Graham Nichols walked off the field following Saturday’s scrimmage at Finley Stadium with a smile on his face. The freshman quarterback, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s only backup behind B.J. Coleman, was in a much better mood than he was the previous week.
Nichols, who redshirted last fall and is getting plenty of work this spring, completed just 5 of 14 passes and fumbled several snaps in the Mocs’ first scrimmage. He looked uncomfortable and unconfident and struggled to move the second-team offense.
Saturday, following a good week of practice, Nichols looked like a different player. He wasn’t flawless, but he was much more poised in the pocket, finishing 8-of-18 for 90 yards. He was picked off once, by cornerback Don Cope.
“Everything was a little bit more in sync and I was happier than last week, that’s for sure,” Nichols said.
Mocs coach Russ Huesman said he gave Nichols a pep talk last Sunday, telling him to “just relax and throw and do the things you did in high school.”
Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said he let up on Nichols a bit this week. Satterfield said he was partially responsible for Nichols’ poor showing last week because he got on him too much.
“I had him in the jar early last weekend, and he couldn’t get out of it,” Satterfield said. “He had a really good week of practice overall and made some great throws.”
Fitzgerald surgery set
Running back Bryan Fitzgerald will have surgery Friday to remove the three screws, one of which has broken, that were inserted into his left foot last October. Head athletic trainer Todd Bullard said it will take about 10 days for the surgical wounds to heal, and after that Fitzgerald will continue his rehabilitation.
Extra points
Starting left guard Omre Harris went down with a left shoulder sprain midway through the scrimmage. The Mocs have four practices and the spring game remaining, and it’s uncertain if Harris will play again this spring. … Defensive tackle La’Nard Carr and cornerback Kadeem Wise had six tackles each to lead the defense. Linebackers Thomas Green and Wes Dothard each had five tackles, as did corners Buster Skrine and Cope.