University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Russ Huesman comments on the signees to his program during a news conference in the McKenzie Arena media room in this file photo.Building off the momentum of an 8-4 season that included a share of the Southern Conference championship, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football staff had pieced together an impressive collection of commitments from high school stars since December.
But nothing is certain until those commitments actually sign their national letters of intent to become a part of the program. And because UTC’s staff had battled against several FBS programs to secure those commitments, there was a bit more drama than usual as they waited for the faxes to make everything official.
Although no player had indicated he would waiver, as Wednesday’s national signing day dawned there was enough uncertainty to keep Mocs coaches on edge at times.
Times Free Press assistant sports editor Stephen Hargis was given exclusive access to sit in with the UTC coaches as they awaited the faxes to roll in and recorded the following timeline as events happened.
• 7:03 a.m. — The staff is beginning to gather around a conference table in defensive coordinator Adam Braithwaite’s office. There are two bags of bagels from Panera and a blank dry erase board where Carter Crutchfield, the director of football operations, will place a magnetic plate with a player’s name, high school and size as each commitment becomes a signee.