If University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman contracted a colossal case of overconfidence this season, no one could blame him. Even the school's own preseason press release has as its first major note: "UTC returns a total of 47 lettermen from the 2015 campaign. It is the most returning lettermen from one season to the next in Huesman's tenure."
And those aren't 47 returning lettermen from a team that went 3-8. Those are 47 returning lettermen from an NCAA Division I Football Championship Series playoff team that has now won outright or shared three straight Southern Conference titles and is the heavy favorite to capture its fourth in a row.
Yet when asked his thoughts on this year Wednesday afternoon, the first afternoon of preseason practice, Huesman gave no indication he could become cocky.
"I have zero confidence," he said. "I never feel good. You're dealing with 18-, 19- and 20-year-old kids. If someone says he's confident, he's lying to you."
So even though sophomore running back Alex Trotter, the slippery McCallie School product, said, "There was a big change in work ethic this summer - more heart, more determination to go further in the playoffs," Huesman worries.
Even though junior wide receiver and Bradley Central grad James Stovall - he of the three touchdown catches in last season's final two games - added, "We've made (winning) a culture here we don't accept conference championships only," his coach worries.
And maybe that's a good thing. Mocs football hadn't qualified for a single playoff game since 1984 when Huesman returned to his alma mater on Dec. 22, 2008, less than a week after Richmond won the national title at UTC's Finley Stadium with Huesman as the Spiders' defensive coordinator.
The turnabout has been both remarkable and sustained, with Huesman guiding the Mocs to a 6-5 record his first season, which equaled the number of wins the program had produced in the three years combined before his arrival.
But that was just a glimpse of what he was building. The past three years have produced a combined record of 27-12, back-to-back playoff berths the past two autumns and a consistent spot in the FCS top 10 polls.
Nor does there seem any real danger of that success declining, at least not judging by Wednesday's words from players such as Stovall and Trotter.
"Everyone gave their best this summer (in the voluntary workouts)," Stovall said. "Just the camaraderie on this team. We don't want to let each other down. Almost no one skipped a workout this summer. Basically the whole team was here every time. We showed up and we showed out."
Added Trotter: "(The summer workout dedication) has changed. We had lots of guys come back and work out. Almost everybody."
The most important one of those Mocs spending the summer in the Scenic City was undoubtedly junior quarterback Alejandro Bennifield, who must replace the almost impossible to replace Jacob Huesman, the coach's son who was a three-time SoCon offensive player of the year.
"Everybody's a leader in his own way," Stovall said. "But Jacob was unique. He was quiet when he needed to be quiet. He was vocal when the team needed him to be vocal. It was amazing how well he understood each person, what each of us needed from him."
Yet Stovall is equally quick to praise Bennifield's leadership skills.
"His poise," the receiver added. "Just the way he carries himself. He's always on a mission, always striving to be the best, whether it's on the field or in the classroom. He's already let us know he's not going to be slack on leadership. He's really stepped into that role well."
Stovall also is convinced Bennifield's arm will help him capably fill Jacob Huesman's physical absence as well.
"He's a great passer, throws a really tight spiral," Stovall said. "He can put it anywhere. Great on the deep ball but can also throw it short. As a receiver, you're always open to more passing."
On his last night before he'll have no more nights off, Russ Huesman plopped down on the sofa with his family to watch reruns of the comedy/drama TV series "Psych." Then he left his house early Wednesday morning, coffee in hand, more than happy to start the grind while the rest of his brood slept.
So could it be that his "overconfidence" rant was a psych job on UTC opponents, that way down in his gut Huesman knows this is the season he's been building toward, a season capable of ending in a championship, or at least the FCS championship game?
"You never know what you've got until you start playing games," the coach said.
Psych? Or psychic?
At least we don't have to wait long to begin to learn the answer. Shorter arrives for the season opener 28 days from today.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.