Graduation, injuries and general frustration as far as production at the quarterback position led the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coaching staff to pursue multiple options in the transfer portal this offseason.
They finally found what they were looking for.
Preston Hutchinson, who spent the past five seasons at Eastern Michigan, announced his intentions Monday on Twitter to transfer to UTC, where he will be provided an opportunity to compete for the starting job in 2022.
With the graduation of Drayton Arnold and the high unlikeliness that Robert Riddle, who transferred from Mercer last year, will be able to play again due to a lower-body injury, the Mocs - who finished a disappointing 6-5 last year - were going to enter next season with senior Cole Copeland, sophomore Ty Gossett and incoming freshman Lukas Schomburg as scholarship quarterbacks.
Arnold had one touchdown and four interceptions in two games, losses to Austin Peay and The Citadel in the first and last game of the 2021 season. Riddle, who technically has a year of eligibility remaining, did not play in 2021.
Copeland was the primary starter in 2021, going 6-3 in nine starts and throwing for 1,555 yards and six touchdowns to nine interceptions. He has won eight games as a starter at UTC and the Mocs are 9-8 in games he has played in, but he has 21 interceptions to just 14 touchdown passes in those games. Gossett has not played in a game.
The 6-foot-2, 201-pound Hutchinson threw for 2,340 yards and 16 touchdowns to nine interceptions during his time at EMU, while also rushing for 249 yards and 11 more scores. His most productive season was 2020, when he completed 64% of his passes for 1,662 yards and 12 touchdowns in a six-game Mid-American Conference season. He also rushed for eight scores that year.
Hutchinson, along with Copeland, will have one season of eligibility remaining.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.