Mocs' Huesman on the mend

photo UTC quarterback Jacob Huesman looks over notes during a preseason practice at Scrappy Moore Field.

Jacob Huesman was having a very good summer up until a few weeks ago when the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga redshirt freshman quarterback was diagnosed with a mild case of mononucleosis.

The mono kept him out of workouts for two weeks and he was cleared to start light workouts Monday. He helped keep the offense organized during Tuesday's throwing session, but Terrell Robinson ran all of the plays. It may be another week or so before he's given the green light to do everything.

Huesman, who is expected to challenge Robinson for the starting job and play plenty this season regardless of who starts, said he has ground to make up with the start of preseason practice on Aug. 3, fast approaching.

"It wasn't as bad as it could have been," Huesman said. "But to be out for two weeks, I felt like I got kind of far behind."

Mentally, Huesman said, he didn't really miss anything because he was still studying and getting in mental reps. But physically, he said has to regain a little weight.

After working so hard in the first half of the summer, Huesman said it ultimately might not have been a bad thing to have had to take it easy for a couple of weeks.

"I'd been going from Day 1, in the weight room every day, watching film every day, throwing and coming down here doing footwork every day -- it gave me a little bit of a break," Huesman said.

That break is over and now the son of Mocs coach Russ Huesman is hoping to be going all out when practice begins a week from Friday.

Two-star safety walking on

The Mocs won a July battle against Georgia Southern this week when William Beaird, a former safety at Brentwood Academy, decided to walk on at UTC.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Beaird, rated a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, originally signed with Navy in 2011 and spent last year at the Navy Academy Preparatory School. Instead of accepting his appointment to Annapolis, however, Beaird decided to play elsewhere.

"I came back home and looked for a new home," he said. "It was a rocky path, but I ended up at UTC and I'm happy with my decision."

Beaird, who has all four years of eligibility left, played at Brentwood with Mocs wide receiver signee Al Thompson and also knows Navy transfer defensive tackle Chris Mayes. UTC also has a couple of former Tennessee Volunteers walk-ons joining the team in wide receiver/defensive back Nick Branum and quarterback Tyler Page.

Media day

Coach Russ Huesman, senior right tackle Adam Miller and junior safety D.J. Key are in Spartanburg, S.C., today for the Southern Conference media day. All nine SoCon teams will have their coach and two players available for the session with media from across the league.

The SoCon will be streaming interviews with the league's coaches at SoConSports.com, starting at 1:30 p.m. Huesman is scheduled to appear at 3 p.m.

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