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Coaches, media show respect for UTC football

UTC quarterback Jacob Huesman, left, who is preparing for his senior season with the Mocs, is the preseason pick for Southern Conference offensive player of the year. He won the postseason version of the award the past two years.
UTC quarterback Jacob Huesman, left, who is preparing for his senior season with the Mocs, is the preseason pick for Southern Conference offensive player of the year. He won the postseason version of the award the past two years.

By Gene Henley 5 min read

Not that long ago, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s football program was ecstatic about being picked to finish fourth in the Southern Conference.

That was in 2012.

Times have changed.

Southern Conference Preseason Rankings

(Total points listed, with first-place votes in parentheses)Media PollUTC (7) 49Samford (1) 40Western Carolina 38Wofford 30Furman 22Mercer 20The Citadel 18VMI 7Coaches PollUTC (29) 239Western Carolina (1) 190Samford 176Wofford 148Furman 120Mercer 93The Citadel 82VMI 32

For the second consecutive season, the Mocs were the preseason pick to win the conference at media day for SoCon football Wednesday in Spartanburg, S.C. UTC received 29 of 30 first-place votes in the media poll and seven of eight in the coaches’ poll.