It took a while for linebacker Ty Boeck and the rest of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defense to settle in Saturday against Kentucky, and it showed as the Wildcats essentially walked down the field, covering 70 yards on nine plays for a game-opening score.
But not that long.
"We got to play fast and play the type of ball we like to play after that," senior defensive back Rashun Freeman said.
There was a lot of talk about UTC's defense entering this season after the Mocs had success against Southern Conference competition in the spring. All of that was backed up at Kentucky after that initial touchdown drive by the Wildcats. The Mocs got pressure on Will Levis, sacking the Penn State graduate transfer once and forcing him into two interceptions, with one by Freeman and the other by CamIron Smith.
The Mocs held a Kentucky offense that entered last weekend averaging 40 points and 537.5 yards per game to 21 offensive points and 356 yards. The Wildcats, who had averaged 238.5 yards on the ground, barely cracked 100.
"You give up 21 points in college football nowadays, you have an opportunity to go win. I don't care who you're playing," UTC coach Rusty Wright said Saturday after the Mocs lost 28-23.
The Mocs' defensive front wasn't statistically dominant, but it controlled the highly touted Kentucky offensive line, which was rated by SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic this preseason as the best unit in the Southeastern Conference, ahead of the likes of Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Christian Smith's three tackles and Devonnsha Maxwell's 1.5 tackles for loss led the defensive line, but the bigger contribution by the group was to create pressure and pave the way for playmakers such as Soddy-Daisy graduate Boeck, Ooltewah graduate Freeman and the secondary.
"We played well, and we were in a position late in the game to win but didn't capitalize," said Boeck, who had 13 tackles and a sack and was named the defensive player of the week in the SoCon. "A couple of plays lost us the game. We'll look to improve and come out better next week."
The Mocs (1-2) have an open date this weekend before getting into SoCon play with a home game against Western Carolina at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 2. It's the start of an eight-game sprint to the finish line of the regular season, with the Mocs' hopes of reaching the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs hinging on how they do in those games.
The three-game nonconference slate that ended at Kentucky (3-0) showed that if the Mocs take care of the football offensively, the defense will be there.
"We got better today," Wright said Saturday after the Mocs led early in the fourth quarter in Lexington. "We're doing some things better, but we're still doing way too many things that just drive me absolutely crazy. We have to figure out a way to get better between now and when we start league play. I think the first three games are going to help us do that, I really do, and we've played good people.
"Our record is what it is, but I think we're going to be a better football team for the long haul."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.