The new University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coaches were excited quickly about the prospects of redshirt freshman Rashun Freeman.
So far, the defensive back hasn't disappointed.
Freeman made five tackles in the season-opening loss to Jacksonville State. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound former Ooltewah High School standout fits well into the Mocs' defensive scheme with his versatility, and the staff is high on what he will be able to do as the season goes on.
"We put the highlight tape on from high school and saw a really talented player," head coach Tom Arth said. "He was a guy who could play the 'Star' position for us, and we've seen him continue to grow, continue to develop throughout the past few months. He's become a good player, somebody our defense can rely on.
Rashun Freeman (15) plays defense for UTC. The University of Chattanooga Mocs met the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in the Guardian Credit Union FCS Kickoff at the Carmton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., on August 26, 2017.'I was pleased with his progress (Saturday). He's another guy that's going to get better and only going to continue to improve as he gets more experience, more comfortability in our defense."
Playing the Star, Freeman is asked to play up at the line a lot, like an additional linebacker. He's asked to defend multiple positions and make plays. Four of his five tackles against the Gamecocks were solo stops.
"I'm glad I got the first game out of the way," Freeman said. "After the first kickoff, I was pretty comfortable out there. We did pretty well after the first half Saturday, but there's still a lot of things to work on. We can be so much better, even with the good things we did."
Freeman's final sentence was a microcosm of the entire defense, with so many players playing new positions and in a new scheme. They expect to get better as the season goes on, as they figure out what they can and can't do within coordinator Tom Kaufman's defense.
Even in their first game in the new scheme against a talented Jacksonville State team, the Mocs intercepted two passes and had chances to make plays. As they grow, more opportunities will arise.
As a team, they're figuring it out. As he plays more and more, Freeman will figure it out, too.
"Right now, we're working on us," Freeman said, referring to the Mocs being off this week. "I've spent a lot of time on the mental aspect, learning everything I can to be on the college level.
"I want to be able to stay healthy to withstand a college season and everything that comes with it."
He's off to a good start.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.