Mocs glance
* No. 6 UTC (3-1, 1-0 SoCon) vs. Furman (3-2, 1-0)* Finley Stadium* Saturday, 1 p.m.* ESPN3 and 96.1 FM
Furman University's football team might be devoid of stars.
What the Paladins do have, though, is a leader.
Redshirt junior Reese Hannon has overcome injuries that stripped the quarterback of parts of his past two seasons. The 6-foot-1, 209-pounder from Greer, S.C., is the first three-year captain in the 109-year history of the program, and with another year of eligibility left, it's safe to assume he'll be its first four-time captain, too.
Hannon has passed for 921 yards and three touchdowns while helping the Paladins to a 3-2 start and 1-0 record in the Southern Conference going into Saturday's game against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga at Finley Stadium.
The Paladins have won three straight games after losses to Coastal Carolina - ranked first nationally in one Football Championship Subdivision poll and second in the other - and Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Virginia Tech. Hannon hasn't thrown an interception in the three wins, a streak that started with a 16-15 victory at UCF, which hadn't lost to an FCS opponent since joining the FBS in 1996.
"He's played a lot," Furman coach Bruce Fowler said Tuesday. "He was forced into action as a freshman and did a good job that year. The fact he's been elected captain three times speaks to his leadership and intangibles. He's our quarterback and leader all the way around in how he conducts himself. He does a great job for us.
"We do a lot of things on offense - operating under the center some, also in the shotgun - and he does a great job of getting us lined up. He knows where everybody is supposed to be and is very, very aware of what we're trying to do."
The way Hannon accomplishes that also makes a difference.
"He doesn't get rattled and continues to battle," Fowler said. "He comes ready to play no matter the circumstances and expects everyone around him to do the same thing."
UTC coaches have only faced Hannon once, during his freshman season in 2012. Hannon threw for 184 yards but was sacked four times as the Mocs rolled the Paladins 31-10 in Greenville, S.C.
However, UTC head coach Russ Huesman was sold when Hannon had 231 yards and a touchdown against Clemson in what was his second career start.
"The leadership aspect is what he brings to the team," Huesman said. "Furman seems to always win when he's playing. There's something about him - he's not the fastest guy in the world, but he runs well enough to beat you with his feet. They don't throw it a ton, but when they do, he's accurate.
"People rally around certain people and follow. The bright lights don't affect him. He's a really good player one of the best in the league, in my opinion."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/genehenleytfp.