The success of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football program hasn’t made winning games any easier.
It has, however, strengthened the morale within the program.
The nationally fourth-ranked Mocs (6-1, 4-0 Southern Conference) will host Western Carolina (5-2, 3-1) this afternoon at 2 for homecoming. In the past three seasons, UTC is 24-9, with a number of the losses coming in tight, dramatic fashion. But the last game was a tight, dramatic win, when Henrique Ribeiro booted a 38-yard field goal with no time remaining for a 20-17 victory at Wofford.
The reaction was a dogpile near the Mocs’ sideline. Everybody was all smiles as part of the postgame celebration, signifying simply that these players like each other.
“I think we do,” offensively lineman Hunter Townson said this week. “We usually have a great time hanging out together; we do a lot of stuff outside of football.
“We really do enjoy being around each other.”
Talented teams typically do well over the course of a season. Talented teams with chemistry often compete for championships. Chemistry within a team is a simple thing, but important, because if the 11 players on the field aren’t on the same page at the same time, it can cause problems. It takes 11 players in harmony to make a play work.
“I’m always around my team. We have great friendship,” linebacker A.J. Hampton said. “We have a very diverse crowd around, but we all get along well. We have a lot of great teamwork and pride and we depend on each other to get the job done, and we know as long as we get our job done, we can trust our teammates to get theirs done.”
That was the case on the final drive against Wofford. Eight of the nine plays gained yardage, an incomplete pass being the exception. That allowed the Mocs to move seamlessly downfield for the winning score.
“I watch our guys interact with each other, and one of the most important things with a football team is, do they like each other?” coach Russ Huesman said. “If they don’t, and they’re not playing for each other, you’re going to have a hard, hard time winning football games. The last few years, we’ve had great team chemistry.
“If you start to lose, you hate me and I hate you. That’s human nature, though. Everybody hates me right now because I’m not happy. I’m always miserable and I’ve got to get better, enjoy (the success) more and let the staff and players enjoy more, but I don’t know if I can do that.
“It’s my job as coach to keep pushing them and not be satisfied.”
T.O. up front
When players step off the bus today for the Moc Walk, it won’t be Coach Huesman leading the team.
That honor will go to Terrell Owens.
The former UTC standout, who went on to a Hall of Fame-worthy career in the NFL, is in town for homecoming, and he agreed Friday to lead the Moc Walk, a tradition in which the team walks through the First Tennessee Pavilion and greets fans in attendance.
The walk starts at 11:45 a.m., beginning at the far side of the pavilion farthest from the field.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.