Chattanooga Football Game Notes
Chattanooga Mocs (0-3, 0-0 SoCon) at VMI Keydets (0-3, 0-0 SoCon)
Foster Stadium (10,000) – Lexington, Va.
Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017 – 1:30 p.m. (E.D.T.)
Radio:  Mocs Sports Network (Real 96.1 FM – Flagship) - Jim Reynolds (pxp), Todd Agne (color), Will Poindexter (sideline)
TV:  Stadium – Wade Branner (pxp), Chris Graham (analyst)
Online: Live Audio, Live Video & Live Stats Links on GoMocs.com
 
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team heads to VMI to open Southern Conference action this weekend.  The Mocs face the Keydets at Foster Stadium in Lexington, Va., on Saturday, Sept. 23, with a 1:30 p.m. kickoff. 
 
Both teams come into the game looking for their first win, having posted an 0-3 mark in non-conference play.  The Mocs have losses against No. 5 Jacksonville State (27-13), No. 12 LSU (45-10) and UT Martin (7-21), who entered the top 25 this week. 
 
Chattanooga is still receiving votes in both the FCS Coaches Poll and the STATS FCS Top 25 this week.
 
VMI lost to Air Force (0-62) in its season opener, and followed that with a 27-20 setback against Catawba in Week 2.  The Keydets dropped a 23-0 road trip to Robert Morris last week.
 
Chattanooga opens league play on the road for the third year in a row.  The Mocs won at Furman (21-14) in their first SoCon game on Sept. 17 last season. 
 
MOCS SPORTS NETWORK
The Mocs Sports Network broadcasts the game on the radio on Real 96.1 FM in Chattanooga.  Jim Reynolds has the play-by-play with Todd Agne giving the color commentary and Will Poindexter on the sideline.  A link for a free audio broadcast is available on the football schedule page on GoMocs.com.  Fans can also listen to the game on the iHeart Radio app by searching for Real 96.1 FM on their mobile device.
 
VMI GAME TO BROADCAST LOCALLY
VMI is producing the game for the Stadium Sports Network, which airs locally on MyNetwork Chattanooga.  Announcers include longtime voice of the Keydets Wade Branner (pxp) and Chris Graham (color).  MyNetwork Chattanooga is channel 53.2 over the air, or on the following stations in the Chattanooga area:
Charter - 2
Comcast - 226
EPB - 8
Dalton Utilities - 161
Ellijay TV - 193
The game is also available on a number of Sinclair Broadcast Group stations across the country.  The full lineup is posted on GoMocs.com.  There is also a link to the watchstadium.com live stream on the football schedule page on GoMocs.com.   
 
IT'S ALL IN THE NAME
On first reference, it is acceptable to refer to us as the "University of Tennessee at Chattanooga". After that, we prefer to be called "Chattanooga" or "UTC."  Our nickname is "Mocs".
 
QUICK NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOCS
General
• Tom Arth is in his first season with the Mocs ... he came to UTC from John Carroll University where he was the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year ... 40-8 record the previous four years at JCU.
• Receiving votes in both FCS polls ... school-record streak of 51 consecutive weeks ranked was snapped ... last time UTC was out of the top 25 was Oct. 28, 2013 ... it was the sixth-longest active streak in the nation.   
• UTC is trying to snap its first three-game losing streak since 2011. 
• 57-53 all-time at Finley Stadium.
 
Offense
• Mocs have to replace six starters on offense, including All-American RB Derrick Craine, All-American OG Corey Levin and All-American center Jacob Revis.  Others not returning include WRs C.J. Board and Xavier Borishade and OT Hunter Townson. 
• Two offensive linemen return with SoCon postseason honors.  Senior Josh Cardiello started all 13 games and made the All-SoCon second team.  Sophomore-to-be Malcolm White returns to the offensive line after making the SoCon All-Freshman team.
• The Mocs have given up a league-high 10 sacks in the first three games of the season. 
• Eighth in the league in total offense (228.7) ... ninth in rushing (50.0) and fifth in passing (178.7). 
• Last in the SoCon on third down (9/41 - 22.0%). 
• Junior WR Joseph Parker is tied for fourth in the league in receptions per game (4.0) and sixth in receiving yards per game (53.3). 
• Sophomore QB Nick Tiano is fifth in the SoCon in passing (178.7) and total offense per game (199.3).
• Senior RB Darrell Bridges had a strong showing at LSU with 88 rushing yards and a TD on 15 carries. 
 
