2024 Chattanooga Football
Postgame Notes & Records
August 30, 2025 – at Memphis – Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium
 
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs fell 45-10 triumph at Memphis on Saturday afternoon…it was the season opener for both teams.
- Chattanooga entered the contest receiving voted in both the AFCA FCS Coaches and Stats Perform polls.
- Memphis is receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches Poll.
- 61-56-1 in season openers…15-34-1 on the road.
- Since the start of FCS Football in 1982, Chattanooga has opened the season against an FBS opponent 15 times (1-14)…20-9 in all other matchups.
- First matchup with an American Conference opponent.
- 8-24 all-time against the current membership of the American (UAB 0-1, East Carolina 0-2, Memphis 5-13, North Texas 3-5, USF 0-1, Tulane 0-2).
- Game captains: Chattanooga natives Jeremiah Batiste & BJ Ragland…won the toss and chose to defer.
 
COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 37-28 in his sixth season…8-12 in non-conference play…0-8 against FBS opponents.
- 0-1 against Memphis…0-1 in Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
- 4-11 in non-conference road games.
 
FOR STARTERS
- Three returning starters on offense (2) and defense (1): RG Tyrell Ragland, DB Jeremiah Batiste & TE John McIntyre…Ragland has started 13 consecutive contests, Batiste six.
- Three in the starting lineup have previous career starts: C BJ Ragland (5th), DB Taylor Smallwood (4th) and RB Justus Durant (3rd)…Smallwood and Ragland (RG) was in the starting lineup for last year's opener.
- 11 Mocs made their first career starts as returning letter winners: LT Aidan Donald, LG Nick Paul, WR AJ Little, WR Taylor Crumedy,  WR Josh Williams, DT Jamarr Jones, DT Montrell Henderson, DE Marquise Freeman, LB Zion Rutledge, LB Amanuel Dickson, DB Kam Baah-Slay.
- Five Mocs – QB Camden Orth, RT Ryan Merklinger, DE Orlando Daniels, DB Nick Coates & DB Kaelin Drakeford – made their first Mocs starts in their initial appearance in Blue & Gold.
 
TEAM NOTES
- 232 yards of total offense averaging 4.1 yards per play…214 of those yards came after the first quarter.
- Recorded 14 first downs while allowing 24 to the Tigers.
- Memphis gained 432 yards on the day.
- -1 turnover margin with one interception while allowing two picks.
- Won time of possession with 31:33 after a slow first quarter start (6:53)…was +4:20 over the final 45 minutes (24:40-20:20).
- Went 2-12 on third down conversions…1-1 on fourth down…fourth down conversion was the Camden Orth to Josh Williams 3-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter.
- Did not record a sack.
 
PLAYER NOTES
- Game started with a Mocs offside kick…Jude Kelley is now 7-8 on onside kicks for his career…true freshman Landon Strickland had the recovery.
- Kelley also got the first points of Chattanooga's day with a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter.
- DE Marquise Freeman made his second career interception in the second quarter…LB Zion Rutledge delivered a hit on the quarterback altering the throw with Freeman making the grab and returning it 20 yards to near midfield.
- Career-high nine tackles for safety Kam Baah-Slay…entered game with 14 career stops.
- RB Ryan Ingram had a strong debut after transferring from Wofford…eight carries for 68 yards including five runs of 10+ yards…career total now 2,068 rushing yards.
- TE Nathaniel Eberly-Rodriguez had the long play of the day with a 28-yard reception from Orth…third career catch for the Mocs.
- Williams' TD reception was his first collegiate score…ended up with three catches for 18 yards.
- WR Markell Quick was the team leader in catches (4) and receiving yards (40).
- Orth threw for 114 yards on 12 of 19 passing adding six yards on the ground.
- DBs Kaelin Drakeford and Khari Gee had five stops apiece rotating at safety…Gee and CB Jeremiah Batiste led the defense with 1.0 tackle for loss.
- DT Jamarr Jones and LB Amanuel Dickson both had a half TFL as Dickson also posted five tackles.
- P Heath Jehu averaged 45.2 yards on five punts…he had a long of 55.
 
SOCON SCOREBOARD
(Thur) West Georgia 34, at Samford 3
at Navy 52, VMI 7
N.D. State 38, at The Citadel 0
at Furman 23, William & Mary 21
at ETSU 45, Murray State 17
at S.C. State 16, Wofford 15
Presbyterian 15, at Mercer 10
Gardner-Webb at Western Carolina, 6 p.m.
Click here for scores of games not complete at press time.