As the days and weeks passed without any opportunities coming his way, Josh Beard thought he might never get a chance to play professional football.
“It’s been depressing, to be honest with you,” Beard said of the time since the NFL draft when he wasn’t signed as a free agent or invited to any tryouts.
That all changed last week when the former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defensive end, the Southern Conference defensive player of the year last season, got a tryout with the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League.
Beard practiced with the Rush twice last week, and Monday he signed a two-year contract.
“I got an opportunity to show them what I can do, and I made it,” Beard said. “I feel good about the chance I’ve got and the opportunity to play and hopefully do some good things.”
Mocs coach Russ Huesman was in his office Monday when Beard called him with the good news. The Rush had called Huesman last month to ask about Beard, and Huesman was happy to talk up one of his favorite players.
“Josh had a great season for us last year, and I’m excited that he gets to keep playing, keep rushing the passer,” Huesman said.
The Rush won their first four games before losing their past two. Beard will make his debut Saturday in Dallas against the Vigilantes, and he said he will split time between defensive end and outside linebacker.
Beard’s signing caps an “interesting” past nine months for the Lincolnton, Ga., native. After playing in just eight games, and making eight tackles, his junior season — his first at UTC after transferring from Georgia Military College — he started his senior season as a virtual unknown. He quickly emerged as one of the SoCon’s top pass rushers, however. During the heart of the season, at Samford, Georgia Southern and Elon in consecutive weeks, Beard had two sacks in each game.
Beard finished the season with 12 sacks, the most in the FCS during the regular season.
“It’s been an interesting experience,” he said. “Hopefully this is just the start for me.”
There are three other former Mocs in the AFL, all wide receivers for the Huntsville-based Alabama Vipers: Michael Johnson, Jeremy Grier and Alonzo Nix.
This and that
Quarterback B.J. Coleman and wideout Joel Bradford will be on 102.3 FM from 4 to 6 p.m. today, talking Mocs football and probably reliving their glory days at McCallie as well. … The Mocs’ season ticket sales are up to 1,319. … Former UTC assistant coach Jason McManus was recently hired as a graduate assistant at Troy.