Freshman-red shirt quarterback Jacob Huesman passes during UTC’s annual Blue/Gold Spring football game Saturday at Finley Stadium.Trailing the White squad 13-10 with less than two minutes to play Saturday at Finley Stadium, Terrell Robinson appeared to run the ball in for a 7-yard score that would have put the Blue in front.
The White (first-team defense) got only a hand on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga quarterback — but a hand was all that was needed to stop the quarterbacks in the Mocs’ Blue and Gold spring game. Quarterbacks Jacob Huesman, Graham Nichols and Robinson played in red (no-contact) jerseys, which basically turned football into two-hand touch for them.
“They kind of took my game away when I found out this morning that I was going to have to wear the red jersey,” Robinson said. “It’s part of the game. It forced me to stay [in the pocket] more and make throws.”
Throughout the spring the quarterbacks practiced and scrimmaged without the red jerseys, meaning they were fair game for the defense. Coach Russ Huesman said he put the quarterbacks in red to protect them from injury as spring practices comes to a close (UTC’s final practice is Wednesday). It didn’t work.
Nichols, who began the day as quarterback of the White (second-string offense), wasn’t in for much more than a series before a collision with running back Kenny Huitt left Nichols with a broken nose.