play well against that opponent, it’ll build so much confidence in our team and our players and help create a positive end to a really tough year.”
For underclassmen, there’s a level of hope surrounding the program. The team has relied a lot of young players, including at quarterback
where true freshman Cole Copeland has shown some promise at the position. Getting a win in one or both of the next two games, as well as the season finale at Finley against East Tennessee State, will show signs of things to come.
“I think teams are kind of writing us off now, but I think we can make a statement on what years to come are going to be with these last three games,” Copeland said. “Coach (Arth) has told us, ‘Let’s be the best team in the nation these last three games,’ and that’s all we can do so that’s what we plan on doing.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.