University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Rusty Wright knew he would have several new starters take the field in Thursday's opener against Eastern Illinois, but there were a few surprise additions to the list as Wright unveiled the Mocs' first-game depth chart.
Most notable are two first-time starters along the offensive line, an area where the Mocs returned all five starters from a year ago. Joining returning starters Harrison Moon at right tackle, Malcolm White at left tackle and Cole Strange at left guard will be center Kyle Miskelley and Central High School graduate McClendon Curtis at right guard.
"We're going to play the best five or six in that group," Wright said of the shakeup that pushed 2018 starters Noah Ramsey and Chris Barnes to second string. "Just because a guy is a starter doesn't mean he's going to play the whole time. We're going to go with whoever is going well, and we feel really good about seven or eight of those guys being in the mix.
"The biggest change I guess is Kyle Miskelley is listed as the starter at center, but Noah has played a lot of football here. They battled and it is what it is right now. McClendon Curtis has had a good camp and he's grown a lot. He's got to continue to improve, but he can play on Sundays once he truly gets it figured out. It's amazing what that young man will be able to do once he figures it all out."
UTC offensive lineman McClendon Curtis, right, blocks then-senior defensive line star Derek Mahaffey during a 2018 practice. Central High graduate Curtis is listed as a starter for Thursday's 2019 season opener.
UTC running back Tyrell Price (23) is lifted by lineman McClendon Curtis as the Mocs celebrate Price's go-ahead touchdown against VMI. Curtis is joining Price in the starting lineup in the 2019 season opener Thursday.Other offensive first-time starters for the 7 p.m. kickoff at Finley Stadium are tight end Jordan Giberti, receiver Juwan Tyus and H-back Jeffrey Wood II. Also notable on offense is that transfer Drayton Arnold is listed as the second-team quarterback, freshman Ailym Ford the second-team running back and true freshman Brock Bethea the second-team left guard.
Five new starters will be featured on defense, though the count could be seven considering lineman Devonnsha Maxwell and cornerback Jordan Jones combined to start just five games a year ago.
Joining them will be noseguard Telvin Jones, who has played in 17 games off the bench in three years, transfer linebackers Kayne Roberts and Kam Jones, senior linebacker Adrian King, who has played in 35 games, and cornerback Cameron Turner, who played some in nine games a year ago.
Turner and Jones are part of a secondary that also includes preseason All-Southern Conference safeties Brandon Dowdell and Jerrell Lawson and experienced backups in 2018 nine-game starter D.J. Jackson, who is listed as second-team free safety, and corner CaMiron Smith, who played in all 11 games last year as a true freshman.
"That secondary is set," Wright said. "And I am going to enjoy watching those guys. Linebacker-wise, Kam Jones earned a spot, and he and Marshall Cooper are working well together inside. The defensive line is going to be by committee. There is nobody that's head and shoulders above anybody else, so we'll try to mix and match and keep fresh bodies in there."
Also starting on the line is converted linebacker Khayyan Edwards. Listed at second team are ends Tavi McLean and transfer Dantrell Barkley and noseguard Christian Smith.
Senior quarterback Nick Tiano believes the Mocs are in a better position to compete deeper in games this year with improved team depth.
"We have a great group of guys, and I think we have a lot more depth at positions than we did last year," he said. "We're excited to see these guys play. There's a lot of new faces and a lot of guys that can make plays for us. I'm excited to go out there and see that for the first time.
"We are ready to go."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.