With a week to go before the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga kicks off its 2019 football season, the depth chart for Rusty Wright's debut as head coach of the Mocs still has a few question marks.
The foremost position in that regard might be wide receiver, where two starters have to emerge to join prolific junior Bryce Nunnelly. Wright has stated on several occasions that in order for UTC's offense to be successful, senior quarterback Nick Tiano has to have reliable options other than Nunnelly, who is expected to draw double teams after making 79 catches for 1,237 yards last season.
Other than Nunnelly, the Mocs do not have a receiver on the roster with a catch as a UTC player, a stat opposing defensive coaches are well aware of. Though Wright has seen some good individual moments in preseason work, as of Thursday afternoon he wasn't ready to commit to naming the new starters for the Aug. 29 opener against Eastern Illinois, which will kick off at 7 p.m. at Finley Stadium.
"Wide receiver-wise, Lameric Tucker has had a good camp," Wright said of the redshirt freshman from Bradley Central High School who had two carries but no catches while appearing in three games for the Mocs last year.
Former Bradley Central receiver Lameric Tucker, shown during the Bears' playoff game against Science Hill in November 2017, is now a UTC redshirt freshman trying to give quarterback Nick Tiano a quality target besides Bryce Nunnelly."Juwan Tyus has been getting better, and when he has his legs back under him he will continue to improve. Reggie Henderson has practiced a little better the last few days. Hopefully, if we can just keep adding guys to that mix, it will give us a chance to play as many bodies as we need."
Tucker believes he has a good chance to start in the opener.
"We've got two spots open, and I'm doing my best to secure one of them," said the 5-foot-11, 175-pound former all-state player. "I definitely think one of them is mine. All I know is I come out here and compete as hard as I can every day and try to do whatever I can to make our offense better."
Henderson, Tucker and Tyus are part of a position group that also includes transfers Kanore McKinnon (Georgia Military College), Tyrin Summers (Cincinnati) and Demarcus Williams (Minnesota), a redshirt junior who totaled two catches for 43 yards in his lone season on the field for the Golden Gophers.
Tucker said the depth will show up early and that the group has one goal in mind.
"We all want to do whatever we can to make this offense better. It's pretty competitive in the receiving room right now, said Tucker, who described Summers as "a pretty tough guy" and also mentioned Tyus as a "tight end last year who has moved to receiver and has gotten better every day since the spring" and Henderson (6-2, 205) and Williams (6-0, 200) as "good guys who are tall receivers and can get the job done."
"We like friendly competition, but it's like brothers, you know," Tucker added. "We challenge each other and pat each other on the back when we do good and get on each other when we need to."
While the depth chart remains a bit unsettled at spots, Wright said the Mocs have made some headway in practice. He wasn't pleased with the effort in a scrimmage last week, but he said the team has adjusted.
"We've practiced a little better, that's the big thing," he said. "Up until school started we had some good practices, then had the scrimmage and gave them a couple of days off to get adjusted to the start of school.
"We're practicing in the mornings, which is another adjustment, but it's getting a little better. We still have some things to fix and straighten out, but it's headed in the right direction."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.