Russ Huesman and his University of Tennessee at Chattanooga assistant football coaches have been trying to replace the winningest class in the program’s history.
They could take a big step in that process this weekend.
A number of recruits will be on the UTC campus the next couple of days, some of whom already have committed to play for the Mocs.
The outgoing class won 33 games, claimed at least a share of the last three Southern Conference championships and won at least one game in the last two Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Huesman said earlier this week that the big lure for potential recruits is Chattanooga itself.
“Just look at this city,” he said. “Look at this school. We have an administration that is 100 percent in our corner to help make us a national championship team.
“This is the best city to be a part of.”
In addition to what it already has to offer, the school is in the process of building a new athletic building.
In the midst of the coaching staff’s recruiting efforts, Huesman also is dealing with the least enjoyable part of his job: replacing coaches. The Mocs recently lost Will Healy, the wide receivers coach as well as passing game and recruiting coordinator who took the head coaching job at Austin Peay.
Healy took with him defensive line coach Marcus West, who will serve as co-defensive coordinator with the Governors, and director of football operations Carter Crutchfield, who will have the same position to go along with recruiting coordinator at the Clarksville, Tenn., school.
Huesman said this week that he was “pretty close” to determining the next receivers coach. A decision on the defensive line coach also could be made in the next couple of weeks, possibly after the American Football Coaches Association convention in San Antonio, Texas, this weekend.
City High School graduate Tony Brown, a seven-year NFL player who served last season as the defensive line assistant coach, is currently on the staff.
A determination on the director of football operations will be made later, Huesman indicated.
Honor for Craine
UTC junior running back Derrick Craine was one of 52 players named to the 18th annual FCS Athletic Directors Association academic all-star team.
Craine set UTC’s single-season rushing record with 1,251 yards and scored 13 touchdowns in 2015. He was a first-team All-SoCon selection.
He is an exercise science major who had a 3.61 grade point average going into the fall semester.
It’s the sixth consecutive year that UTC has had at least one FCS ADA academic all-star and the seventh time overall. Brian Hampton (1998), Steven Smigelsky (2009), Joel Bradford (2010-11), Adam Miller (2011-12), Davis Tull (2013-14) and Nick Pollard (2014) were the others honored.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.