It has been exactly four months since the football team has been on the football field. Wednesday the Mocs begin spring practice in preparation for the upcoming 2008 season.
This year's spring session may appear to be more crucial than in year's past. Head Coach Rodney Allison welcomes in seven new assistant coaches to his staff, and the quarterback job is wide open.
“It will be an interesting spring,” Allison said. “Not only because of all the new coaches. We have some good players in our program. Our guys on the defensive side of the ball are as talented or are more talented than last year's defense. Our defensive line will be good up front. On offense, we have some veteran returners. At quarterback, we have brought in some new guys, but they are older and have experience.”
Allison had to replace seven assistants who left his staff for other coaching positions. The earliest departure was in December when defensive line coach Vantz Singletary took a similar job at Buffalo, while the latest was associate head coach John Turner who left this month to help restart the football program at South Alabama in his home state.
Offensive coordinator Carmen Felus is back for his third season, and Allison has promoted him to Assistant Head Coach. Also returning are receivers coach Jason McManus and cornerbacks coach Bobby Allison.
Dick Hopkins takes over the defensive coordinator role from the departed Billy Taylor, who now holds the same position at Tennessee Tech. Hopkins, a coaching veteran of over 30 years, will also coach the defensive backs. Joining Hopkins on the defensive side of the ball are Fred Tate, defensive line coach, Kurt Corbin, linebackers coach and Teddy Gaines, defensive assistant.
New to the offensive staff are Junior Adams, running backs coach, J.C. Harmon, offensive line coach and Spencer Riley, tight ends coach.
Allison's plan this spring is to keep things as simple as possible. Not only for the players for the new coaches as well.
“This will be our third year with the same offensive system,” Allison said. “We won't need to change the terminology. There will be a lot of carry-over. We will focus much of the spring on the passing game. We have to be able to throw the football better this year.
“On defense, we will try to be as close to what we were last year as possible. We will line up in the four- and three-man front, mix it up a bit. Last year, we were mainly a three-man line.”
Replacing starting quarterback Antonio Miller will also be a focal point during the spring. Returning from last season and in the mix at the position are junior Tony Pastore, sophomore Cody Romans and redshirt freshman Sloan Allison.
This year's recruiting season brought in two junior college signal-callers who figure to battle for the top spots heading into the spring. Junior Jare Gault, 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, played the last two years at East Mississippi Community College, and junior Mike McDonald, 6-1, 210, played at Glendale Community College in California.
The two new quarterbacks, along with defensive back Chris Blanson (6-1, 180), receiver Justin Buckhalter (6-3, 198) and tight end Patrick Wilkinson (6-7, 255), enrolled at UTC in January and will be able to participate in spring drills.
The Mocs are allowed 15 days on the field in the spring per NCAA rules, and Allison will put his squad through workouts Wednesday mornings, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons until April 19. A spring football event is planned for April 18 at Chamberlain Field beginning at 4 p.m.
