New University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman sat down with the Times Free Press this week to reminisce a little about his playing days (1978-81) with the Mocs and to discuss his influences as a coach:

Q: Is there a memory from your playing days here that stands out more than any other?

A: “Personally, probably the biggest thing is my freshman year I had three interceptions against Tennessee State in the last game of the year. That was pretty cool. ... I remember beating App State (in 1978) 72-14; it was unbelievable how that game went, and I can still picture that game in my mind. ...

I just always remember going to Furman and playing in that dumpy stadium they used to have there, dressing in the Holiday Inn — it was either across the street (from the stadium) or close. We’d put our gear on in the Holiday Inn where we stayed and then come play the game. ...

I remember the Tennessee State game at home (in 1981), standing room only all along one side, and we beat them. I think that game was on television, maybe ESPN, and I remember that game vividly. My buddy Michael Hunt had a great game — he was playing strong safety and I was playing free safety. ...

I could probably sit here and do this all day.”

Q: Of your nine career interceptions, is that one that the most memorable or the most pivotal?

A: “No, I don’t think any of them were really game-savers or anything like that. What I do remember, though, is I hit a guy one time, we were playing Jacksonville State in a tight game, and I was playing half-field cover and the guy came from the other half and I saw him at the last minute and the ball went up in the air and I hit him on about the 2-yard line.

I remember hitting him so hard that he hit the ground and bounced up off the ground. Actually, that was one of my best hits I ever had, and (coach) Bill Oliver told me, he came up to me at the next practice, and said “Best hit I’ve ever seen by a defensive back.”

Now he’s probably seen some better hits since then, but Bill Oliver coming up to you and telling you that, I was pretty jacked up about that.”

Q: What was it like playing for Joe Morrison and Bill Oliver?

A: “They were two completely different football coaches, like from one end of the spectrum to the other end. At the same time, they were both great players’ coaches. They were guys you could just go up to and talk to and be around and enjoy listening to. They’d come up and put their arm around you and talk to you, just like Bill Oliver coming up to me and telling me that (about the hit).

I think the difference in the two was Bill Oliver was more of an Xs and Os guy than Joe Mo. I mean Joe Mo was a motivator, he coached the coaches, and Bill Oliver was always involved in the football aspect, especially the defense.

Bill Oliver’s the one that put that tower up (at Scrappy Moore Field), and he’d stand up there on the tower during practice, and you knew you were in trouble when he’d come sprinting down. (Huesman gets up and demonstrates Oliver hurriedly climbing down the tower.) He was young back in those days, so you weren’t as concerned about him (falling), but he’d come down the tower after he saw you do something and the practice would stop and watch what happened.

You knew when he came down he was going to get somebody, and he used to get me a lot.”

Q: In your coaching style have you taken things you learned from them, either in terms of Xs and Os or in how you carry yourself?

A: “That was so long ago ... but I guess you take a little bit from everybody that you’re around. From Joe Mo, the players loved him; Bill Oliver, I think the players really liked him, too. So guys, I think you take organizational things from. I learned a lot from Jimmye Laycock (at William & Mary) — I cut my teeth coaching football under him. ... I think you just take a little bit from everybody. I don’t think you want to just say I’m like this guy or like that guy.”

Q: Would you like to do some things at Chamberlain Field, like UTC did with the spring game earlier this year?

A: “No, I think it’s time ... we can talk about the past, but right now it’s the future. We got 60 or 65 kids on this team that probably don’t care if I had an interception or if I made a tackle. I think they want to win, and I’m hoping they want to win.

How good I was or how bad I was — and I’m not as good as people were saying I was, to be honest with you, I was OK but there were a lot, lot, lot better players than me playing — but I don’t think our guys care if I was any good or not. I think what they want is to be led right now and they want to win football games, and they want to work to get that done.

I think the past is great, and I want everybody that was a part of the past to be a part of this, but I think our players are looking to the future and looking to win football games.”

Side Orders