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Jeremiah Batiste celebrates an interception during the win over VMI.
Ray Soldano

Cornerbacks “In A Word”: Discipline

Jeremiah Batiste

Jeremiah Batiste and the Chattanooga Mocs cornerbacks room looks to sharpen skills with a fine edge heading into 2025.

First Look
The Chattanooga Mocs started the summer months with a new storyline for the football program. Out is the weekly preview series and in is a new version focused on a single word. Each position coach shares his outlook for his crew in a single word.
 
This week we look at the cornerbacks. Generally, we've combined the secondary into one "preview", but this is a new day and to be fair, the corners and safeties have separate lead assistants. For this group, the word belies the perception of flash over substance the position gets especially at the highest level of the game. It's simply…"discipline".
 
Coach Ken Lucky II talked about his position group which features a new look with a mix of returnees and newcomers which includes the first-year coach.
 
First Thought
"Discipline is a practice. It's teaching that the way you do something in your life, the way you practice something, it's how you're going to do it. That's what it means to discipline yourself. Discipline is really important at corner because things are moving really fast, and your instincts have to do exactly what you train them to do." – Lucky on "discipline"
 
Breakdown  
A Quick Peek at the Room
  • To be fair, listing the 2024 starters is a chore. There weren't just two. It started out with redshirt junior Taylor Smallwood and the now departed D'Arco Perkins-McAllister. Smallwood was injured in game three and in stepped Beni Mwamba. Beni got hurt and Jeremiah Batiste made his position the rest of the way tying Perkins-McAllister for the team lead in interceptions despite roughly half the snaps.
  • Batiste is a transfer from Miami (Ohio) but completed his high school years in Chattanooga at Tyner. He's a converted wide receiver entering his third season. He is a preseason All-SoCon pick and one to watch as he not only tied for the team lead in picks but also pass breakups (7-Jordan Walker).
  • Junior DJ Adams has flashed in his two seasons with the Mocs. He has an excellent combination of speed and length and an injection of disciplined play is an ingredient that will serve him well in the season ahead.
  • True freshman KJ Sejour enrolled in January and impressed in spring ball. His experience at one of the top prep programs in the country – Chaminade Madonna in south Florida – certainly prepared him well for collegiate work.
  • Sophomore transfer Keyshawn Jackson has all the traits in a modern corner. He brings excellent size (6-3, 189) and length to a room that has not seen such a combination, traditionally.
  • Jackson is one of three 4-year transfers brought in to compete. A trio of NAIA risers include Tre'von Dangerfield (Cumberland), Travarius Flood (Bethel) and Jonathan Harris, Jr., (Taylor).
  • True freshman Austin Kent (East Nashville Magnet) and Taylor Lawrence (Independence-Franklin, Tenn.) came in this summer. Kent (6-0) and Lawrence (6-2) certainly fit the size shift in the latest crop of Mocs corners.
 
Turnover turnover
The corners were instrumental a year ago in the defense recording 25 takeaways, 17 by air. Batiste and Perkins-McAllister each led the way with three, while Mwamba also reached double digits with two. Add in 14 pass breakups, and its primary production from just two positions on the field. Out of the majority of snaps coming at the two perimeter defenders, three are back – Batiste, Smallwood & Adams – while two are gone (Perkins-McAllister & Mwamba). But the focus of the defense remains.
 
Hear from Jeremiah Batiste
The annual "Meet the Mocs" cavalcade of stars kicked off in June with the start of this web series. Sport Talk on WGOW 102.3 FM welcomes a Mocs student-athlete each week that pairs with the position group featured on GoMocs.com. This week, senior Jeremiah Batiste joins Quake, David Paschall and Cowboy Joe live and in studio. Tune in at 4:35 p.m., for the interview either on your radio dial or online here.
 
Final Thoughts
"My biggest responsibility is to transform technique. To start with a raw product and develop it into a finished one. They want to be disciplined, and at times they are disciplined. Where I come in is in the refining. Not allowing any emotional or psychological distractions to steal that discipline that's developed." – Lucky on his philosophy in coaching the position
 
"A lot of technique has to do with philosophy, which comes from the things I've studied at this position, and why they should be done that way based on what I've studied. Every student is different, and some have learned bad habits. You have to go back and fix some things that don't lead to success, even though they might think they do." – Lucky on teaching technique
 
"A lot of coaches coach different techniques for their own reasoning. The hardest part about teaching technique when somebody has already been taught a different one is the sale of persuasion. Making them believe that this one works. The previous one may also work. One of the things my dad taught me as a military kid is that I'm here to add but not take away. They have experience, but we're here to add to their tool bag and not take away." – Lucky on different coaching styles developing strong position groups
 
Tickets on Sale
The 2025 season kicks off August 30 at Memphis. It begins on the road with intrastate matchups at the Tigers followed by the short trip to Cookeville to visit Tennessee Tech. The home opener is Sept. 13 with the first-ever meeting with Stetson.
 
Season tickets are on sale beginning at $60. Purchases can be made here on GoMocs.com.
 
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Buy officially licensed gear in our online store. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page or on Twitter. Find out how to join the Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here.
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