Defense
• Mocs have to replace six starters on defense, including All-American DL Keionta Davis, All-American LB Nakevion Leslie and first team All-SoCon DL Vantrel McMillan.  Others not returning include DBs Montrell Pardue and Cedric Nettles and DL Justin King.
• Senior Lucas Webb has three career pick-6s ... school record and tied for the SoCon record ... 10 career INTs is tied for sixth all-time at UTC ... twice been tagged as a preseason All-American.
• Senior LB Tae Davis is tied for sixth in the SoCon with 9.3 tackles per game. 
• Fourth in the league in total defense (371.0) ... third in rushing defense (172.0) ... sixth in passing yards allowed (199.0) and ninth in pass efficiency defense (172.3). 
• UTC is currently third in the SoCon in red zone defense - 9/12 (75.0%).
• Senior LB Dale Warren led the SoCon with 19.0 TFLs in 2016.
• Warren and Webb lead five returning starters on the defensive side.  Senior Taylor Reynolds is the lone returning starter on the defensive line.  Junior Isaiah Mack is also back on the interior.  He posted 7.5 sacks in 2016 and has 10 starts over the last two years.  Senior Trevor Wright and junior C.J. Fritz give the Mocs a total of three returning starters in the secondary.   
 
Special Teams
• Sophomore Colin Brewer returns as the punter, earning SoCon All-Freshman honors in 2016.  He is currently fifth in the league and No. 25 in the FCS at 42.6 yards per kick.
• Freshman K Victor Ulmo is second in the SoCon in FGs, hitting three of his first four attempts.
• Ulmo is replacing K Henrique Ribeiro, the school's career scoring leader at UTC with 307
points ... 76.2% (48/63) career FG% is second all-time at UTC ... eight-time SoCon Special Teams
Player of the Week is tied with Appalachian State's Sam Martin (2009-12) for the SoCon mark.
• UTC is last in the league in punt returns, with no yards on two attempts in the first three games.
• Fifth in the SoCon in KOR (18.8).
• Eighth in the league in kickoff coverage (38.1).
• Fourth in the SoCon in net punting (36.9).  
 
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE VMI SERIES
• This is the 24th meeting between these two teams in a series that dates back to 1971.
• UTC is 15-7-1 overall ... 7-4 at VMI. 
• Chattanooga won the last meeting, 30-13, at home on Oct. 22, 2016.
• These two teams met every year from 1991-2002.  The series was an even 6-6 in those 12 meetings ... the Mocs are 3-0 since VMI rejoined the SoCon in 2014.
• This is the first time in the history of the series these two teams have met in September. 
 
UTC-VMI CONNECTIONS
• Senior LB Ryan Francis is from Knoxville's West HS.
• VMI senior OL Patrick Doucette and UTC freshman OL Cole Strange both went to Farragut Academy in Knoxville. 
• VMI sophomore DL Ryan Clark and UTC freshman DL Jonathan Decker both went to Alcoa (Tenn.) High School.
 
NOTES FROM LAST YEAR'S 30-13 WIN OVER VMI
• The No. 8 Mocs scored a 30-13 win over VMI on Oct. 22, 2016, to improve to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in SoCon action.  The Keydets dropped to 3-4 and 1-3.
• That win gave the 2016 senior class a school-record 44 victories.
• The Mocs shut out VMI in the first half.
• UTC had 292 yards on 45 plays in the first half … VMI has 39 yards on 23 plays … Mocs finished with 519 yards (297 rush to 222 pass) compared to 249 (11 rush, 238 pass) for VMI.
• All 13 of VMI's points and 115 of their 249 yards came in the third quarter.
• Season-low 11 rushing yards allowed … sixth time allowing less than 100 yards … third time allowing less than 50.
• Fifth game in 2016 the Mocs held an opponent to less than 14 points.
• UTC's 297 rushing yards was a season-high … most since putting up 349 last season against Fordham in the FCS Playoffs.
- Mocs held VMI to just 2/14 on third down … UTC came into the game No. 1 in the SoCon on third-down defense (30.4%).
• Broke up a season-high seven passes … most since posting that same number against Austin Peay on Sept. 14, 2013.
- Season-high 6.0 sacks in the game … most since 6.0 at Samford last year.
• Richardre Bagley – Started in place of the injured Derrick Craine … seventh career start for Bagley … first this season ... career-highs with 189 yards and two TDs on 23 carries ... 1st career 100-yard game ... scored on a 27-yard run in the third quarter and a 45-yard run in the fourth ... also had two catches for four yards.
• Bingo Morton – 1st career TD catch in the first quarter … 21 yards on a screen pass ... two catches for a career-high 26 yards.
• James Stovall – Tied a career-high with six catches ... team high 61 receiving yards.
• Alex Trotter – Career highs with eight carries for 31 yards.
 
