Russ Huesman doesn’t like practicing in the afternoon this time of year, and Thursday illustrated why.
The 3:30 start to preseason camp for Huesman’s University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team was delayed about an hour because of a thunderstorm, and the final few periods were canceled when another storm rolled through.
“That’s why I don’t like to practice in the afternoon in camp, right there,” the second-year Mocs coach said after everyone scurried back to McKenzie Arena.
The 90-plus minutes that the Mocs were able to practice also illustrated the importance of the offseason renovations to Scrappy Moore Field. After the first deluge, the Mocs practiced on the new artificial turf so they wouldn’t shred the grass field.
“Last year we’d have practiced on the grass, and when practice was over there would have been divots that had been dug up and now we’ve got crud the rest of the year,” Huesman said. “It was good that we had the turf because we were able to stay off of it.”
Due to the heavy rainfall Thursday, the Mocs likely will be back on the turf again for this morning’s 7:45 practice.
Quarterback B.J. Coleman said it was a good first practice, with players quickly getting back into the flow of things.
“We were excited to get out there, and we got a lot of things accomplished,” Coleman said. “I think the most important thing was the fact that the tempo was so high. The tempo was there, the intensity was there, the focus from the guys – it was all high.”
Before practice, UTC held a rededication ceremony at Scrappy to honor Renee Haugerud and John Murphy and everyone else who donated money, time and energy into making the renovations possible.
Haugerud and Murphy donated $500,000 to the program last year and got the ball rolling on the long-sought upgrades, and to honor their gift UTC renamed the facility the Murphy-Haugerud Football Practice Complex at Scrappy Moore Field.
Murphy said he was impressed with the changes, which he hadn’t seen before Thursday.
“Russ kept telling me to wait until it was finished, so this is the first time I’ve had a chance to really look around,” Murphy said. “I think it looks great.”
Among the other supporters recognized were former players Don Lepard, Johnny Owens – teammates of Huesman’s, along with Murphy – and Rodney Allen.