B.J. HoganMocs glance• Indiana State (8-5) at UTC (9-3)• Saturday, 1 p.m., Finley Stadium• 96.1 FM, ESPN3
Key matchupUTC vs. INDIANA STATERegardless of which side he lines up on, Indiana State senior wide receiver A.J. Johnson (6-foot-1, 200) is physical and fast enough to pose problems. While there’s an experience disadvantage, UTC defensive backs Sema’je Kendall (6-0, 185) and Tavon Lawson (6-1, 190), who have split time as starters in the dime package, can match up physically. Both also have long arms to jam receivers and throw off the timing on routes, and they have proven to have the ability to turn their hips and run with receivers on downfield patterns. Johnson is one of the Sycamores’ leading receivers, averaging 12.2 yards on 44 catches this season, including seven for 71 yards last week. While they sometimes use the short passing game as extended handoffs, the Sycamores will try to stretch defenses with downfield throws and likely will test the UTC cornerbacks and free safety Lucas Webb early.
For all they lacked in on-field experience before this season, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s kiddie corps secondary has made up for in talent.
Some Mocs coaches refer to putting first-year players on the field as “dropping them in the grease,” but a UTC defensive backfield that has started as many as three freshmen rarely has been burned.
“I won’t lie: It was scary before the season started to look at our rotation and see there wasn’t a lot of guys who had been in a game for us,” UTC cornerbacks coach B.J. Hogan said. “It was obvious early on those guys were natural athletes, but the thing that’s made the difference is how they’ve worked to become good players. After a while you kind of forget they’re new back there.
“We’ve been pretty good defensively, especially up front, but I really like our guys on that back end, too.”
Coming into preseason camp, sophomore right cornerback Dee Virgin was the lone returning starter in the secondary and was being joined by redshirt freshman free safety Lucas Webb, sophomore strong safety Cedric Nettles, junior college transfer Jeremiah Hay at the other corner spot and junior Sema’je Kendall in the dime package.
But as the season progressed, so too did several true freshmen, whose understanding of the game began catching up with their raw talent, earning Trevor Wright (left corner) and Tavon Lawson (dime) significantly more playing time, including several starts. Fellow true freshman Tae Davis also moved into the rotation, backing up Webb, and twice near the end of the season the Mocs started three freshmen in the secondary.
The youngsters have played far beyond their experience, with four (Webb, Virgin, Wright and Lawson) ranking among the team’s top 10 tacklers. Three of the Mocs’ Southern Conference-leading six all-freshman-team members are defensive backs (Webb, Lawson and Wright), and Webb is the only freshman in the FCS with five interceptions.
“The older guys set the standard for how to work and prepare, and we learned from their example and just tried to keep up,” Webb said. “There were a lot of emotions for me, especially early on, but the game has slowed down more for me now.
“I was fortunate enough to redshirt and prepare myself for a year, but those other guys have come in right out of high school and are really ahead of the game. They’re playing at a level that’s amazing, considering how young they are.”
The Mocs secondary will be tested more Saturday by Indiana State than in any game previously this season. The Sycamores have averaged throwing the ball 42 times a game this season, and they put it up 57 times in last week’s first-round playoff win over Eastern Kentucky. Senior quarterback Mike Perish holds several school passing marks and connected with nine receivers last week.
“We’ve played several triple-option teams and a lot of spread teams that run it a lot, so I think they’re fired up to get the opportunity to make some plays this week,” Mocs head coach Russ Huesman said of the defensive backs. “We’re going to have to be able to cover them. That’s the key to the game.
“On the back end, we’re going to have to be really, really solid in coverage. It’s a young group, but they’ve played well and responded so far. They’ll get tested Saturday, no question.”
• Key matchup: Regardless of which side he lines up on, Indiana State senior wide receiver A.J. Johnson (6-foot-1, 200) is physical and fast enough to pose problems. While there’s an experience disadvantage, UTC defensive backs Sema’je Kendall (6-0, 185) and Tavon Lawson (6-1, 190), who have split time as starters in the dime package, can match up physically. Both also have long arms to jam receivers and throw off the timing on routes, and they have proven to have the ability to turn their hips and run with receivers on downfield patterns. Johnson is one of the Sycamores’ leading receivers, averaging 12.2 yards on 44 catches this season, including seven for 71 yards last week. While they sometimes use the short passing game as extended handoffs, the Sycamores will try to stretch defenses with downfield throws and likely will test the UTC cornerbacks and free safety Lucas Webb early.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.