2015 UTC football schedule
* Sept. 5 — Jacksonville State * Sept. 12 — Mars Hill * Sept. 19 — at Samford * Sept. 26 — at Presbyterian * Oct. 3 — open * Oct. 10 — Furman * Oct. 17 — at VMI * Oct. 24 — at Wofford * Oct. 31 — Western Carolina * Nov. 7 — at Mercer * Nov. 14 — The Citadel * Nov. 21 — at Florida State
The road to a third consecutive Southern Conference championship and a second straight trip to the FCS playoffs may be quite a bit tougher this fall for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team.
The school officially has released the 2015 schedule, which includes the season opener against perennial FCS power Jacksonville State, four of seven conference games on the road and a trip to Florida State to end the regular season.
“We will have some tough tests, but sometimes that helps,” UTC coach Russ Huesman said. “Hopefully it gives our guys an incentive during the offseason that they will have to work every day to be ready. It should motivate them to work from now through the summer and leading up to that first game, because they know for us to have a chance against a good Jacksonville State team, they’ll have to be ready.”
Only five of the Mocs’ 11 games will be at home, including their first two on the schedule. After opening against a Jacksonville State team that manhandled UTC’s offense last season in an overtime win and finished 10-2 and ranked in the nation’s top 10, the Mocs host Division II foe Mars Hill.
After its conference opener at Samford, UTC hits the road again the following week to face Presbyterian, another difficult nonleague opponent coming off a 6-5 season that included home wins over SoCon teams Furman and Western Carolina.
“Presbyterian has proven they can play with anyone in our league,” Huesman said. “It won’t be easy having to go there to play, and that’s two really tough nonconference games we have early on.
“As for our conference games, that stays the same about every year, but this year we only get three at home and have to go on the road four times. We’ll have an even four home and four on the road after this year.”
The SoCon is adding East Tennessee State for the 2016 season, which will give each member team a chance to host four league foes and travel to four others each season.
Florida State has gone a combined 39-3 the last three seasons with the 2013 national championship and an appearance in last season’s inaugural college football playoff. The Mocs last played FSU in the third game of 2008, the season before Huesman took over. They lost by 39 points. This year UTC will make $550,000, according to athletic director David Blackburn, for playing at FSU on Nov. 21.
“We always have those games. This one happens to fall the last game,” Huesman said. “None of our guys have played at FSU, so it should be a good experience. It’s like all the others like that that we play — Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn — we know how tough those teams are. That’s so far down the road. Take them when you can get them.”
Season tickets for the 2015 home games are on sale at GoMocs.com or by calling the UTC ticket office at 266-MOCS (6627).
Nalls commits
The Mocs picked up their second running back commitment and a likely future power runner in Kyle Nalls (6-foot-1, 202) of Fayette, Ala. Nalls ran for 2,284 yards and 27 touchdowns last season and chose the Mocs over offers from UT-Martin, West Alabama and Temple, among others.
“I liked all the (UTC) coaches and players I met,” Nalls said. “Everybody seemed real down to earth, and I want to be a part of a program that is going to win a lot.
“I’m a country boy, so I liked that Coach (Jeff) Durden took me fishing while I was there on my visit. Everything just seemed to be a good fit.”
Nalls joins McCallie running back Alex Trotter, who committed over the weekend, and gives the Mocs 15 total commitments so far.
Hall in fold, too
The Mocs also got a commitment from Memphis Melrose versatile athlete Ke’Von Hall (5-9, 170). Hall played running back, slot receiver and cornerback and returned kickoffs and punts for Melrose and chose the Mocs over Southeast Missouri, UT-Martin and Middle Tennessee State.
He and Nalls give UTC 16 total commitments.
Signing celebration
The Mocs Club will be hosting a national signing day celebration Wednesday at the Stadium Club in Finley Stadium. It will begin with a Happy Hour at 5 p.m., followed by Coach Huesman discussing UTC’s signing class. Admission is free and open to the public, with Zaxby’s providing free food while it lasts.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.