Game Week #4 - UT Chattanooga

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, first playing in 1973.


Game #4 - UT Chattanooga Mocs

When: Saturday, September 28th at 4:00 pm
Where: Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, TN
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
-Radio announcers: Gary Ayers (PBP), Danial Hooker (Color), Greg McLamb (sideline)
Records:  WCU: 1-2, 0-1 SoCon;   UTC :  1-2, 0-0 SoCon
TV/video: ESPN+
-TV/Video announcers: Chris Goforth (pxp) and Scott McMahen (analyst)
Game Notes:  WCU   -     UTC      -    SoCon Notes
Message Board:  Chattanooga Moc Nation Message Board
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.

The Mocs current record: 1-3 overall, 1-1 home,  0-2 away, 0-0 SoCon.

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.

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.

Head Coach:  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.”

Games played by the Mocs before the WCU contest: 4 games -  UTC opened the season with a promising win over Eastern Illinois, 24-10.  Followed by 3 straight losses. The Mocs traveled to Jacksonville State and came home with a 21-41 loss. Up next was Tennessee, as the Mocs remained on the road, but run into a buzzsaw, losing 45-0.  #2 James Madison then traveled to Finley Stadium and came away with a 37-14 win over the Mocs.

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

The Mocs overall strength of schedule is rated as the second most difficult in the FCS and the Mocs were picked to finish fourth by the coaches and fifth by the media in the SoCon standings. Chattanooga 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 returned 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, 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. Chattanooga opened the season with a victory at home over Eastern Illinois, 24-10, then dropped two in a row, first to Jacksonville State then to Tennessee. Up next was James Madison

The good news for the Mocs on offense is all five starting linemen and a 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.


2019 Mocs Statistics (4 games) :
Rushing Offense: 485 yards on 144 attempts
Yards per game: 121.2
Yards per rush: 3.4 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 24
TDs rushing: 5
Passing Offense: 640 yards or 169 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 6 yards
Passing 1st downs: 28
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 52-107-7
TDs Passing: 2
Total Offense: 1125 yards or 281.2 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 3 - 2
3d Down Conversions: 24 - 61
4th Down Conversions: 2 - 7
Field goal attempts: 3 - 4
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 9 of 14
Red Zone Touchdowns: 6 - 14
PAT:   7 - 7

Game prediction: Per the Massey Ratings, the Cats have only a 21% probability of winning (19-31) over the Mocs.
The Mocs are on a three-game losing streak but against very tough competition.  Chattanooga opens SoCom play with a win over the Cats, 35 - 21.  Western is now 1-4 overall, 0-2 SoCon.