With just over 22 days until the kick-off of the 2009 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football season, GoMocs.com is breaking down each position on the team. The outlook started on Monday with a season overview and continued with a synopsis of the quarterbacks on Tuesday.
Today we move into the backfield, where the Mocs are deep and versatile with a strong combination of speed and power.
UTC's home-opener is against Glenville State on Thursday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m. (E.D.T.) at Finley Stadium. Season tickets begin at $22 for youth, alumni, faculty and staff and can be purchased at the UTC Ticket Office - (423) 266-MOCS (6627) - or online at GoMocs.com.
Be sure to mark your calendars for the First Tennessee Meet the Mocs event on Sunday, Aug. 16, at Finley Stadium. This is a free event and gates open at 1:30 p.m. for your chance to get pictures with the players, be on the field, watch a scrimmage and pick out your reserved season tickets. First Tennessee is also handing out "Restore the Glory" T-shirts to the first 500 fans in attendance.
Season Outlook Part 1 - Season Overview (Aug. 10)
Season Outlook Part 2 - Quarterbacks (Aug. 11)
Season Outlook Part 3 - Running Backs
The Mocs have a solid contingent of nine ball carriers at their disposal for 2009. Chattanooga is led by a pair of seniors at the fullback and tailback positions. Bryan Fitzgerald and Shaun Kermah are set to go in their final collegiate seasons, but will be challenged by a group of speedy newcomers to the Mocs' team.
Fitzgerald is looking to return to form after missing the 2008 campaign. He led the team with 798 yards on the ground in 2007 and was a preseason All-SoCon selection before a season-ending knee injury put him on the sidelines before fall practice began. He was also slowed by injury in the spring and only participated in non-contact action late in the workouts.
"It is still an open competition (at tailback)," stated head coach Russ Huesman. "Fitz has to get in shape...but the flashes he has shown, he can be a good back. He can be a premier back in this league but he has to do it every day, on the practice field and in the weight room. If he keeps coming, then I think we got a pretty good one there."
Fitzgerald had one of the Mocs' biggest highlights in recent years when he broke loose for a 79-yard touchdown at Arkansas on Oct. 6, 2007. That game he out-rushed the Razorbacks Darren McFadden with 123 yards on 14 carries. He had a solid showing in the Mocs first scrimmage on Aug. 9, piling up 62 yards on just nine carries. Those numbers included a 25-yard burst for a touchdown.
Kermah was second on the team with 253 rushing yards in 2008 and his 3.9 yards-per-carry led the team last year. He is a power back who holds the team's highest bench press at 455 pounds, but is also very versatile and could be moved around the backfield. He has been slowed in camp for the past two days due to a concussion, but was back light action today.
"Before he got hurt I told Sat (offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield) I wanted to see him at some tailback." said Huesman. "When he comes back we are going to experiment and see where he is going to be the best fit for us."
UTC's leading rusher in 2008 was junior Errol Wynn. He rushed for 636 yards, despite playing most of last season with a variety of injuries. He also missed all of spring practice but is working out with the team in the fall. Wynn is expected to redshirt the upcoming season.
With both Wynn and Fitzgerald sitting out spring practice, freshmen J.J. Jackson and Bo Dyer got the majority of the work in the offseason. Both continue to compete for playing time in the fall while learning from the upperclassmen.
"(Getting snaps in spring practice) was very beneficial in the sense that we can get more comfortable with the offense," stated Jackson. "We took all of the reps, and besides our legs getting tired...we didn't mind it at all."
Incoming freshmen Chris Awuah and Darius Wren are also slated to compete at the running back position. Awuah was Cobb County's Offensive Back of the Year at South Cobb High School in Marietta, Ga. He amassed 1,000 rushing and 500 yards passing in his senior season. Wren was a district MVP at West Lauderdale High School in Meridian, Miss., in 2008.
Junior Courtland Ellzey and freshman Will Brooks are competing at the fullback position. Ellzey is entering his fourth year in the program. Brooks capped the 1,000-yard rushing mark in each of his last two years as a two-time all-region selection at Jefferson County High School in Dandridge, Tenn.
"They are all doing a nice job," added Huesman. "You see flashes in all of them...they show signs. We are going to play two or three of them this year, but we are not sure which ones."
Check out the full video interviews with coach Huesman, Fitzgerald, Kermah and Jackson at the top of the page. Be sure to check back to GoMocs.com for our next look at the offensive line.