NOTES FROM THE LAST TRIP TO VMI
• Mocs scored a 33-27 win at VMI on Oct. 17, 2015.
• VMI led 21-20 at the half.
• VMI's first quarter touchdown was the first TD allowed by the Mocs since Samford scored with 12:40 left in the game on Sept. 19 … Mocs went eight full quarters (at Presbyterian, Furman) without allowing a TD.
• UTC held VMI to 90 yards and six points in the second half.
• Third straight game with a pick-6 for Chattanooga … fourth defensive score of the season … most since 2011.
• Mocs put up 490 yards … second most this season.
• 261 rushing yards was the fourth-most in 2015 … fourth straight game with 245+ rushing yards … 5.3 yards per carry is a season-high.
• Defense recorded five sacks … second most in 2015.
• UTC held the ball for 38:07 in the game
• Chattanooga was just 2/7 on the year on 4th down coming into the game … 2/3 in the game ... including the last one to seal the win.
• Wil Young – Six catches for 82 yards … career-highs for both … all in the first half.
 
SCOUTING VMI
• Head Coach Scott Wachenheim is in his third season at VMI.  He has a 5-20 overall record.  A 1984 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and veteran coach with over 25 years of experience, Wachenheim came to VMI from Virginia where he spend the previous five seasons. Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Liberty for three years (2006-08).
• VMI is last in the league in scoring offense (6.7) and scoring defense (37.3). 
• The Keydets are also last in the SoCon in total offense (218.7) and eighth in total defense (471.3). 
• VMI leads the league with eight sacks in the first three games.
• VMI punter Bill Hogan is second in the SoCon and No. 8 in the nation with 44.7 yards per kick. 
• DL Seth Mallory and LB Brian Lipscomb are tied for second in the league with 2.5 sacks each. 
• Senior Tony Richardson is fourth in the SoCon with 4.0 TFLs. 
• Junior Uzoma Kpaduwa is tied for the SoCon lead with four passed defended. 
 
MOCS IN SOCON OPENERS
In 40 years in the Southern Conference, the Mocs have won their league opener only 15 times ... UTC is 8-15 when opening SoCon play on the road ... 7-10 at home ... UTC has won each of its last three SoCon openers ... prior to that, the last time UTC won a league opener was 2007.
 
FOUR TEAMS RANKED IN THE PRESEASON ARE WINLESS
The Mocs are one of four teams that were ranked in the preseason top-25 in the FCS that are still winless after week three.  The others include defending Patriot League champ Lehigh (0-3), Cal Poly (0-3) and defending Big South champ Charleston Southern (0-2).  The Mocs were ranked as high as No. 12, followed by Charleston Southern (14), Lehigh (17) and Cal Poly (23). 
 
SEASON NO. 110
The Chattanooga Mocs are in their 110th season of college football in 2017.  The University of Chattanooga was founded in 1886 and football began play in 1904.  No teams were fielded in 1917 and 1918 due to World War I.  There was also a two-year hiatus from football action during World War II in 1943 and 1944.  The Mocs have an all-time record of 530-522-35 (.504) and have won 13 conference titles.
 
MOCS WERE RANKED FOR 51 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS
UTC was ranked in the Top 25 for 51 consecutive weeks, dating back to Nov. 4, 2013, before falling out this week.  That was the sixth-longest active streak in the country.  The Mocs have been in the Top 25 for 54 weeks since 2009.  UTC was ranked as high as No. 3 on Nov. 1, 1968, in the Small College Top 20, before the FCS was created in 1978.