UTC defensive end Josh Williams runs a drill during a preseason practice at Scrappy Moore Field on Tuesday.SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Eight University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football players were selected preseason All-Southern Conference by the league’s coaches, the SoCon announced Thursday during media day at the Spartanburg Marriott. In addition, the SoCon media and coaches picked the Mocs to finish fourth in the league.
UTC finished tied for sixth in the SoCon in 2011, going 3-5 in the conference. Those five losses were by a combined 12 points. Mocs coach Russ Huesman said UTC was picked about where it should be.
“I used to like it when they thought we stunk,” said Huesman, who has gone 6-5, 6-5 and 5-6 in his first three seasons. “Now they think we’re just kind of average. They used to think we were horrible and now we’re average, which is all right – that’s about where we are right now.
“Going 5-6 or 6-5, that’s pretty average.”
The coaches and media picked Georgia Southern to win the league. The media picked Wofford second, while the coaches voted for Appalachian State. It was the reverse for third and then UTC was picked fourth by both for the first time since 1991.