UTC's Davis Tull (90) looks to the sidelines.
Chattanooga's Keon Williams runs against The Citadel.
Photo: Paul Zoeller/Charleston Post & CourierAlmost forgotten in all the hype surrounding the outcome of today's University of Tennessee at Chattanooga home football game against Wofford is the fact that it's senior day. But that's just fine with the Mocs' 13 seniors, who admitted this week that being honored for all they've accomplished in helping turn the program around is secondary to the on-field task at hand.
"I'm just trying to focus on the game itself," said fifth-year senior linebacker Muhasibi Wakeel. "There's too much to think about as far as preparing for Wofford to worry about anything else. I know it's our last home game, but that's on the back burner. I'm thinking more about getting this win before I even think about anything else."
All but one of the 13 seniors who will be honored today get significant playing time, and all -- Wakeel; running backs Marquis Green, Taharin Tyson and Keon Williams; receiver Tommy Hudson; defensive linemen Derrick Lott, Zach Rayl, Daniel Ring and Davis Tull; offensive linemen Chris Mayes and Channing Smith; punter Nick Pollard and tight end Faysal Shafaat -- have been building blocks in the program's turnaround.
"It's a very special class," Mocs coach Russ Huesman said. "They're all tremendous young men, good students, hard workers, and they have been a big part of helping us get things going in the right direction. We're going to miss them when their time here is up, but right now we've still got work to do."
This class has won at least six games every year but one that they've been together. They won eight games and shared the Southern Conference championship last year. Hudson, Tull, Lott, Pollard, Shafaat and Williams are among the program's career statistical leaders in several categories.
A win today would secure UTC's first outright league title and playoff berth in 30 years.
"That's really all I'm thinking about, is finishing the job this time," Shafaat said. "We had the chance to do that last year and let it slip away, so as seniors there's no way we want that to happen again. After we do that, then you can start to look back on what all we've done here.
"I do remember coming in as a freshman and B.J. (Coleman) told us we would blink once and this would all be over. Turns out he was right. It went by just that fast. It means a lot, knowing we helped take the program from losing seasons to where we are now."
Added Rayl, one of six redshirt seniors who have been with the Mocs for five years: "It seems like it's a culmination, like everything is coming together. It's senior day, our last home game unless we get to host one in the playoffs, and there's a championship right there if we win.
"When Coach Huesman recruited us in, this is what he said we were setting out to do -- turn things around. He sold us on being a part of the team that was going to change things here, and I'm proud that's what we've done. It's been amazing to be a part of that and get to experience it with guys you've gotten so close to."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.