Five questions that were answered from UTC Spring Football exercise

The University of Tennessee in Chattanooga recently completed football practices for a month and closed an important phase of the low season with its spring show case in the FINLEY stadium.

It was particularly important this year.

The MOCs are in the process of leaving their squad in the NCAA transfer portal and six more to a total of 7: 5 and 5: 3 in the Southern Conference Play in favor of completing the 2024 team, the playoffs of the Football Championship Subdivision in the second round before one year ago.

Rusty Wright, who is preparing for his seventh season as head coach of his Alma Mater, and his employees have a month on the calendar for the next season: the 10-day spring transmission window, which begins on April 16.

“This group will work,” said Wright on March 5 after the final practice before the Finley event. “We have to be a little smarter at work, and when I see it, it is the little things. I think we found some people who can help us in different places. I think some boys have shown that they can play a few different places if something happens.

“I don't think this group is afraid and I think we can run, I think that's the only one (different) compared to maybe in recent years. Everyone in this area we bring out will be able to run.

“We just had to see them play. They didn't play much, and that was the biggest.

Before the start of the spring exercises, the Times Free Press asked five important questions about the UTC soccer team.

Here is our attempt to give some answers.

Who takes over behind the middle?

The Mocs closed their spring, which felt pretty good in relation to the quarterback position, but without a clear leader in the battle, to start between the redshirt junior Luke Schomburg and the Senior Camden Orth in the seventh year, a bowling green transfer.

The 6-foot 3, 194-pfund-Schomburg made a leap from a mature stand in its fourth season, while Orth (6-3, 230) has the size and experience that helps its case to be on the offensive, even if it is in short yardage situations (although it has a really good arm).

The walk-ons in the group (Junior Matthew Clemmer, Redshirt Freshman Battle Alberson) are capable if necessary.

Who is in front of seven?

Talent is not the problem in the line of defense – experience is.

The loss of Tackles Marlon Taylor and Quay Wiggles (both were seniors) injured, but the juniors Montrell Henderson and Jamarr Jones played enough to earn confidence. Marquise Freeman and Chris Victor are well -known factors on the side, and there are no concerns about what they can do.

The bigger question was at LineBacker, which seems how fast former backups such as Amanuel Dickson and Zion Rutledge join in larger roles together with redshirt Freshman Landon Feggins and Junior Kristian Ozane (a Davidson transfer). Sophomore Nickel Back Martez Cooksey glides directly into the spot cleared by Reuben Lowery, whereby the senior nick coates (a transfer in Eastern Illinois) is a high -quality backup for this position.

If this group were evaluated, the answer would be “incomplete” at this time, but it is talented.

What about the offensive line?

Could a group be inexperienced and experienced at the same time? The current mixture of offensive linemen from UTC seems to indicate that this is possible.

Trainers like eight boys who can use on the match day on the O-Line, and at least two of them were pretty with the right security guard Bryce Goodner and the left of the security guard Tyrell Ragland, a few redshirt seniors. And there is also Senior Will Buchanan, who was expected to start last year before a pre -season injury, but finally found his way into the first group, albeit at a position (left) of his first (left guard).

BJ Ragland is another senior who will be in the middle in the middle, while Sophomore Aidan Donald is in the right tackle in the clubhouse. Sophomore Devin Lively and Senior Ryan Merkllinger, a western Illinois transfer, will also go into the front of the plans.

What remains of the recipient?

An already thin position group got thinner when South Alabama Shamar Sandgren brought the team into practice for a few weeks.

Chris Domercant is a well -known unit (he played every 12 games in 2024, started 10 and had 36 catches for 640 yards and a few touchdowns), and AJ Little played a lot, but apart from Josh Williams, who registered a catch last season last season, there are still a little others.

It is likely that Wright and his employees will look for help in the portal next month.

Did the secondary survive?

The cornerback should already set the best four options with Senior Jeremiah Batiste, Sophomore Beni Mwamba and Juniors DJ Adams and Taylor Smallwood.

The expected origin of 6-3, 181-pound junior came Baah-Slay and the arrival of East Illinois Transfer Kaelin Drakeford, a 6-3, 206 pound senior, will give the Mocs two long, sporty security supply that can run. There is probably a little more depth there, but the position is in good hands at this point.

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com.