2019 Football Preseason Preview: Chattanooga Mocs

Throughout this preseason, Purple & Gold will preview all of Western Carolina's 2019 football opponents.

In the Catamounts' fourth game of the 2019 season, the Cats re-enter SoCon action when they travel to Chattanooga, TN to play the Univerity of Tennessee Chattanooga Mocs

Western faces the Mocs for the 46th time on the gridiron, since 1973.








Game #4 - UT Chattanooga Mocs

When: Saturday, September 28th at 4:00 pm
Where: Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV/video: ESPN3 or ESPN+

The Series: In the 46th meeting between the two teams, the Cats own a 17-28 record against the Mocs.  The last time the Cats made a visit to the city of Chattanooga, they came away with a 45-7 win.

Last Game vs. Chattanooga (October 13, 2018) - Catamount Football dropped by Chattanooga 26-6. Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina’s potent offensive attack was held in check by Chattanooga’s stingy defense on Saturday afternoon as the Catamounts were never able to find a rhythm in dropping their first home game of the year at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field, 26-6, to the Mocs in Southern Conference action. Chattanooga QB Nick Tiano completed 22 of 28 passes for 204 yards and two first-half touchdowns – both to WR Joseph Parker – as UTC (5-2, 3-2 SoCon) snapped its two-game seasonal slide while relegating WCU to its third-straight defeat on the year. The Mocs amassed 348 yards of total offense including 204 passing and 144 through the air while chewing-up nearly 38 minutes of game clock in scoring their fifth-straight road victory in the head-to-head series.

Last Season's Record (2018 - UTC): 6-5 overall, 3-2 home, 3-3 away, 4-4 SoCon  (wins over Tenn. Tech, the Citadel, UT Martin, WCU, VMI) - While the Mocs started the season strong in 2018 with 4 straight wins, the Mocs closed out the season losing 5 of their last 7 games including 3 straight losses to end the season.

Games that will be played by the Mocs this season before the WCU contest: 4 games - This is the 4th game of the young season for WCU, but the 5th for Chattanooga. UTC plays Eastern Illinois, Jacksonville State, Tennessee, and James Madison before the Western Carolina game. The 2019 Mocs overall schedule is projected to be the 2d toughest in the FCS, the Cats schedule comes in ranked 11th toughest in the FCS.

Head Coach:  Rusty Wright - Rusty Wright is in his first year as head coach of the Mocs football program. He was officially introduced on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. A 22-year veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, Wright is a 1996 graduate of UTC with a degree in Sports Administration. He was a four-year letter winner for the Mocs football team and had two stints as an assistant coach at UTC. “I am extremely excited to announce Rusty Wright as the next head coach of Chattanooga Football,” stated UTC Director of Athletics Mark Wharton. “Once again, our program, University and community attracted an outstanding candidate pool.”

Offensive Formation: Multiple
-2018 Offense: 21.5 ppg. (98th in FCS)
Defensive Formation: Multiple
- 2018 Defense: 21.0 ppg. (14th in FCS)
Starters Returning/Lost: 17  /
Offensive starters - Returning/Lost: 9 /  2
Defensive starters - Returning/Lost: 6 / 5
Special Teams - Returning/Lost: 2 / 3

While the Mocs strength of schedule is projected at #2 in the FCS, the Mocs are also projected in the FCS Top 25 for 2019 by HEROSports.com (No. 19).  The Mocs were picked to finish fourth by the coaches and fifth by the media. and the Mocs placed six individuals on the 2019 Preseason Southern Conference Football Team. Junior receiver Bryce Nunnelly, senior linebacker Marshall Cooper, and junior defensive backs Brandon Dowdell and Jerrell Lawson made the first-team defense. Senior running back Tyrell Price and junior OL Cole Strange were both second-team offense selections.

The Mocs do return 17 starters from the 2018 season (9 on offense), but brand new head coach Rusty Wright is the 3d head coach in Chattanooga in the last 4 seasons.

A new HC in Chattanooga, combined with  an entirely new staff (new offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, new defensive line coach, new safeties coach, new tight end coach, new offensive line coach, new receivers coach, new running backs coach, new special teams coordinator, and linebacker coaches) could cause problems for both the defensive and offensive units until the players adjust to a totally new staff and new offensive and defensive formations.

The good news for the Mocs on offense is all five starting linemen and the tight end are back, as is both starting RB Tyrell Price and quarterback Nick Tiano. Taiano is considered one of the top signal-callers returning in the SoCon. The Mocs offensive unit scored 21.5 ppg (9th in the SoCon & 98th in FCS), so lots of improvement is needed in offensive production, especially, the rushing yardage. The Mocs only produced 98 yards per game in 2018.

On defense, senior linebacker Marshall Cooper is the anchored, leading the team in tackles last season with 98, good enough to land him on the Southern Conference All-Second Team. The Mocs’ secondary returns experience in junior defensive backs Brandon Dowdell and Jerrell Lawson. In 2018, Dowdell three interceptions and 40 tackles while tallied 53 tackles, 4.5 of which were for a loss.


2018 Mocs Statistics:
Rushing Offense: 1082 yards on 323 attempts
Yards per game: 98
Yards per rush: 3.3 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 62
TDs rushing: 11
Passing Offense: 2712 yards or 247 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 11.6 yards
Passing 1st downs: 110
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 234-379-6
TDs Passing: 16
Total Offense: 3794 yards or 344.9 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 14-8
3d Down Conversions: 58 - 149  (39%)
4th Down Conversions: 7 - 16 (44%)
Field goal attempts:13 - 21
On-side kicks: 0-1
Red Zone Scores:30 of 36  (83%)
Red Zone Touchdowns: 19 of 36 (53%)
PAT:   25 - 27 (93%)

Game prediction: Per the Massey Ratings, the Cats have only a 27% probability of winning (23-31) over the Mocs.
I'm going to disagree with that, as I see the Mocs coming into the game with a 1-3 record, and on a three-game losing streak.  Cats win 35 - 21 over UTC and leave Chattanooga with a 3-1 overall all record.