Kevin Lalin
Photo by: Laura O'Dell
Postgame Notes vs Samford
10/10/2026 5:08:00 PM | Football
2026 Chattanooga Mocs Football
Postgame Notes vs Samford
Oct. 10 – Chattanooga, Tenn. – Finley Stadium
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SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs drowned the Samford Bulldogs 19-3 on a rain-soaked Saturday afternoon in Finley Stadium…UTC is 4-3, 3-1 in the Southern Conference while Samford moves to 1-5, 1-2 in the league.
- Chattanooga came into the game tied for second in the league lead at 2-1…3-1 is at least in second place, a half-game behind ETSU at 3-0…Tennessee Tech (2-1) faced Furman later in the day.
- 3-1 start in the SoCon for the fourth straight season…started either 4-0 (once) or 3-1 (7x) in Rusty Wright's eight seasons.
- .735 win percentage (36-12-3) against the Bulldogs ranks as the best in program history in against teams with 15 or more meetings...second is Tennessee Tech (.714/30-12).
- Mocs have won 10 of the last 12 in the series.
- Rusty Wright is third on the Mocs coaching win list at 46…he is four wins shy of joining Scrappy Moore (170) & Russ Huesman (59) at the 50+ win level.
- 2-1 at home this season. 23-13 (.639) vs FCS competition under Wright at home…18-10 (.643) in SoCon matchups…84-70 (.546) in 154 games all-time in Finley Stadium.
- 119th season of football at Chattanooga…game number 1,189…585-569-35 (.507) all-time record…50th as a DI program.
- 50th season in SoCon for the Mocs...game number 360...182-176-2 (.508).
- Game captains: DB Nick Coates, DE Orlando Daniels, RB Kevin Lalin & OL Devin Lively.
- The Mocs won the toss & chose to defer…third time in seven games winning the coin toss.
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COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 46-37 in his eighth season…46-29 vs. FCS opposition.
- 36-20 in SoCon matchups…5-2 vs Samford…18-10 at Finley Stadium.
- Four wins from becoming second Mocs ball coach with 40 conference triumphs…ranks second only to newly minted UTC Hall of Famer Russ Huesman '81 with 42
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SERIES
Meeting: 51
Record: 36-12-3 | SoCon: 14-4
In Chattanooga: 22-7-2 | SoCon: 6-3
Streak: +2 | in Chattanooga: +1
Last 5: 3-2 | Last 10: 8-2 | 20: 15-5
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TEAM NOTES
- The first drive for Chattanooga was a 16-play, 85-yard touchdown trek…first time taking their opening drive for a TD…back-to-back weeks scoring on opening drive…longest drive by plays and TOP this season.
- Defense entered the game ranked sixth in the country in scoring defense (14.2 ppg)…gave up just three, a season best.
- Third time holding an opponent to single digits…most by the defense since 2016 (0-Shorter, 0-Presbyterian, 7-at ETSU)
- Allowed just 32 points over the last four games…8.0 points per contest…fewest in a 4-game stretch since 1981…gave up 26 from Oct. 10-31: Marshall (20-0), at Arkansas State (3-2), at Western Carolina (10-24) & at ETSU (17-0).
- Just 88 points given up over seven games…12.6 ppg…fewest over the opening seven games with 78 (11.1 ppg) in 1985.
- Defense entered the game ranked seventh in the nation in total offense (279.8)…gave up 137 total yards on 50 plays (2.7 yards per play).
- Defense entered the game fifth in the nation in pass defense (144.5)…allowed just 117 today…second lowest output allowed.
- Defense entered the game leading the SoCon against the rush (135.3)…thwarted Samford to the tune of 20 yards…season low and fourth time under 100 by an opponent.
- 4.0 sacks today…third time this season with 4.0 or more including 7.0 vs Wofford and 4.0 at ETSU…19th time with 4.0 or more in a game under Rusty Wright.
- Offense totaled an efficient 255 yards on 63 plays…was six of 15 on third down (40.0%) and 1-1 on fourth.
- Ran for 200 yards on 58 carries…third time topping the 200 mark this season…averaging 214.8 yards per game rushing in SoCon play.
- Offense maintained possession for 38:16 allowing Samford just 21:44…best time of possession of the season and third time of 36 minutes: at West Georgia (36:43) and Wofford (36:54).
