Mocs have plenty of experience returning at LB
With preseason football practice starting soon for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the Times Free Press is taking a daily positional look at the Mocs, with today’s preview at linebacker:
WHO’S BACK
The Mocs return 11 letterwinners at the linebacker position, led by all-Southern Conference selection and former Soddy-Daisy standout Ty Boeck, who finished with 101 tackles and three fumble recoveries in his first season on the field. He manned one of the inside linebacker positions, where the Mocs did lose two-year starter and first-team all-SoCon performer Marshall Cooper. That was their only loss at the position, and both junior Kam Jones and former Bradley Central standout Jay Person logged starts. On the outside, former Ooltewah standout Rashun Freeman started all 12 games a year ago, while Kayne Roberts and C.J. Winston split time opposite Freeman.
WHO’S NEW
The lone addition is Bo Spearman, a 6-foot, 230-pound former three-star prospect that according to head coach Rusty Wright, has his “best days ahead of him” on the football field. With the Mocs’ talent and experience at the position, Spearman is a potential redshirt candidate with the opportunity to learn behind some talented players and be ready to fully contribute in 2021 and beyond.
STRENGTHS
Wright was formerly the linebacker coach at UTC under Russ Huesman and at Georgia State prior to his return as head coach, so he’s able to identify talent at the position. In players such at Boeck and Freeman, he has a foundation at both the inside and outside linebacker position groups, and with the production the unit had a year ago — and seven players logging at least one start returning — there’s no reason to believe that there will be a drop off.
WEAKNESSES
The loss of Cooper is a big one, as the former walkon became a two-time all-SoCon selection for two different coaching staffs. In both 2018 and 2019, he made the calls for the defense and that’s going to be the toughest thing to replace, although there are a lot of players, led by Boeck, capable of doing so.