Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles focusing on key positions for the UTC football team as it goes through spring practice.
Spring football drills are entering their second full week for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and there’s a clear leader in the race for most important player.
Tyrell Price is the only returning running back on the roster with a carry. He had 190 of them as a junior last season for a team-best 697 yards and nine touchdowns. He added 42 receptions for 278 yards, numbers that led to a second-team All-Southern Conference honor.
Behind him is a mix of guys who have yet to see action, including converted wide receiver Jeffrey Wood. It’s a situation that obviously concerns new head coach Rusty Wright and his staff.
“The problem right now is we have some banged-up guys and not a lot of experience,” running backs coach Ricky Spradling said. “I am really pleased with the two guys we have right now, Tyrell Price and Jeff Woods. We’re not so much limited as far as schematics go. It’s just reps. We don’t want to have any more injuries.”
Price caught Wright’s eye early with his physical style of running, which helped produce 100-yard games against Western Carolina and UT-Martin, and his versatility, which he displayed with six catches for 80 yards against Samford.
“Price has been what’s advertised,” Wright said. “I honestly love the way he carries the football. His chances of fumbling the football are going to be minimal, and that’s huge. That’s one of the biggest things we’ve talked about since day one.
“He’s got good vision and feet. If we get a little better up front, it will help. Once we get the schemes down, that will also make everybody better. I’m excited about what he can do for us this year.”
The 6-foot, 220-pound Price has accepted a role as a mentor to new backfield mate Wood, a 5-8, 170-pounder who is one of the fastest players on the team.
“I see my role as a leader, someone who can lead by example,” Price said. “Jeffrey Wood is good. He can be physical, but he brings speed, quickness and agility. I like playing with him, and he’s picking things up quickly.
“On the field I just plan to come out here and use my size and make defenses feel me. This offense is going to be great for the backs. It’s going to be really different. It will be more simple than the pro-style offense we ran last year, with more tempo.”
One of the injured backs is fullback Torrez Finney, who played in each of the Mocs’ 11 games a year ago. He is out with a torn ACL, which leaves freshman Sean McMinn as the only fullback. Spradling and Wright said the position will be bolstered from within.
“We’ve got more bodies there than in the past at fullback, because we have a handful of tight ends that can do some of the things the fullbacks can do,” Wright said. “We will interchange some of those guys as we move forward.”
The good news for the Mocs is help is on the way. A trio of incoming freshmen – Ailym Ford, Brandon Gregory and Lance Jackson – will compete in late summer for early playing time. It’s imperative at least one of them proves he’s ready.
“Lance Jackson and the next crew, we are going to give them all an opportunity in the fall to see who’s best,” Wright said. “The best thing about that is you have the redshirt rules, so we can maybe space them out through the season, or maybe if one guy is head and shoulders better than the others we may just throw him right in there. Someone is going to play a lot, that’s for sure.
“Those guys are going to come in here and want to battle for the ball, and I’m looking forward to that. We need to take some reps off Tyrell. It will open up so many things for our offense once those guys come in, no doubt.”
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.