Original Huesman assistants provide continuity for UTC

Receiver coach Will Healy gathers the offense as the Mocs take over in the fourth quarter of a game against Western Carolina in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

B.J. Hogan

Before he could even begin recruiting players into the program, the first thing University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman had to do when he was hired was to put together a staff.

Now six years later one of the biggest reasons for the Mocs' steady climb toward the top of the Southern Conference has been the consistency of keeping a group of those original assistants together.

Whether through recruiting or as on-field tutors, the reliable presence of receivers coach Will Healy, defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator B.J. Hogan and defensive line coach Marcus West has been a key ingredient in the Mocs winning consecutive league titles and earning a playoff berth this season.

"It's huge to keep that core group of guys on the staff," Huesman said. "You're going to have turnover, but having those guys for this long has really been a big part of what we've built here. The thing about each of those guys is that they're all fine young men. The kids and parents love them and trust them, and I think the sky's the limit for all of them because of the type people they are and because they're all really good coaches."

Healy and West were two of the first hires Huesman made when he took his alma mater's job. It helped that Healy -- who played at Richmond while Huesman was working there -- had knowledge of the Mocs program as a native Chattanoogan, and his outgoing personality helped him quickly move up to recruiting coordinator, helping secure last year's top-rated signing class among FCS teams.

West has had two defensive linemen earn All-America honors and seven named all-conference, and Hogan has had two players go on and play in the NFL.

Marcus West, defensive line coach, jumps on Davis Tull.

"We always felt like it was a place that could be a top-tier program," Healy said. "For me it was a great opportunity to move back home and be with a coach I had already known for five years and had a lot of confidence in. We've come a long way, both as a program and all of us individually.

"I remember the day Marcus got here and was moving in. I hopped in the car with him and his brother, and we just hit it off like we'd known each other our whole lives."

Healy introduced West to his future wife, and all three original Huesman assistants have continued a Thursday "date night" tradition of having dinner together with their families.

"We're all friends for life -- forever," West said. "You know in this business that guys are going to get offers to move on in their career, but that part won't change for us. The Healys have been unbelievable to me. I consider them my family. I could walk in for their family Christmas and sit down and feel right at home.

"We started in a small office with four desks, and we've put six years of our lives and dedication into building this program. I'm about as proud of what we've already accomplished as Coach Huesman. I do think a big part of that success is the continuation of having kids coached the same way from the same person for their whole career."

Having young, energetic and knowledgeable assistants can be both a blessing and an annual dilemma since an FCS program's success typically means those assistants are offered jobs at bigger programs. The Mocs have experienced losing 15 assistants in five years, and Hogan recently announced he will be leaving at the end of this season.

"The coolest part for me is the pride that our guys now take in this program," Healy said. "They're proud now to play football for Chattanooga. That's very different than what it was like when we first got here. I remember when we first got here having to talk to players about what they wore out because it looked really bad. None of our guys wanted to wear Chattanooga stuff out in public.

"Now they want people to know they're a part of this program. That kind of thing is personal for all of us because we know how much work we've put in to help get it to where it is now."

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.