The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football offense won’t look the same this season as the past few years.
But it has the chance to be equally as effective – and explosive. If not more.
Quarterback Alejandro Bennifield is one of only three new starters on a unit that finished third in the Southern Conference in rushing at 241.9 yards per game and fourth in the league in total offense at 415.9 in 2015. But with quarterback Jacob Huesman, who rushed for 1,244 yards and 13 scores last season, departed and Bennifield in as more of a passer, the main new look could be in how the offense operates.
“Every season, you find what you do best and exploit those talents,” offensive coordinator Jeff Durden said after Saturday’s morning practice. “The quarterback position limits you in some ways; that’s where you’ve got to be smart. It’s easy as a coach to do what you know. We’re exploring some things with Alejandro that maybe Jacob wasn’t good at, but then we had plays last year where I sat back and watched (Jacob). He was a quarterback on the field.
“I can’t do that with Alejandro at this point.”
Bennifield isn’t just a passer; that’s just the role he prefers. He’s an athlete with the ability to do a lot of things well on the field, as evidenced by his 43-yard run against Virginia Military Institute in 2014 and his 29-yard reception against Presbyterian last year.
But his ability to throw could open up even more holes for running back Derrick Craine, who had a school-record 1,251 yards in 2015. The two have been working together since the spring to get on the same wavelength and be prepared for the Sept. 1 season opener against Shorter University.
“We’re open up to more passing with Dro,” Craine said, “but we’re throwing in a bit of a mixture. That’ll help out in the run game because it makes defenders back off, but at the same time it helps out with the passing game because if we do stay with the run game, defenders will start to work down, and at that time Dro can get his passes in there.
“Dro has a heck of an arm on him.”
Durden said Craine’s runs will be the same. The possibility exists that more personnel looks will be available, but players will have to emerge for that to happen.
“What I can’t do is have my third-best receiver sitting on the bench if we’re not good enough at tight end,” he said. “We expect the looks we’ll give the ‘D’ will be different, but I also expect that Craine will be a better receiver out of the backfield.”
Durden defines explosive plays as any run over 12 yards and any pass over 20. He said having more of those sorts of plays – not winning the turnover battle – is the biggest stat in winning games.
“One thing I envision with our offense is the ability to lengthen the play,” he said. “That’s what I’ve seen at camp, and that’s what excites me. What are you going to do? Load up inside and come after us? We’ve got big-play potential.
“As long as we take care of the ball, we’ll have a shot.”
The Mocs have their fifth practice – and first in pads – this morning at 7:45.
Richard brothers
UTC head coach Russ Huesman said after Saturday’s practice that brothers Thomas and Joseph Richard are not expected to play for the Mocs this season.
Thomas, a transfer from Missouri, has been battling a foot injury and “could not medically play,” according to Huesman. Joseph, a freshman from Christ Presbyterian Academy, has gone back to Nashville for “personal reasons.”
Huesman didn’t close the door for a possible return for the younger Richard, who was a three-star prospect at CPA.
“We’ll see what happens,” Huesman said.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.