UTC football assistant coach leaving the program

photo B.J. Hogan

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football assistant B.J. Hogan has announced he will be leaving the program at the end of this season. Hogan, who coaches cornerbacks and is the Mocs special teams coordinator, has been on the staff all six years of head coach Russ Huesman's tenure.

He has accepted an offer to become the head coach at his high school alma mater, Cardinal O'Hara, where he played defensive back and helped that team to a Catholic League championship in 2000. The school is located in Springfield (PA), about 10 miles outside of Philadelphia.

"It's a great opportunity for him," Huesman said. "That's his home and his future wife is from there as well, so we wish B.J. and his family all the best. He's meant a lot to our program. He's been very loyal, has recruited well and coached up the players under him, so he will be missed."

Two former Mocs coached by Hogan have gone on to play in the NFL - Buster Skrine (Browns) and Chris Lewis-Harris (Bengals) and former cornerback Kadeem Wise broke the program's freshman record with six interceptions in 2010.

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The Mocs have finished in the top five in the FCS in passing defense with Hogan coaching and currently rank third in the Southern Conference in that category.

"This was the only job I would have even considered leaving for," Hogan said. "I love Chattanooga. But the chance to go home and be a head coach is the next challenge for me in my career. It's a great opportunity for me to share the experiences I had at that school with the kids playing there now.

"I've learned a ton from Coach Huesman and grown so much since being here. I'll miss the friendships on the staff and the kids but I'm proud of what we've accomplished since we all came here. Being a part of taking us from where we were to where we are now, going to the playoffs and the chance to compete for a championship, that's really special."

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