The Chattanooga football team opens spring practice Friday afternoon at Scrappy Moore Field with the first of 15 scheduled sessions. The Mocs will hold 12 practice sessions and two intra-squad scrimmages before concluding the spring with the annual Blue & Gold Game (April 20, 2 p.m.).
“I think you work on things scheme-wise—offensively and defensively—that you feel like you weren’t quite where you needed to be,” UTC head coach Russ Huesman said. “I think for sure offensively we have to throw and catch the ball better; we’ve got to protect better. Thats’s going to be big this spring.
“We’re going to try to throw more than we have and try to establish our running backs more. We like quarterback run stuff, but are we going to beat them up in the spring? Probably not.”
Friday will also offer the first glimpse of first-year Mocs offensive coordinator Jeff Durden in action, as well as recently promoted defensive coordinator Adam Braithewaite—formerly UTC’s safeties coach.
It’s also an opportunity for the younger, less experienced Mocs to get up to speed before the start of fall camp.
“I think for the most part you try to get guys work that haven’t had a lot of snaps, maybe guys that redshirted (last season),” Huesman said. “You’ve got to get them a ton of snaps and put them in position to either be starters or to be quality backups.”
The Mocs’ first two intra-squad scrimmages, scheduled for April 5 and April 12, respectively, are open to UTC Mocs Club Members only. Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Player awards for the spring will be announced following the Blue & Gold Game, as will the 2013 team captains.
Here’s a look at Chattanooga’s complete spring practice schedule:
Practice #1 Friday, March 22, 3:40 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Practice #2 Saturday, March 23, 2:15 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Practice #3 Monday, March 25, 4:15 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Practice #4 Wednesday, March 27, 3:15 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Practice #5 Monday, April 1, 4:15 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Practice #6 Wednesday, April 3, 3:15 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Scrimmage #1 Friday, April 5, 4 p.m. (Finley Stadium)
Practice #7 Saturday, April 6, TBA
Practice #8 Monday, April 8, 4:15 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Practice #9 Wednesday, April 10, 3:15 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Scrimmage #2 Friday, April 12, 4 p.m. (Finley Stadium)
Practice #10 Saturday, April 13, TBA
Practice #11 Monday, April 15, 4:15 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Practice #12 Wednesday, April 17, 3:15 p.m. (Scrappy Moore Field)
Blue & Gold Game Saturday, April 20, 2 p.m. (Finley Stadium)
Michael Murphy covers UTC athletics for Nooga.com. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelNooga.