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Wiedmer: Five days from today, UTC football gets serious

UTC football coach Russ Huesman watches his team during the first day of preseason camp earlier this month. Today, Huesman is five days away from the start of his seventh season leading the Mocs, who hope this year finishes with them celebrating their first national championship.
UTC football coach Russ Huesman watches his team during the first day of preseason camp earlier this month. Today, Huesman is five days away from the start of his seventh season leading the Mocs, who hope this year finishes with them celebrating their first national championship.

By Mark Wiedmer 4 min read

Five days from today. That’s all that remains between the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs and the start of their 2015 football season.

Five days from today, these (hopefully) Mighty Mocs open what many believe could be the first national championship season in school history by hosting visiting Jacksonville State.

Five days from today, that showdown between the No. 8 (Mocs) and No. 7 teams in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision will, in the words of UTC junior defensive lineman Keionta Davis, “Set the tempo for the rest of the season.”

But as he stepped onto UTC’s Scrappy Moore Practice Field on Sunday, Davis sounded like most college football players this time of year, his desire to hit someone other than a teammate at an all-time high.

“(The opener) feels like forever,” said the Red Bank High School product. “This has been the longest month of my life. We’re definitely ready to get started.”