John Frierson is in his seventh year at the Times Free Press and seventh year covering University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletics. The bulk of his time is spent covering Mocs football, but he also writes about women’s basketball and the big-picture issues and news involving the athletic department. A native of Athens, Ga., John grew up a few hundred yards from the University of Georgia campus. Instead of becoming a Bulldog he attended Ole Miss and read as much Faulkner as possible, graduating with a degree in Southern Studies. Among the stops in his career was a three-year stint covering Georgia sports for the Athens Banner-Herald and two years at the Florence (Ala.) TimesDaily, where he split his time covering Alabama and Auburn. In 2007, John earned Alabama Press Association first-place awards for column writing and game coverage. Contact John at jfrierson@timesfreepress.com or (423) 757-6268 or follow him on Twitter @MocsBeat. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/mocsbeatCTFP.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team's 2013 season came to an end today when the Mocs were left out of the 24-team Football Championship Subdivision playoff field.
by John FriersonTUSCALOOSA, Ala. - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach Russ Huesman was right not to get his hopes up.
by John FriersonTUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Making his first real start at quarterback since the 2012 season opener at South Florida, Terrell Robinson had to kick off any rust he had against the best college football team in America.
by John FriersonTUSCALOOSA, Ala. - University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach Russ Huesman was right not to get his hopes up.
by John FriersonThe University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has done what it can do in the Southern Conference and the Football Championship Subdivision.
by John FriersonThe evening began with one University of Tennessee at Chattanooga freshman women's basketball player, Moses Johnson, belting out a stirring rendition of the national anthem before the Mocs' game against UAB.
by John FriersonThe good news for Davis Tull, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga All-America defensive end, is that he's not likely to see many double- and triple-teams Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
by John FriersonUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach Russ Huesman is worried about what he can see coming Saturday: one Alabama All-America player after another making plays against the Mocs.
by John FriersonNo, the Packers haven't called.
by John FriersonIt was a joke, Keionta Davis' postgame comment after The Citadel win about catching University of Tennessee at Chattanooga all-time sacks leader Davis Tull. Only a joke, yes, but it seems a little more credible now.
by John FriersonIf he's healthy enough to play, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga quarterback Jacob Huesman will be on the field Saturday for the Mocs' regular-season finale at Alabama.
by John FriersonThe exciting football finish has come to pass for the Southern Conference, which could have the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as its outright champion at the end of Saturday's games. Or there could be a two- or three-way tie including Samford and Furman.
by John FriersonAnd so began, Sunday, a very long wait.
by John FriersonBIRMINGHAM, Ala. - There was no University of Tennessee at Chattanooga celebration Saturday at Seibert Stadium. Instead it was Samford's students and fans storming the football field after Nick Pollard's 31-yard field-goal attempt in overtime hit the left upright and fell to the end-zone turf, no good.
by John FriersonBIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A pair of long completions, one for 36 yards and a 92-yard touchdown, accounted for 128 of Samford's 311 yards of offense Saturday in the Bulldogs' 17-14 overtime win against the 18th-ranked University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
by John FriersonIt should be strength versus strength on the field at Seibert Stadium today, when the Southern Conference-leading University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defense matches up against Samford's prolific offense. Whether that compelling head-to-head duel actually decides the critical SoCon contest is anybody's guess.
by John FriersonWelcome to the SoConversation, featuring The Citadel beat writer Jeff Hartsell of the Charleston Post and Courier, Elon beat writer Adam Smith of the Burlington Times-News and UTC beat writer John Frierson of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
by John FriersonWes Dothard has skill, instinct and experience, which has earned the two-time All-America linebacker some freedom in the Southern Conference's No. 1 defense.
by John FriersonThe University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team got a historic win over Tennessee to open last season, winning 80-71 at McKenzie Arena.
by John FriersonThe numbers show the dramatic improvement: 1,845 rushing yards in 11 games during the 2012 season compared to 2,352 through 10 games this season.
by John Frierson