Mocs look forward after latest victory
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga linebacker Marshall Cooper and his teammates planned to enjoy Saturday’s night’s win over Samford.
But by Sunday, beating the 17th-ranked Bulldogs was expected to be an afterthought.
Why? There’s work to do. “This is the first team I’ve ever seen that will forget about the game on Sunday,” Cooper said after the 27-20 victory at Finley Stadium. “We don’t have time to waste on the past.”
The mentality the Mocs believe has helped lead them to being 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Southern Conference has been a desire to be better mixed with their assessment that they’re not good yet — undefeated, yes, but flawed.
Against Samford (1-3, 0-2), UTC’s offense had its moments but sputtered after a hot first quarter. The defense has been solid so far, but coaches and players believe there are things to clean up on that side of the ball, too, as they prepare to visit East Tennessee State (3-1, 2-0) this Saturday.
“I think our guys, they’re smart,” UTC coach Tom Arth said. “I don’t need to tell them everything. They know they’re going to be able to look at the tape and know the mistakes we’ve made that are preventing us from taking the next step. What you have to do is keep working at it, and that’s where I give our guys credit. We haven’t solved every issue. We haven’t played a dominant four quarters like our goal is every week, but they recognize the mistakes.
“It means something to them, and they go back and work at it and put an emphasis on it.”
UTC’s offense and defense both
rank in the top half of the SoCon in most statistical categories. The defense gave up 437 yards to Samford, but that came at an average of 4.9 yards per play and UTC’s offense averaged nearly a yard more.
UTC’s defense had four takeaways — three interceptions and a fumble — against the Bulldogs, while the offense only gave it away once, when Bingo Morton fumbled in the fourth quarter.
The Mocs struggled to move the ball that period, when they were trying to put the game away and keep Samford’s prolific, pass-heavy offense off the field. On its 12 fourth-quarter plays, UTC totaled 10 yards. In addition, the Mocs led 17-0 early in the second quarter but let the Bulldogs back in, giving them an opportunity to throw into the end zone at the end of the game.
“There’s plenty for us to work on, as an offense and as a defense,” said UTC sophomore Bryce Nunnelly, who has had at least 108 receiving yards in each game this season. “4-0 is a good feeling, but to know we’re not even where we can be is an even better feeling. I feel like we’ll get there with the coaches we have. They know what they’re doing.”
Arth and his staff have stressed competition in practice ever since he arrived in December 2016. He doesn’t want anybody who will rest on his laurels; he wants guys who will constantly push each other and improve.
The Mocs believe that has to be the plan if they want to reach their goals.
“One of my main goals for this year is to win the SoCon and make the playoffs,” sophomore offensive lineman Chris Barnes said. “The way we’re doing now, we’re doing good, but if you want to win the big ring, you’ve got to play everyday and you’ve got to compete and get better in practice.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress. com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.