This morning's scrimmage for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team won't be as much about the players who have solidified roles as for the ones who are attempting to do so.
The Mocs will take the field at 10:30 at Finley Stadium. UTC coach Russ Huesman noted that depth will be a focus today; it's still a concern at some positions.
"I hate to beat a dead horse, but we've got to get some guys that haven't played a lot of football for us but will be in critical roles this year," Huesman said. "They have to continue to improve. They have to continue to make plays."
Wide receiver is one of the positions Huesman pointed out in that regard after Friday's practice. Juniors C.J. Board, Xavier Borishade and Alphonso Stewart have locked down the starting positions. After that, there is a plethora of depth, but other players haven't quite identified themselves as that "next" person.
Huesman mentioned redshirt freshman Dejuan McQuarters as an example of one who could, along with redshirt freshman Wil Young and junior Tennessee transfer Drae Bowles.
At running back the coaches feel good about junior Derrick Craine and sophomore Richardre Bagley, but two true freshmen - Kyle Nalls and Alex Trotter - are the other possibilities.
A couple of positions are still unsettled on the lines, but with the way the coaches rotate players in and out, Huesman said naming starters wasn't something they were "overly concerned with."
"There are about 12-15 guys that we have to see grow up and turn into football players," Huesman said. "There are a lot of things important in tomorrow's scrimmage."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.