Mocs’ Strange on Steele’s list

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga offensive lineman Cole Strange was selected to Phil Steele’s recently released preseason Football Championship Subdivision All-America lineup.

The 6-foot-5, 290-pound senior, who was a fourth-team pick by Steele, didn’t even enter UTC with experience on the offensive line. An all-state defensive end who also played tight end while at Farragut High School, he redshirted during the Mocs’ 2016 season due to injury. In 2017, he made his way into the lineup midway through the year and has logged 29 consecutive starts since then.

Steele named him a FCS Freshman All-American in 2017, and Strange has been a second-team All-Southern Conference pick each of the past two seasons.

Strange was also one of 13 Mocs to be named preseason All-SoCon by Steele. He and receiver Bryce Nunnelly, tight end Chris James, defensive end Devonnsha Maxwell and safety Brandon Dowdell received firstteam nods, while running back Ailym Ford, offensive lineman McClendon Curtis, linebackers Ty Boeck and Jay Person and cornerback Jordan Jones were on the second team.

UTC receiver Reginald Henderson, offensive lineman Harrison Moon, safety Jerrell Lawson and long snapper Cody Olszewski made the third team, which also included Dowdell as a return specialist.

The Mocs are scheduled to open their season Sept. 3 at Football Bowl Subdivision program Western Kentucky. UTC’s first of five home games scheduled for Finley Stadium is Sept. 19 against North Alabama.

Last season, in his first year as head coach, Rusty Wright led his alma mater to a 6-6 overall record and a 5-3 mark in league play that had the Mocs in contention for the SoCon title down the stretch.