The 2017 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football season featured a learning curve for everyone in the program.
Some staff members, while trying to get a feel for both the Football Championship Subdivision as well as the Southern Conference in the Mocs' first year under head coach Tom Arth, needed the season to implement their plan.
Learning a different style of play was the challenge for those who suited up, with some players living off a past that included 28 wins in their first three seasons at UTC, all of them capped by postseason berths. But a lot of players were inexperienced, and changes to the schemes meant they were forced to learn new systems during their first years on the field.
Now, with schemes in place and players returning with experience, the Mocs hope to take a step forward in Arth's second season.
Today, the Times Free Press gives a position-by-position look at the prospective 2018 roster:
UTC's Nick Tiano and Malcolm White (56) during the Mocs's 63-7 win over VMI on Sept. 23, 2017. (Dale Rutemeye/UTC Athletics)QUARTERBACK
There was a turnstile behind center in 2017, with four players taking snaps over the course of the 11-game schedule - hardly a recipe for success. Preseason All-SoCon pick Alejandro Bennifield's senior season lasted only nine snaps, with a four-game NCAA suspension followed by a concussion against Western Carolina. But junior Nick Tiano, who started the first four games, and sophomore Cole Copeland, who finished the season with six starts, will return in 2018. Both had moments - Tiano's 249-yard, four-touchdown game against Virginia Military Institute stands out, as does Copeland's UTC freshman-record 317-yard passing performance against Furman in his first start - but they combined for 19 interceptions and 13 touchdowns. The Mocs' additions during last week's early signing period included sophomore Chris James, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound dual-threat quarterback with three years of eligibility remaining.
RUNNING BACK
The Mocs ran for at least 100 yards in a game just three times last season, and gone are three guys - Bennifield, Richardre Bagley and Darrell Bridges - who combined for all but 119 of the team's rushing yards. Coaches have emphasized recruiting bigger backs who can run between the tackles, and they found three during the early signing period: junior Tyrell Price and freshmen Isaiah Cobb and Josiah Futrel, each at least 6-feet and 200 pounds. They'll join senior Alex Trotter - who rushed for 113 yards and showed potential this year, particularly when he had some big carries in a 23-21 upset victory at Samford - and redshirt freshman Chris Broadwater, another 6-footer who weighs more than 200 pounds.
UTC wide receiver Bingo Morton (5) is tackled by Furman cornerback DiMarcus Clay in a play that took him out of the game during the Mocs' home football game against the Furman Paladins at Finley Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, in Chattanooga, Tenn.WIDE RECEIVERS
Three of the top four returning receivers are back for their senior seasons after combining for 89 catches and 952 yards in 2017: Bingo Morton, UTC's leader in catches and co-leader in touchdowns this year; Joseph Parker, second on the team in receiving yards; and Wil Young, who had some big catches late in the season. They'll be joined by senior Dejuan McQuarters, sophomore Bryce Nunnelly and redshirt freshmen Jordan Ferguson and Jeffrey Wood. Seniors Kota Nix and Cody Swabek could help as well, and T.J. Horton and Lameric Tucker signed this past week.
TIGHT ENDS
All-SoCon second-team selection Bailey Lenoir returns for his senior season; after him this position group is extremely talented but inexperienced. Three sophomores and three freshmen return, and the Mocs have signed the versatile Logan Pitts, who had more than 1,000 receiving yards his senior season at Alabama's Hewitt-Trussville High School and was a Class 7A all-state selection. UTC tight ends caught 19 passes in 2017, the most since Faysal Shafaat's 34 during an All-American 2014 campaign, so passing targets are a necessity in coordinator Justin Rascati's offense - and the Mocs have options here.
