Wiedmer: Do Marcus West's Monday dinners lead to UTC's Saturday wins?

UTC Mocs defensive line coach Marcus West cheers on his squad during the inaugural game of Austin Peay State University's new Governors Stadium.
UTC Mocs defensive line coach Marcus West cheers on his squad during the inaugural game of Austin Peay State University's new Governors Stadium.

Until Monday's installment of the Chattanooga Quarterback Club's weekly luncheon, most University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football fans believed the No. 3 Mocs' lone loss to FCS No. 1 Jacksonville State was due to the Gamecocks' superior play.

Turns out it may have been the singular fault of UTC super fan Pam Henry.

Say what?

It seems that little more than 29 months ago, when Mocs defensive line coach Marcus West's wife, Nikki, decided to follow former UTC women's basketball coach Wes Moore to North Carolina State, Henry promised Nikki that if she wouldn't make Marcus go to N.C. State with her, she'd do everything she could to keep him fed well while the couple maintained a long-distance marriage.

"And Pam Henry has cooked dinner for me every Monday night for the past three seasons," West told the Quarterback Club.

Well, almost every Monday night.

"I'm not sure what happened, but I missed the Monday night before the Jacksonville State game," Henry explained. "And you saw the result. I promise I won't miss another one this season."

Hence the Mocs' 7-0 record since that missed Monday. Hence a fine alternative explanation for that opening-night, 23-20 home loss at Finley Stadium.

Not that West is really blaming Henry.

"She's a good cook," he said, calling her Mexican chicken casserole and apple crisp pie "unbelievable. But she's a great person. She's been so great to Nikki and me while we both chase our career dreams."

West certainly has been great for the Mocs since joining head coach Russ Huesman's initial staff seven seasons ago. In his first six years on the job, he produced 11 total All-Southern Conference defensive-line selections and four SoCon defensive player of the year winners. Beyond that, 2014 standouts Derrick Lott (Tampa Bay) and Davis Tull (New Orleans) are both on NFL rosters, with Tull - a three-time SoCon player of the year recipient - currently on injured reserve.

Little wonder then that as QB Club president Doug Dyer introduced West as Monday's speaker he referred to Lott and Tull, noting that their explanations for superior performances at UTC always began with the following 10 words: "I just always do what Coach West has taught me."

As the Mocs begin two weeks of toil and trouble by traveling to dangerous Mercer this Saturday and host No. 22 The Citadel in the home finale on Nov. 14, West believes what this coaching staff has most taught these players "ws finding a way to win.

"I go back to the Appalachian State game two years ago. Or to VMI this year. Against VMI we're down 21-10 on the road. We had every reason to hang our heads and say, 'Maybe we're not as good as we thought we were.' Instead, we fought back and won. Our goal is to get (another SoCon) ring. We want to keep winning, get a bye in the playoffs and try to host as many games as possible. Now that we're No. 3, we've got a chance to make that happen."

For players such as Tull, those lessons on how to become a winner have forged a bond with the alma mater that continues to strengthen.

"Davis just sent the defensive line a box of custom-made Nikes," West said. "On one heel was stamped 'DLU' (Defensive Line University). On the other was our name or nickname. On mine he put 'Vern,' which is my nickname."

But it's not just West's defensive linemen who have begun to see UTC football as a special fraternity. The coach also spoke of former Moc and NFL superstar Terrell Owens' return to campus this past weekend for homecoming against Western Carolina.

"T.O. was unbelievable, the way he hung out with us," West said. "He ran routes with the receivers on Thursday. He came to meetings on Friday. He spoke to the team. It's another example of how winning brings a sense of pride to your school."

West is also pretty proud of his own school - the University of Memphis - these days, what with the Tigers a perfect 8-0 and ranked 15th in the FBS.

Recalling his own time in the Bluff City, when he was All-Conference USA as both a junior and a senior, West grinned and said, "Yeah, this is the best they've been since I was there in 2001 through 2005."

No one knows how good the Mocs can be by season's end. But Henry vows that no future loss will be because she failed to bring a hot dinner to West's office on a Monday evening.

"If we lose again, it won't be because of me," she said.

Said West: "If we wind up winning a title, Russ should get Pam a ring."

Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.

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