Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / UTC’s Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks (24) cannot bring down Tennessee’s Ty Chandler as he returns the opening kickoff 58 yards during Saturday’s game in Knoxville.KNOXVILLE – It was Tuesday and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Rusty Wright was discussing the biggest problem with a Championship Subdivision program such as his facing a Bowl Subdivision school such as the University of Tennessee.
“The kicking game might be the biggest key,” he said. “That’s where the game can get out of control.”
And how.
Thanks to two colossal early failures in the Mocs’ kicking game Saturday afternoon, it took less than five minutes for the Volunteers to grab a 14-0 lead against UTC on their way to a 45-0 victory, UT’s first of the year after losses to Georgia State and BYU at Neyland Stadium.
“You can’t let them return the opening kickoff past the 50,” a frustrated Wright said at the start of his postgame remarks. “You can’t get your first punt blocked.”