Edge rusher Jay Person wasn’t surprised the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defense performed well Saturday against The Citadel.
Surprise on his part would require a lack of preparation by the group, and as the Mocs continue their quest for a Southern Conference championship and one of the 24 seats at the Football Championship Subdivision postseason table, being unprepared for any game simply isn’t an option.
UTC head coach Rusty Wright remains steadfast and preaches the importance of being ready to play, which is exactly what the defense ultimately looked like in the 31-21 SoCon win in Charleston, South Carolina. The Mocs (7-2, 5-1), ranked 11th in the Stats Perform Top 25 and 12th by FCS coaches in the most recent polls, now turn their attention to league leader and 10th-ranked Samford (8-1, 6-0), which visits Finley Stadium at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
As for the win that helped keep Samford-UTC such a high-stakes showdown, getting ready for The Citadel meant getting ready for the triple option, although the ground-based offense has been neutered due to some NCAA changes that have outlawed certain blocks in the name of safety. Person, a fourth-year junior from Bradley Central High School, still expected a tough test against a scheme the Mocs don’t see every week.