Sports is about the results.
That reality is an unfortunate one at times, and especially right now for University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Rusty Wright, whose team will be judged more on the fact it lost to Mercer 35-28 on Saturday with 21 new starters compared to previous games this year (17 of them were first-time starters) and less on the fact the younger lineup nearly beat a team in the top half of the Southern Conference standings in an unprecedented spring season.
The reaction to Wright's decision to rest more experienced players has varied wildly online and in emails to the Times Free Press, but the words of two parents of UTC football players on the Moc Nation message board are worth noting.
"Considering the talent that did not play today, including a host of special teams guys, I'd say today was a win," wrote one on Saturday. "Not in the books, but for the long-term success of the program."
And wrote another: "As a parent of a current player I understand and respect (Coach Wright's) decision. As tough as it is to swallow (Coach Wright) IS doing what he believes is in the best interest of the players (health). The players believe in this staff."
The Mocs (3-2, 3-1), who return to competition Saturday at Western Carolina (1-8, 1-5), committed youthful mistakes in the loss to Mercer, but they are mistakes that could be cleaned up with more experience.
With the focus on debating Wright's decision, which was made in light of the Mocs still having a fall season ahead, a lot was missed regarding the actual game. Freshman running back Lance Jackson's performance - 135 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries - was not overlooked, but it also wasn't the only success for UTC.
In fact, there's reason to believe that had freshman receiver/returner Jamoi Mayes not fumbled two first-half punts that were recovered by the Bears deep in UTC territory, both setting up touchdowns, the Mocs would still be undefeated in SoCon play.
Would fans still have complained about the changes then?
Here are a few things you might have missed from Saturday's performance.
O-line: To realize the Mocs started an all-freshman offensive line against a league opponent was quite impressive, and even more considering that unit - left tackle Brock Bethea, left guard Jeremiah Katt, center Reid Williams, right guard Cam Perry and right tackle Sam Hall - hadn't been through an offseason workout program due to COVID-19. They didn't look like physically developed players because they aren't yet, and the mistakes they made weren't mental but physical (such as holding). But to pave the way for Jackson's career day on the ground and for quarterbacks Drayton Arnold and Cole Copeland to combine for 226 yards, no interceptions and two scores was impressive for a group of linemen who took advantage of playing time they would not have otherwise received.
Receivers: To focus too heavily on Mayes' mistakes as a punt returner would mean ignoring the game he had as a receiver, with six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. To focus too heavily on the loss would mean overlooking what freshman Tyler Walker did, with 91 yards on five grabs (which doesn't include an acrobatic catch he made out of bounds, a play that ended in a personal foul on Mercer). Even newcomer Tyler "Smoke" Smith, who joined the team in January after transferring from Western Kentucky, came in and made a nice catch for a touchdown. Saturday became about finding out who could play if they needed to be thrust into action, and Wright found multiple guys capable of doing that.
Defense: Compared to their offense, the Mocs didn't rely as heavily on freshmen on the other side of the ball, starting four first-year players as opposed to nine. But that unit held its own for 60 minutes against Mercer's offense despite obviously wearing down as the game went on. Players such as inside linebackers Christian Snyder (20 tackles) and Justin Sanders (11) had career performances. Jelen "Jet" Lee had his first interception, and Austin Collier and Tre'Von Stanford combined for a sack, the first for each.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.