Russ Ehrenfeld

Starting a college football game last Saturday was nothing new for Omre Harris, though it had been a while. Starting a college game at left guard, however, was a first.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sophomore, who sat out last season after transferring from Murray State, started four games on the defensive line for the Racers as a freshman. He had worked exclusively on the defensive line since joining the Mocs and was still there more than halfway through preseason practice.

On Aug. 18 he wore a blue (offense) practice jersey for the first time, and last Saturday in UTC's 29-13 win at Presbyterian, he started at left guard.

"For the most part, I feel like I did OK," the 6-foot-2, 280-pound Harris said. "I had some mistakes, but that's a given as a first start at guard. I've just got to come out this week and get better."

Harris had practiced at right tackle, behind starter Dustin Tate, since moving to offense, but offensive line coach Russ Ehrenfeld said the coaches re-evaluated the line following the Furman game.

"(We) looked at Omre's athletic ability and just felt like he was a guy that needed to get on the field," Ehrenfeld said.

Harris, who hadn't played offensive line since he was a freshman at Pebblebrook High School in Atlanta, replaced redshirt freshman Will Hewitt, who had started the first two games. Ehrenfeld said Harris is a work in progress and could develop into something special.

"One week you're at tackle and it's new to you. The next week you're at guard, so I expected him to make some mistakes," Ehrenfeld said. "The thing that was evident after watching the film is that he's just so darn athletic and he does some good things. Now we've got to improve and get better and all that, and that's going to come, but I think he's got a lot of ability and he's got a chance to be a really good player here."

Sutherland leaves

Head coach Russ Huesman said following Tuesday's practice at Finley Stadium that redshirt sophomore wide receiver Brian Sutherland has left the team and school to deal with some personal issues. A Smyrna, Ga., native, Sutherland transferred to UTC from Miami (Ohio) last January, in part to be closer to his mother, Shelia, who is battling cancer.

"He's got a lot of things going on in his life right now," Huesman said. "Just too much going on in his life for school and football. That's the decision he made."

Sutherland, who did not travel with the Mocs to Presbyterian, got limited action with the offense in the first two games and returned three kicks and two punts. Redshirt sophomore defensive back Joel Bradford, from McCallie, handled all three punt returns against the Blue Hose, returning them for a combined 20 yards.

"Joel did a great job and I told him that," Huesman said.

True freshman tailback Chris Awuah took Sutherland's spot beside cornerback Buster Skrine as the deep men on kickoff returns and had one return for 29 yards.