UTC wide receiver Marlon Anthony receives a pass during voluntary practice Thursday.Marlon Anthony knows that a lot is expected of him this fall.
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga quarterback B.J. Coleman said it's time for the wide receiver "to come along" and "take over." Mocs offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, meanwhile, has told him he's not yet living up to his potential.
"Coach Satt, he keeps telling me that I'm an underachiever, and I try to tune it out," Anthony said. "But then again, it might be true. My one goal is to prove him wrong.
"I just feel like Coach Satt, what he sees in me he hasn't seen from me yet."
As a redshirt freshman in 2010, the 6-foot-5 (and maybe taller) Anthony caught 17 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns. It was a productive first season, especially considering catches were hard to come by due to Coleman's top targets, Joel Bradford and Brian Sutherland, combining for 131 receptions.
Bradford is back for his senior season, and following the graduation of Garrett Hughes and Chris Pitchford and Sutherland leaving the program, Anthony is the No. 2 returning receiver.
Anthony was having an outstanding spring before a minor knee injury sidelined him for the second half of spring practice. He's back at 100 percent now and has been in town working out with the team and going to summer school.
One area where Anthony knows he needs to improve is in taking advantage of his size and long wingspan.
"The jump ball, I should get it every time," said the former three-star recruit from Acworth, Ga. "There's times when I would go up, but not go up as high as I can, and then the ball would get batted down. I do need to use my height more."
Anthony caught his first touchdown pass on a trick play in the Mocs' opener against Appalachian State, a 9-yard grab on a ball thrown by running back Chris Awuah.
He said his second TD, against Eastern Kentucky, was more meaningful because it was a well executed play that should, because of his size, work over and over again.
"It was in the corner on the left side, near our locker room, and it was a fade," he said. "Once I caught that I was like, this is going to be my play."
Anthony should have plenty of chances to make it this season now that his role on the team is even larger.