University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Rusty Wright knew he would have several new starters take the field in Thursday’s opener against Eastern Illinois, but there were a few surprise additions to the list as Wright unveiled the Mocs’ first-game depth chart.
Most notable are two first-time starters along the offensive line, an area where the Mocs returned all five starters from a year ago. Joining returning starters Harrison Moon at right tackle, Malcolm White at left tackle and Cole Strange at left guard will be center Kyle Miskelley and Central High School graduate McClendon Curtis at right guard.
“We’re going to play the best five or six in that group,” Wright said of the shakeup that pushed 2018 starters Noah Ramsey and Chris Barnes to second string. “Just because a guy is a starter doesn’t mean he’s going to play the whole time. We’re going to go with whoever is going well, and we feel really good about seven or eight of those guys being in the mix.
“The biggest change I guess is Kyle Miskelley is listed as the starter at center, but Noah has played a lot of football here. They battled and it is what it is right now. McClendon Curtis has had a good camp and he’s grown a lot. He’s got to continue to improve, but he can play on Sundays once he truly gets it figured out. It’s amazing what that young man will be able to do once he figures it all out.”
UTC offensive lineman McClendon Curtis, right, blocks then-senior defensive line star Derek Mahaffey during a 2018 practice. Central High graduate Curtis is listed as a starter for Thursday’s 2019 season opener.
UTC running back Tyrell Price (23) is lifted by lineman McClendon Curtis as the Mocs celebrate Price’s go-ahead touchdown against VMI. Curtis is joining Price in the starting lineup in the 2019 season opener Thursday.Other offensive first-time starters for the 7 p.m. kickoff at Finley Stadium are tight end Jordan Giberti, receiver Juwan Tyus and H-back Jeffrey Wood II. Also notable on offense is that transfer Drayton Arnold is listed as the second-team quarterback, freshman Ailym Ford the second-team running back and true freshman Brock Bethea the second-team left guard.