Chattanooga Mocs hope to contain Curtis

photo Former Calhoun prep player Chandler Curtis has given Mercer a lift in his freshman year as an outsanding kickoff and punt returner, giving the Mocs a challenge Saturday. Wide receiver J.T. Palmer is another Calhoun graduate playing for the Bears.

Mocs GlanceMERCER (5-3, 1-3) at UTC (4-3, 3-0)Saturday, NoonFinley Stadium96.1 FM; American Sports Network TV

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football staff is well aware of the explosive talents of Mercer freshman Chandler Curtis. Afterall the Mocs heavily recruited the former Calhoun High School star receiver, only to see him wind up signing with the Bears.

Curtis was one of the few players targeted by the Mocs who got away in last February's heralded signing class and UTC's task now is to make sure he doesn't elude them on the field. Curtis has been nothing short of electric in the return game for Mercer, leading the FCS in punt returns (26.2 average) and is tops in the Southern Conference in all-purpose yards (138), and second in kickoff returns (25.2). He has brought back three punts and a kickoff for touchdowns so far and had another kick returned for a score called back by penalty last week.

"That's amazing to do what he's done as a true freshman," UTC coach Russ Huesman said. "We knew he was a good player and tried hard to get him. He was really good in high school, from a good program. He's legit, no question about that. He's got good natural instincts and ball skills, can make people miss and knows where to go with it."

UTC leads the SoCon in kickoff coverage and 11 of Nick Pollard's 22 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks. The Mocs are also second in the league in punt coverage, allowing just 2.6 yards per return.

"Every week we make decisions, whether it's an offensive player or a special teams player, on how to take good players out of the game. But the bottom line is he's going to have his hands on the ball some, and we have to get him on the ground."

The 5-foot-10, 186-pound Curtis, who has been named either SoCon freshman of the week or special teams player of the week three consecutive weeks, has 35 touches on the year with nine of those going for touchdowns. He has a team-leading 14 returns that have gone for 20-plus yards and is joined by classmate Alex Lakes, the Bears running back who averages 103 rushing yards, are among the 21 players named to the Jerry Rice Award watch list, given to the nation's top FCS freshman.

"Chandler is a dynamic player," said Mercer coach Bobby Lamb, the brother of Calhoun coach Hal Lamb. "We've created more opportunities to get him the ball because f we can get him in space he's shown his ability to change the game in one play."

Although the Bears are one of the youngest teams in the country -- 23 true freshmen, 8 redshirt freshmen, 54 sophomores, 9 juniors and 1 senior on the roster -- they returned all but one starter from last year's 10-win team and now have one of the most dangerous offenses in FCS. They lead the conference in scoring offense (33.9 ppg), total offense (419.6) and pass efficiency.

Mercer also has the league's leading rusher in Lakes, who averages 6.4 yards per carry, as well as the top passer in John Russ, who averages 183 passing yards. The Bears, whose offense is balanced with 217.6 rushing and 202 passing yards per game, have outscored opponents 90-38 in the first quarter and their three league losses are by an average of just seven points.

Curtis and UTC punt returner Tommy Hudson are two of the leading returners at the FCS level and either could play a big role in Saturday's SoCon showdown. Hudson is the first UTC player to return two punts for TDs in the same season since the Mocs became a D-I program. He had a third called back by penalty.

Curtis is one of two former Calhoun players making key contributions to the Bears this season. Felllow receiver J.T. Palmer (6-2, 209) leads the team with 437 receiving yards and four TDs.

"J.T. is our go-to guy on third down," Lamb said. "He's a big, big receiver and has been a solid player. My brother really doesn't have much choice but to send his good players to us as much as possible, and I'm glad for it."

Mercer series has history

Saturday's game will be the 25th meeting between the teams (UTC leads 17-6-1), but the first since 1941. UTC won that game, the season finale for both, 40-13 on Nov. 26. About two weeks before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and Mercer dropped its program soon after. Mercer brought back football last year, setting an NCAA record for first-year programs with 10 wins. The Bears began playing a SoCon schedule this season.

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

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