The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team begins practice today at 3 p.m. at Scrappy Moore Field, with three consecutive Southern Conference championships in the rearview mirror and another one in sight.
The Mocs went 9-4 last season and at one point were ranked No. 3 in the country. Mercer coach Bobby Lamb said recently that he thought UTC was “the third-best (FCS) team in the country at the end of the year.”
With only a minimum number of graduated personnel, coach Russ Huesman and his assistants are excited about the talent, depth and potential on the roster this season. Here are five questions surrounding the program as the Mocs start preparation for their Sept. 1 season opener against Shorter:
1. Is Alejandro Bennifield ready to take over?
The Mocs coaching staff feels confident enough about four-year quarterback starter Jacob Huesman’s replacement that they had no problem telling a number of high-profile transfers no. His fellow players believe in the transformation he’s gone through, both physically and mentally. Bennifield has become more of a leader, and with an offense tailored to his strengths, there’s no reason to believe he won’t be able to step right into the massive shoes left by Huesman and be equally as effective in his first season as the starter.