- +2 in takeaways with a fumble recovery and interception…zero giveaways despite the wet conditions.
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PLAYER NOTES
- K Jude Kelley's second quarter FG was his 231st career point for the Mocs…passed RB Ailym Ford '23 (228) for fourth place on the Mocs all-time list: Henrique Ribeiro '16 (307), Jacob Huesman '15 (264), Matt Vick '00 (242), Kelley (240)…scored 13 today (1-1 PAT, 4-4 FG).
- Kelley now has 260 career points including 20 at Georgia Tech...passed 250 on his first field goal.
- Kelley became the Mocs fourth kicker with 40 career FGs with his second effort coming in the second quarter…his second of the day, a 39-yarder, was No. 40 joining Ribeiro (48), Vick (44) & Dennis Waters ''88 (40)…Kelley has 42 to date.
- RB Kevin Lalin topped the 100-yard mark midway through second quarter…3rd time this season and 16th career…finished with 156 yards on 28 carries…second time this season with 25+ carries.
- Lalin is closing in on 3k in career rushing…now has 2,948 rushing yards and 3,448 all-purpose in his career.
- WR Ashton Schumann had two catches for 32 yards as the Mocs threw just five times total for 55 yards…multiple catches in 18 straight contests for the senior including last season at Central Oklahoma.
- LB Zion Rutledge led the defense with six tackles…5th straight week leading the squad in stops.
- DB DJ Adams had two pass breakups…took the team lead in passes defensed on the season with seven.
- DE Orlando Daniels got a sack for the third time in last four games…came into the game leading the SoCon (4.0)…his 5.0 is 1.5 better than DT Isaiah Harvey (3.5) who also got one today.
- DEs Ryan Bell and CJ Smith also had sacks along with DT Myles Mays.
- DB Kam Baah-Slay corralled his first career interception…ended up with two tackles.
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SOCON SCOREBOARD
ETSU 34, at The Citadel 16
Wofford 16, at Elon 0
Western Carolina at Mercer, late
Furman at Tennessee Tech, late
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For late scores that were unavailable at press time, please click this link,
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Postgame Notes vs Samford
Oct. 10 – Chattanooga, Tenn. – Finley Stadium
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SETTING THE SCENE
- The Chattanooga Mocs drowned the Samford Bulldogs 19-3 on a rain-soaked Saturday afternoon in Finley Stadium…UTC is 4-3, 3-1 in the Southern Conference while Samford moves to 1-5, 1-2 in the league.
- Chattanooga came into the game tied for second in the league lead at 2-1…3-1 is at least in second place, a half-game behind ETSU at 3-0…Tennessee Tech (2-1) faced Furman later in the day.
- 3-1 start in the SoCon for the fourth straight season…started either 4-0 (once) or 3-1 (7x) in Rusty Wright's eight seasons.
- .735 win percentage (36-12-3) against the Bulldogs ranks as the best in program history in against teams with 15 or more meetings...second is Tennessee Tech (.714/30-12).
- Mocs have won 10 of the last 12 in the series.
- Rusty Wright is third on the Mocs coaching win list at 46…he is four wins shy of joining Scrappy Moore (170) & Russ Huesman (59) at the 50+ win level.
- 2-1 at home this season. 23-13 (.639) vs FCS competition under Wright at home…18-10 (.643) in SoCon matchups…84-70 (.546) in 154 games all-time in Finley Stadium.
- 119th season of football at Chattanooga…game number 1,189…585-569-35 (.507) all-time record…50th as a DI program.
- 50th season in SoCon for the Mocs...game number 360...182-176-2 (.508).
- Game captains: DB Nick Coates, DE Orlando Daniels, RB Kevin Lalin & OL Devin Lively.
- The Mocs won the toss & chose to defer…third time in seven games winning the coin toss.
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COACH RUSTY WRIGHT
- 46-37 in his eighth season…46-29 vs. FCS opposition.
- 36-20 in SoCon matchups…5-2 vs Samford…18-10 at Finley Stadium.
