This week has become a special time for University of Tennessee at Chattanooga offensive lineman Synjen Herren. A season ago, he could only watch as the team prepared for opponents as the former Northwest Whitfield standout had torn his ACL in the team's last scrimmage of the fall. Saturday will be the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder's first game since the 2013 finale against Alabama.
"It's been a long time coming, especially for me personally," Herren said Tuesday. "By game week, everybody is tired of hitting everybody from camp, so it's good to have an opponent now. Everybody has jitters and are ready for the game."
Herren said that the offensive line was basically thrown into the fire a year ago, with three players playing in their second game as college players. What they saw was a JSU defensive front that featured Auburn transfers Devaunte Sigler and Chris Landrum; and Alabama transfer LaMichael Fanning that dominated the Mocs, holding them to 111 yards of total offense in the 27-24 win.
"They beat us physically. We didn't help the team by any means," Herren said. "It's nice that they played for those (SEC schools), but right now they play for Jacksonville State and that's who they are; just an opponent like everyone else and we've gotta focus on them being Jacksonville State and beating them."
The celebration that almost was
It wasn't an immediate reaction, but moments after former UTC punt returner Tommy Hudson crossed the goal line - causing a raucous celebration on the sideline and completing what would have been an improbable comeback victory over Jacksonville State a season ago - linebacker Nakevion Leslie heard a negative reaction, turned back and saw the flag on the field.
"When I saw the flag, it cut deep," Leslie said Tuesday. "It hurt my heart, but I knew it was getting called back. When I started hearing the whistles and saw everybody looking around, I knew."
Depth chart released
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team released its two-deep depth chart for the Jacksonville State game.
Very little has changed since the first day of fall camp on Aug. 3, as most players have solidified their positions through their play through the month of practices.
The biggest changes are on the defensive side of the ball where Sema'je Kendall, who played primarily at the Dime position during the 2014 season, has been moved to cornerback. He is currently listed as an "or" at the corner along with redshirt freshman C.J. Fritz. All-Southern Conference freshman selection Trevor Wright, who totaled 50 tackles a season ago, has been moved to the dime.
UTC head coach Russ Huesman said recently that his goal has been to "get 11 guys on the field that can make plays."
At the left end position, senior Toyvian Brand and junior Vantrel McMillan are expected to split reps, as are sophomore Taylor Reynolds and redshirt freshman Isaiah Mack at the defensive tackle position.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.