OFFENSIVE LINE
This was the most inconsistent part of the offense, and early in the season the Mocs struggled mightily, with a 6-yard performance and a 7-yard performance during the first six games. The linemen had some good moments as well, though, and having had a year in the scheme is a plus now. Six who started at least one game are back, including tackles Taylor Helton and Malcolm White, with both of them starting all 11. A third 11-game starter, all-conference center Josh Cardiello, has graduated, but the early signees included Mississippi State transfer Harrison Moon and Georgia all-state pick Dylan Cole. Moon could be in the mix to replace Cardiello, and there is talk of coaches targeting more prospects for the line before the season begins.
DEFENSIVE LINE
New defensive coordinator Matt Feeney isn't expected to make any sweeping changes to the scheme, and 10 players with starting experience return on that side of the ball. Two of those - Isaiah Mack and Derek Mahaffey - started all 11 games on the defensive line and were named to the all-conference second team. In addition, Telvin Jones had a solid season in the tackle spot. The Mocs must replace Taylor Reynolds, who started all 11 games at one of the defensive end spots, and in line to do that is a lot of youth. Sophomore Jonathan Decker could be in the mix, as could redshirt freshman Devonnsha Maxwell - coaches are high on him - and incoming freshman Mychal Austin. The Mocs have two defensive line commitments for the 2018 signing class, though neither signed during the early period.
LINEBACKERS
Feeney took Tae Davis, a backup safety who had been a special teams ace for three seasons, and turned him into a linebacker who has been invited to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, one of the most prestigious senior showcases in the country. But Davis, Dale Warren - another showcase bowl invitee - and T.J. Jenkins were seniors this season, so figuring out who will replace three inside linebackers will be key. Tavon Lawson, who started the first six games before an injury, will be back. So will Michael Bean, who could fill the other inside spot. Juniors Khayyan Edwards and Hawk Schrider return at outside linebacker after solid first seasons there. They'll be pushed by Demond Ross, a redshirt freshman whose potential has impressed coaches. Signed this past week were Simon Miskelley and Nyvin Nelson.
UTC's C.J. Fritz (6) defends against a Jacksonville receiver. The University of Chattanooga Mocs met the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff at the Carmton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., on Aug. 26, 2017. DEFENSIVE BACKS
This unit figures to have plenty of experience despite the loss of four-time first-team All-SoCon safety Lucas Webb and cornerback Trevor Wright, who started 39 games in his UTC career. Senior C.J. Fritz will be back to man one of the cornerback positions. As for the spot starting opposite of him, there could be a battle between sophomore D.J. Jackson, who started two games as a freshman, and senior Markell Boston, who started before an upper body injury sidelined him for the season. Jerrell Lawson and Kareem Orr could be in the lead for the starting safety spots, and Orr has experience at nickel back, as do sophomores Brandon Dowdell and Rashun Freeman. The Mocs signed three-star defensive back Kohl Henke during the early period and picked up a commitment from Atlanta defensive back Blaine Gibson over the weekend.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Victor Ulmo was solid in his freshman season, making nine of his 12 field-goal attempts and all but one of his 23 extra-point tries. He kicked a game-winning 39-yard field goal to defeat eighth-ranked Samford on Oct. 28 in Birmingham, Ala., and he hit a 44-yarder - his longest in college - against Mercer. Colin Brewer averaged 39.9 yards on 60 punts and has a career average of 40.2 yards. Dowdell finished fifth in the country in punt return average (12.6 yards) as a freshman, and he'll be also used on kick returns, a role in which Joseph Parker could contribute, too.
SCHEDULE
After a brutal stretch to start the 2017 season, the schedule lightens up some for the Mocs next year. They will open Sept. 1 with a home game against Tennessee Tech, which will be breaking in new coach Dewayne Alexander, who was hired Friday. Then they start conference play early, with a game at The Citadel before going back into nonconference play with a trip to UT-Martin. The Mocs have home games against SoCon foes Mercer, Samford, Virginia Military Institute and Wofford, with the remaining away dates for league play against East Tennessee State, Furman and Western Carolina. They will end the regular season with a Nov. 17 road trip to the Southeastern Conference's South Carolina.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.