Defense rules for Mocs

PDF: UTC Scrimmage Stats for August 23

During its final scrimmage of the preseason Sunday at Finley Stadium, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defense mostly held the the offense in check when the starters were on the field.

After average-at-best performances in the first two scrimmages, cornerback Buster Skrine said the defense needed a solid performance as the Mocs wrap up their preseason and begin preparing for their Sept. 3 season opener against Glenville State.

"We all were just running to the ball," said Skrine, who had three tackles. "(Coach Russ Huesman) has been preaching that all week and the week before, and I think we did that today. Even if somebody did miss a tackle, there was someone else right there."

Between the first and second units, the offense didn't score until the eighth series. Huesman said the defense was better than it had been in the previous scrimmages, but he definitely didn't like the missed tackles he saw.

"We still got a ways to go to tackle better, but I thought they looked better today," he said.

In the opening series, the first-team offense went against the first-team defense and was forced to punt. The second series ended when safety Joel Bradford intercepted a B.J. Coleman pass. Coleman said he was hit by defensive end Josh Beard as he threw the ball.

Later on, when the second units were squared off against each other, the defense scored the first points of the scrimmage when linebacker Tony Swafford tackled running back J.J. Jackson in the end zone for a safety. Backup linebacker Doug Faatiliga led the defense with 10 tackles and also recovered a fumble.

Coleman sat for much of the first half of the scrimmage, but came back strong in the late-game situations. During the two-minute drill, against the No. 2 defense, he had a 43-yard completion to wideout Brian Sutherland, followed by a touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Hughes.

Coleman finished 14-for-19 for 132 yards.

"I thought we came out a little slow," Coleman said, "But all in all I thought the offense played really good -- and I think the defense did really well."

True freshman running back Chris Awuah led the way with 12 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown, while Shaun Kermah rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.

Kermah, who is splitting time at fullback and tailback, was like a pinball at times, bouncing off one would-be tackler after another. He was hit a couple of times before bouncing outside for a 47-yard run and appeared to fend off all 11 defenders on his 5-yard touchdown run.

"I was just improvising," Kermah said with a laugh while describing the touchdown. "I saw the hole get clogged up so I just tried to spin out of it and get what I can. I just kept moving my feet."

After going 4-for-4 in the second scrimmage, true freshman quarterback Graham Nichols went 7-for-7 for 115 yards and a touchdown Sunday while working with the second and third units.

Terrance Davis led the receivers with seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. Chris Pitchford had six catches for 31 yards and Sutherland caught four passes for 86 yards.

"We feel like we've got a long way to go to be good, but we feel like we're moving in the right direction," Pitchford said of the offense.

Huesman made Sunday's scrimmage, which was closed to the public, as close to game conditions as possible. The team went through its pre-game warm-ups, used the clock and the assistants that will be up in the press box on game days were up there Sunday.

"I thought we got done everything that we needed to get done as far as situations," Huesman said.

The Mocs are off today and will begin preparing for Glenville State on Tuesday.

Extra points

Running back Bryan Fitzgerald (knee) did not participate in the scrimmage, but he is expected back this week. ... Also sitting out the scrimmage due to injury were defensive tackle Pete Evans (concussion), cornerback Robert Harrison (knee) and linebacker Corey Shields (shoulder).