Chris Awuah started seven games last season, played in all 11 and was the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's leading rusher with 459 yards on 153 carries.
Four games into his sophomore season, he has run the ball only five times, for 17 yards. He's caught two passes after finishing last season with 17 receptions.
"We're trying to find him a spot," offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said, and UTC will try again Saturday in the Mocs' Southern Conference game at The Citadel (2-3, 0-2).
While Erroll Wynn, Keon Williams and J.J. Jackson - who has missed the past two games with a shoulder injury - have gotten most of the work at running back, Awuah has largely been left out of the mix for UTC (2-2, 1-1). His greatest contribution this season was his 9-yard touchdown pass to Marlon Anthony in the opener against Appalachian State.
"I love the kid," Satterfield said. "He's an awesome kid and a good player; it's just where we are as an offense right now."
The Mocs' running attack is primarily an inside power game, which isn't ideally suited for the 5-foot-9, 200-pound Awuah. Satterfield has tried to get the ball to him in the passing game.
"Against Western Carolina we schemed a play up for him to score a touchdown, and we didn't quite execute it to the best of our ability," Satterfield said, referring to a dropped pass by Awuah. "We had another little screen for him and ended up checking out of it."
Possible QB change
The Citadel coach Kevin Higgins said during his Monday news conference that he may start redshirt freshman Sam Martin at quarterback instead of true freshman Matt Thompson.
"As a true freshman, we may need to take a little pressure off of Matt Thompson," Higgins said, "but I would anticipate that they would be close to 50-50 as far as playing time."
Thompson has started the Bulldogs' past four games but was just 2-for-10 passing for 48 yards Saturday in a 24-13 loss to Western Carolina. Martin led two scoring drives in the third quarter.
Contact John Frierson at jfrierson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6268. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/mocsbeat.