Playing on the opposite side of preseason All-American Dee Virgin, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga cornerbacks C.J. Fritz and Trevor Wright know there are going to be opportunities to make plays.
They just have to make them.
Opposing offensive coordinators have made no secret where they are going when they choose to throw the football against the sixth-ranked Mocs. Typically it’s away from Virgin, which means throws outside are going in the direction of Wright, a sophomore, and Fritz, a redshirt freshman.
The two bring different skills to the game. Wright, who was a Southern Conference all-freshman selection last season, is more instinctual and physical, while Fritz is one of the fastest players on the team. He has 13 tackles and dropped an interception against Samford, while Wright has nine tackles and a pair of pass breakups this season.
“They’ve done fine. They’ve been solid,” UTC coach Russ Huesman said. “I wouldn’t say they’re all-conference players now, but both have the ability to be there someday. They’re both young, solid players; they’re doing what they’re supposed to do; and I’ve been fairly pleased with them.”
C.J. Fritz participates in work outs at Scrappy Moore Field in this 2014 file photo.Virginia Military Institute, the Mocs’ opponent Saturday, throws the ball an average of 40-plus times per game. A lot of the passes are screens designed to get the ball into the hands of the playmakers, which means the two should get a lot of work against the Keydets.
Fritz had five tackles last Satruday against Furman, while Wright had two, as the Paladins centered most of their attention on the side of the field opposite Virgin.
“You have to take that as a challenge,” Wright said. “They’re aiming for you. They’re saying the receiver in front of you is better than you, so you have to take that as a challenge: Go out and compete.”
Of course there’s competition between the two battling for playing time, but it’s of a friendly nature instead of a bitter one.
“Trevor and I have been working as hard as we can,” Fritz said. “We’re both able to make plays, and the competition makes us better and makes the team better, so we just come out and work as hard as we can. We feed off each other; we have different strengths and weaknesses, but it’s been fun to come out and compete and help the team win.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.