Coach Russ Huesman, right, talks with UTC's Jeremiah Hay during practice Wednesday at Scrappy Moore Field.Although T.J. Jenkins grew up in the Tampa area and Jeremiah Hay was raised in Miami, both were raised similarly in one regard.
To dislike Florida State.
They will step on FSU's Doak Campbell Stadium field today for the first time, when their University of Tennessee at Chattanooga team faces the Seminoles. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. and will be shown on Fox Sports South as well as ESPN3.
Both Jenkins and Hay have family members making as much as six-hour drives to the game. Hay is a senior defensive back, while Jenkins is a sophomore linebacker. They have contributed primarily to special teams for UTC, with Jenkins being credited with seven tackles and a fumble recovery while Hay has six tackles.
"Both are great kids and we're glad to have them on the team," UTC coach Russ Huesman said. "They've been a huge part of our success here, there's no question about it. It's nice they get to go to their home state and play and perform; I'm sure that's important to them."
Hay is playing his last regular-season game for the Mocs. He's had quite a journey, starting with the Liberty City Warriors, a team run by legendary rapper (and coach) Luther Campbell, who is better known as Uncle Luke. A successful career at Booker T. Washington High School lended Hay an opportunity to walk on at Ole Miss, where he spent a season before transferring to Pasadena City College in California. He started six games at cornerback during the 2014 season for the Mocs.
His allegiances growing up were to - no surprise - the Miami Hurricanes.
"In my neighborhood, there were a lot of guys in high school that I looked up to when I was younger that went to the University of Miami," Hay said. "I was able to get a first-hand experience from those guys when they came back to the neighborhood on breaks about the rivalry between the U and Florida State, and the U against Florida.
"In my house, if you weren't about the U, you had to get up out of the house."
Jenkins played in all 14 games for the Mocs during his redshirt season and recorded 11 tackles and an interception. Huesman said earlier this week that the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder has a "bright future" with the team.
He had some family members who attended Florida, so he long has been a fan of the Gators.
"It's going to be fun," he said. "I can't wait to play (at FSU). I always dreamed of playing there, and seeing Florida play Florida State, the atmosphere seemed crazy."
There's still football to play after today's game, as the eighth-ranked Mocs will find out their FCS playoff fate Sunday morning in a selection show at 11. Hay said that as his career winds down, he's learning to "embrace the moment."
"At this point, I just feel I need to continue to take things day by day and be a leader by example for the younger guys," he said. "The closer and closer we get to the playoffs, I just want to be able to contribute as much as I can to the team, any way I can, whether it's on special teams or on defense.
"It's crazy that it's getting closer and closer, but I'm just going with the flow."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.