The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s 2025 football season kicks off on Aug. 30 at Memphis, and beat writer Gene Henley is taking a daily positional look at UTC’s roster.
First up are the quarterbacks:
Who’s gone: Chase Artopoeus (graduated; 1,961 yards, 11 touchdowns in nine games in 2024)
Who’s back: Luke Schomburg (redshirt junior, 6-3, 194; 663 yards, four touchdowns in 2024); Matthew Clemmer (redshirt sophomore, 6-4, 225); Battle Alberson (redshirt freshman, 6-3, 194)
Who’s in: Camden Orth (senior, 6-3, 228; transfer from Bowling Green where he sat out the 2024 season due to injury)
The breakdown: The most important position on the field is in an interesting spot entering the 2025 season, but one not uncommon to the coaching staff. Entering the 2022 season, the Mocs had just gone 6-5 and had a returning quarterback with starting experience (former Bradley Central standout Cole Copeland) on the roster. In the offseason, the coaching staff brought in Preston Hutchinson, who ultimately won the job over Copeland and led the Mocs to a 7-4 finish, albeit not enough to make the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Fast-forward to this offseason, right after a year that saw the Mocs again finish with a 7-5 record (and again right outside of the FCS playoff field) and with a quarterback with starting experience returning, this time Schomburg. The coaching staff brought in a quarterback in Orth, an experienced seventh-year player who is probably a better fit for the Mocs’ run-pass option scheme, to compete with Schomburg for the starting job.
It’s an interesting place to be in: Schomburg was a high school signee in 2021, one of just two prep quarterbacks the coaching staff has signed since Wright’s class arrived prior to 2019 (not counting walk-ons). He’s a fourth-year guy in the program who had some solid moments in relief of Artopoeus as a redshirt freshman in 2023, none better than throwing for 259 yards and a touchdown in the Mocs’ 24-21 win over Austin Peay in the first round of the FCS playoffs. Another Artopoeus injury gave Schomburg another opportunity and he started the final four games in 2024.
Against Western Carolina he threw for 314 yards with a pair of scores, but had three interceptions in the loss. He’s shown he can be good and guide the team to wins, but he first has to win the job over Orth, who threw for 1,825 yards and 11 touchdowns at FCS Long Island before playing in 22 games in two seasons at Bowling Green. Orth’s frame and running ability may be a better fit, but could it finally be Schomburg’s time?
Clemmer and Alberson, both walk-ons, are solid players in the room, albeit both are scout-team players. Clemmer is more of a pocket passer while Alberson has shown he can get out of the pocket and make plays with his feet.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com.