- Four wins from becoming second Mocs ball coach with 40 conference triumphs…ranks second only to newly minted UTC Hall of Famer Russ Huesman '81 with 42
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SERIES
Meeting: 51
Record: 36-12-3 | SoCon: 14-4
In Chattanooga: 22-7-2 | SoCon: 6-3
Streak: +2 | in Chattanooga: +1
Last 5: 3-2 | Last 10: 8-2 | 20: 15-5
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TEAM NOTES
- The first drive for Chattanooga was a 16-play, 85-yard touchdown trek…first time taking their opening drive for a TD…back-to-back weeks scoring on opening drive…longest drive by plays and TOP this season.
- Defense entered the game ranked sixth in the country in scoring defense (14.2 ppg)…gave up just three, a season best.
- Third time holding an opponent to single digits…most by the defense since 2016 (0-Shorter, 0-Presbyterian, 7-at ETSU)
- Allowed just 32 points over the last four games…8.0 points per contest…fewest in a 4-game stretch since 1981…gave up 26 from Oct. 10-31: Marshall (20-0), at Arkansas State (3-2), at Western Carolina (10-24) & at ETSU (17-0).
- Just 88 points given up over seven games…12.6 ppg…fewest over the opening seven games with 78 (11.1 ppg) in 1985.
- Defense entered the game ranked seventh in the nation in total offense (279.8)…gave up 137 total yards on 50 plays (2.7 yards per play).
- Defense entered the game fifth in the nation in pass defense (144.5)…allowed just 117 today…second lowest output allowed.
- Defense entered the game leading the SoCon against the rush (135.3)…thwarted Samford to the tune of 20 yards…season low and fourth time under 100 by an opponent.
- 4.0 sacks today…third time this season with 4.0 or more including 7.0 vs Wofford and 4.0 at ETSU…19th time with 4.0 or more in a game under Rusty Wright.
- Offense totaled an efficient 255 yards on 63 plays…was six of 15 on third down (40.0%) and 1-1 on fourth.
- Ran for 200 yards on 58 carries…third time topping the 200 mark this season…averaging 214.8 yards per game rushing in SoCon play.
- Offense maintained possession for 38:16 allowing Samford just 21:44…best time of possession of the season and third time of 36 minutes: at West Georgia (36:43) and Wofford (36:54).
- +2 in takeaways with a fumble recovery and interception…zero giveaways despite the wet conditions.
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PLAYER NOTES
- K Jude Kelley's second quarter FG was his 231st career point for the Mocs…passed RB Ailym Ford '23 (228) for fourth place on the Mocs all-time list: Henrique Ribeiro '16 (307), Jacob Huesman '15 (264), Matt Vick '00 (242), Kelley (240)…scored 13 today (1-1 PAT, 4-4 FG).
- Kelley now has 260 career points including 20 at Georgia Tech...passed 250 on his first field goal.
- Kelley became the Mocs fourth kicker with 40 career FGs with his second effort coming in the second quarter…his second of the day, a 39-yarder, was No. 40 joining Ribeiro (48), Vick (44) & Dennis Waters ''88 (40)…Kelley has 42 to date.
- RB Kevin Lalin topped the 100-yard mark midway through second quarter…3rd time this season and 16th career…finished with 156 yards on 28 carries…second time this season with 25+ carries.
- Lalin is closing in on 3k in career rushing…now has 2,948 rushing yards and 3,448 all-purpose in his career.
- WR Ashton Schumann had two catches for 32 yards as the Mocs threw just five times total for 55 yards…multiple catches in 18 straight contests for the senior including last season at Central Oklahoma.
- LB Zion Rutledge led the defense with six tackles…5th straight week leading the squad in stops.
- DB DJ Adams had two pass breakups…took the team lead in passes defensed on the season with seven.
- DE Orlando Daniels got a sack for the third time in last four games…came into the game leading the SoCon (4.0)…his 5.0 is 1.5 better than DT Isaiah Harvey (3.5) who also got one today.
- DEs Ryan Bell and CJ Smith also had sacks along with DT Myles Mays.
- DB Kam Baah-Slay corralled his first career interception…ended up with two tackles.
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SOCON SCOREBOARD
ETSU 34, at The Citadel 16
Wofford 16, at Elon 0
Western Carolina at Mercer, late
Furman at Tennessee Tech, late
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For late scores that were unavailable at press time, please click this link,
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Players Mentioned
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DT
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