While awaiting his chance to make an impact at his natural position, Dale Warren has found a niche in the meantime.
The 6-foot, 215-pound sophomore linebacker for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has been a season-long playmaker for the Mocs’ special teams. He’s on the kickoff- and punt-coverage and kickoff- and punt-return units.
“Those guys don’t get noticed until they do something,” linebackers and special teams coach Rusty Wright said. “You never know unless they make the tackle. It’s all about the effort the players are going to put into special teams – how hard they’re going to try, because it’s more of a change of possession than a play – but he’s done a really nice job.”
Warren was the defensive most valuable player in the spring game back in April, but he understands where he’s needed at the moment as he learns behind senior Sam linebacker A.J. Hampton.
“I take a lot of pride in special teams, because it’s one of the most important parts of the football game,” Warren said this week. “You win games on special teams.”
He has 12 tackles this season, with half of those coming on special teams. He’s made himself be noticed with plays in the last two games. Against Florida State, he recovered a fumble on the game’s opening kickoff, which briefly led to a lead for the Mocs. He blocked a punt last Saturday against Fordham and nearly recovered it for a touchdown.
“I was so disappointed,” Warren said of not getting the TD on the play. “When I blocked it, I thought the ball went out of bounds, but when I looked down I kicked it, and when I tried to jump on it, it went out of bounds.
“It all worked out, though: We got two points, the offense got the ball back and I helped the team out.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.