Coach Tom Arth and his University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team experienced the highs of a 4-0 start that led to a national ranking. The Mocs currently are experiencing what could be considered lows with back-to-back losses to 23rd-ranked East Tennessee State and sixth-ranked Wofford, both undefeated in Southern Conference play.
Yet the Mocs have not changed their goals, while Arth has attempted to let everybody know all along that they were a work in progress – regardless of record. The team showed multiple areas that concerned him during the four-game win streak and has continued to lack in some places in causing the recent two-game skid.
“By no means when we were 4-0 were we playing at a level that was going to allow us to continue to win football games,” Arth said. “I’ve made that clear to everybody in the media, and also to our team, that we have to improve: We’re not playing well enough to continue to be successful without making these improvements. Unfortunately, in some areas we have done some good things, but overall we’re kind of the same team.
“If you’re not improving, it’s going to be tough. We’ve got to continue to find ways to get better – each player individually, each unit: offense, defense, special teams, coaches, everybody alike. Everybody’s in this thing together. You’re working to improve every single week.”
Unfortunately, the program has been on a losing streak before. Last season’s Mocs endured three- and four-game skids before winning two of their final three games. But this season the games have been different. Their two losses have been in narrow fashion: falling 17-14 at East Tennessee State and driving at the end of the game, but running out of time; and Saturday’s 21-10 loss to Wofford in what was a four-point game entering the fourth quarter.