Greeson: We think Mocs ready for big step

photo UTC Mocs logo

You can make an argument that the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team sits at the crossroad.

Win today and the playoffs are a certainty. Lose and you put the next step of your program in the shifty hands of others.

This is the Mocs' chance to take the step.

UTC is more experienced and more talented than every team in the Southern Conference, including Wofford, today's opponent. We all know Wofford is supremely well-coached: Mike Ayers knows what he's doing and always gets more out of his guys than most expect.

Still, it's easy to believe UTC's biggest hurdle will be the moment.

We'll explain, but let's examine the numbers that could be of interest today.

One, Wofford runs the ball first, last and almost always, averaging right at 297 yards rushing and only 79 yards passing per game. For those who follow SoCon football, this is not a surprise. There are mixed signals from that rushing total, however.

Follow along: The good sign for the Terriers is they average a smidge less than 6 yards per carry. Simple math tells us that can move some chains. The bad is that they are right at even on the season in time of possession. Ergo, it means the Terriers have had a handful of big plays to bolster that rushing average as opposed to being a more traditional, grinding option team that stays ahead of the chains.

Five Wofford players have runs for 30 or more yards this year, including Ray Smith's 92-yard run. (Don't get spoiled by all this research.)

The sneaky stat that plays into the Terriers' advantage is that they have been terrific defensively in the red zone. Wofford has allowed only 16 touchdowns in its opponents' 32 trips inside its 20, and that number is much better -- 4 of 13 -- against SoCon foes. That's excellent.

Still, the moment and the magnitude lend the edge to experience, and Wofford has all of seven seniors on its roster. Seven.

So numbers and experience put to the side, the only question that matters is simply, "Are the Mocs ready to grab the title?"

We believe they are, and they will have to be, because Ayers and Co. will not gift-wrap it for anyone.

So are they ready for the pressure and the magnitude and meaning? Are they ready for the next step -- a much-needed step into the playoffs -- that a lot of folks think should have happened a season ago?

Are they ready to grow, because, in truth, maturation can be a difficult process -- we've been able to avoid it so far -- that comes only by doing the meaningful things in the meaningful moments.

Are they ready?

We think so.

Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com

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