UTC wide receiver Xavier Borishade catches a pass before running it in for a touchdown during the Mocs’ home football game against Presbyterian at Finley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn.Russ Huesman has lost the battle of ball control this season.
To his offense.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach, a former defensive player who has preferred a ball-control attack since taking over, has watched as his offense has turned into a quick-strike one that is capable of scoring from almost anywhere. Any time.
The FCS coaches’ fourth-ranked Mocs (2-0), who start Southern Conference play this weekend at Furman, have scored 14 touchdowns of offense in the first two games of the season. Only one of those scoring drives lasted 10 plays, and that was with the second-stringers in during the second half of the opening win against Shorter.
“I would say if I was a defensive guy, I would (want to) have that 12-play drive every time,” Huesman said Tuesday. “I would like to sit on the sideline for a while, but they haven’t had that luxury. But any way you can score points, you take it; any way you can get stops, we’ll take it.
“The bottom line is to score points and play good defense, and you’ll be all right.”
The first-string offense has scored 10 touchdowns and had a field goal by Henrique Ribeiro this season. Only one of those drives lasted three minutes or longer.
“I feel like it’s part of the game,” receiver Xavier Borishade said. “Our defense, they’re savages out there. If they get a team three-and-out, it’s the same for us, but I want to be out there on the field, so it kind of correlates. In my opinion, I want to be out there on the field. I hope they would enjoy it, but I know it can be tiring when we do score quickly.”
Linebacker Dale Warren doesn’t mind it. The junior, who tied for the team lead with eight tackles against Presbyterian, said it has been taking both sides of the ball producing for the quick drives to happen. Against Shorter, the offense had quick drives, but seven of the Mocs’ 10 scoring drives (nine touchdowns, one field goal) started on the Hawks’ end of the field after either turnovers or stops led to really good field position.
“Just for me, the D-line especially is so dominant, they put me in position to make the plays I’ve been able to make,” Warren said. “It’s a team effort.”
Third-down issues
As good as the offense has been, there was a big concern coming out of the Presbyterian game. The Mocs were 0-for-9 on third down, with about half of those failed conversions coming from the first team.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Durden emphasized work on conversions at Tuesday’s practice.
“We’ve addressed the situation. We’re looking at doing some more direct runs in third-down situations, and that’s been the focus this week,” Durden said.
Injury report
Starting offensive lineman Hunter Townson is questionable for this week’s game after suffering an ankle injury against Presbyterian. True freshman Brian Marshall replaced Townson in Saturday’s game and would be the replacement if Townson can’t go. Dime back Tavon Lawson is also hobbled and did not practice Tuesday. Receiver Wil Young and backup linebacker Luke Davis also did not.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.