As the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team continues to ascend to new heights in national prominence, different examples are emerging of players stepping up at key times.
Isaiah Mack is just the latest example.
When a defense gives up 255 yards rushing in a game, it’s hard to label any defender’s particular performance as “standout.” But against Wofford on Saturday, the 6-foot-2, 280-pound redshirt freshman defensive tackle was very, very good.
Mack had career highs of 10 tackles and 2.5 for lost yardage. He also recovered a fumble that led to a touchdown in the Mocs’ 20-17 Southern Conference win over the Terriers.
That win, coupled with James Madison’s loss Saturday, moved the Mocs up to No. 4 in the country in both the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ Poll and the FCS STATS (media) poll. It is their highest ranking ever for the third consecutive week.
The coaching staff was high on Mack coming out of Northwest Whitfield High School. Saturday in a pressure-packed game, he showed why.
“Isaiah Mack played out of his mind. He really grew up today,” senior defensive tackle Josh Freeman said. “We had a lot of guys make a lot of plays, and outside of a few plays I thought we did a pretty good job.”
The numbers would suggest that Freeman was right. Of the Terriers’ 60 carries Saturday, only five went for double-digit yards. Lorenzo Long had 143 yards on 24 carries, but 72 came on two carries. Ray Smith had a 16-yard run, while quarterback Brad Butler had a pair of 10-yard runs.
“We just wanted to come out and play smashmouth football,” Mack said. “We’re tired of not playing to our full potential, so we wanted to come out and show everybody what we could do.”
Mack ranks sixth in the conference with three sacks and is tied for fifth with 7.5 tackles for loss despite having started only two game. He split time with Taylor Reynolds until Reynolds was injured but has assumed the role of starter, as well as playmaker.
But not even Mack could help the offense as that unit trotted out onto the field with the game tied at 17 and 2:25 to play. If the Mocs were going to win at that point, he would play no part in it.
UTC placekicker Henrique Ribeiro punts during the Mocs’ spring Blue and White football game Saturday, April 18, 2015, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga.“That’s not a pleasant feeling,” he said. “It’s scary, but you just have to have hope in your team. I have faith in my offense: I’m going to play hard for them, and they’re going to play hard for me.”
The Mocs then barreled down the field for the winning field goal.
“Every week is like the Super Bowl. Other teams are going to give us their best, so we have to give them ours,” Mack said. “If we don’t (come to play), it’s going to be a dogfight.”
Ribeiro three-peats
UTC kicker Henrique Ribeiro earned his third consecutive SoCon special teams player of the week honor. The junior, who prepped at Baylor, was 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts against Wofford, including the last-play game-winner from 38 yards out.
For the season, Ribeiro is 10-for-12 on field-goal kicks and has made all 24 of his extra-point tries. He also has averaged 43.3 yards on 17 punts.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.