Blue team wide receiver Kota Nix, right, reaches the end zone trailed by white team defensive back Tae Davis during the UTC spring football game at Finley Stadium on Saturday, April 23, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn.Call it a "get-back" day for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team's defense.
Disappointed by its performance in the preseason's first scrimmage a week earlier, the Mocs defense intercepted UTC quarterbacks four times during Saturday morning's scrimmage at Finley Stadium.
With all of the starting slots pretty much locked up, the game that signaled the end of the preseason - the Mocs now turn their attention to the Sept. 1 season opener against Shorter - was primarily meant to see how backups expected to contribute had progressed.
"We don't have to get 44 players playing," UTC coach Russ Huesman said. "We do have to get where we can roll guys in - three tackles, three ends, six to seven linemen. I think we are getting closer. Some guys are coming along, so we will watch this film and see what happens."
Junior safety Tae Davis had two interceptions and redshirt freshman K.J. Roper had one, as did junior defensive end D.J. Prather, who read a screen pass, tipped it to himself and ran 50 yards to the end zone.
"It's been a long camp, and we've had our ups and downs, but we continued to fight through," Davis said. "To come out and play good today just shows how mentally tough we are as a defense and how much we've grown over camp."
Davis was one of the players who sprinted downfield to congratulate the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Prather after the score. He initially believed Prather had dropped the ball, but his mood changed when the former Gordon Central standout began running.
"I was pretty excited," Davis said. "Coach says we never celebrate, so I had to make sure they knew I was going to celebrate with them."
Isaiah Mack, Joshua Phillips and redshirt transfer Hawk Schrider each had a sack, while Keionta Davis and Justin King were credited with forcing a safety.
Freshman quarterback Zack Weatherly completed half of his 14 passes for 110 yards, including a nice 50-yard completion to Dejuan McQuarters. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound receiver hauled in the pass on the run and jogged in for the score.
McQuarters was the team's leading receiver, with 102 yards on three catches. Derrick Craine and James Stovall each caught a touchdown pass from top quarterback Alejandro Bennifield, who played sparingly.
Tyler Roberson, his backup, passed for 74 yards and rushed for 24. He ran for a score one play after hooking up with McQuarters on a 44-yard completion.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Durden praised the play of his quarterbacks.
"I thought Tyler moved the first-team offense," Durden said. "We weren't one-dimensional. Tyler made some quality throws and showed an ability to read the defense. Zach came in and I thought made some really good plays. He's kind of a combination of both of those guys (Bennifield and Roberson) - he can run it and throw it."
Durden said the offense wasn't as sharp as he would have liked and that the quarterbacks need to eliminate turnovers, but that "overall I was pleased."
The Mocs return to practice Tuesday afternoon, but coaches have work to do before then. Huesman said he likes to review video from the previous year's preseason camp to measure his team's growth.
"It's hard to gauge how good we are right now until we line up and play somebody," he said. "I'm not real sure I think we've got some talented players."
Fun for fans
UTC's annual "Meet the Mocs" event is today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the First Tennessee Pavilion in conjunction with the Chattanooga Market.
All of the school's sports teams, the spirit squad and UTC mascot Scrappy are scheduled to attend, with schedule cards, posters and autographs available.
From 11 to 1, the teams present will be cross country, track and field, volleyball and women's golf. The football Mocs - who will take their team picture at 12:30 at Finley - will be there from 1 to 2. The final two hours are for men's basketball, men's golf, men's tennis, softball, women's basketball, women's tennis and wrestling.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.