The Tennessee-Chattanooga Open Thread

We're definitely going to have some stuff up later in the week about Auburn and Florida because a win here is all but assured, but nevertheless a few quick hitters on UT-Chattanooga:

• Historically, believe it or not this, is actually the eleventh meeting between these schools in a series that goes back to 1908. The Tide is, not surprisingly, 10-0 all-time five shutouts on the resume. The average margin of victory has been somewhere between 30-40 points, and only once has this game been decided by fewer than 10 points. 
• Tennessee-Chattanooga used to be the Moccasins. However, the politically correct crowd got to that one as being offensive, so now they are just the "Mocs." Their mascot has since become a mockingbird, and the logo has the mockingbird driving a train. I don't get it.
  
• Random fact: Former Alabama standout player / defensive coordinator turned traitor Bill "Brother" Oliver was head coach at UT-Chattanooga from 1980-1983. He actually did well there, but ultimately left at the end of the 1983 season to be the defensive coordinator for the Memphis Showboats of the USFL.
• Tennessee-Chattanooga has struggled a lot the past several few decades. They had their glory years in the late 1970's and early 1980's, but the program has really fallen on hard times since. Since 1984, the most wins the Mocs have notched in a season is a mere seven (something they've done only twice), and they've had 18 losing seasons in that stretch.
• The Mocs have a new coach in 2009. After winning a combined three games in 2007 and 2008, Rodney Allison was fired. In his place, Russ Huesman was hired after spending several years as defensive coordinator for the Richmond Spiders. Most interesting fact about Huesman? He played prep football at Moeller High School for former Notre Dame coach Gerry Faust.
• This one is driving me nuts... Huesman was the recruiting coordinator at Memphis (along with other assistant duties) from 1998-2003. I can't piece it together off the top of my head, but it seems like I remember his name coming up somehow or another in the Means scandal. Of course, everybody's name came up then, so maybe I'm just not thinking straight.
  
• Either way, Huesman has done a very good job at Tennessee-Chattanooga this year. They have had their lumps, but they come into this game at 6-4, and should finish 6-5 (this is their last regular season game). That end result alone makes this one of the most successful seasons that Tennessee-Chattanooga has had since their glory days in the late 1970's / early 1980's.
• B.J. Coleman is the starting quarterback for the Mocs, and he is the best of the bunch. 'Bama fans should remember this guy well... he spent the last few years at Tennessee-ArmedRobbery and his transfer this past Spring created a bit of a stink in Knoxville. He has done a good job for the Mocs this year, completing around 60% of his passes and throwing 17 touchdowns against only 7 interceptions.
• UT-Chattanooga throws the football a lot. Just looking at the raw numbers they are throwing the football about 60% of the time, so they are probably the pass happiest team we'll face this year.
• Reason for that is probably because UT-Chattanooga cannot run the football at all. Their leading rusher this year has around 150 carries on the year, but is barely averaging 3.0 yards per carry.
• Lots of dink and dunk in the passing game out of this offense... the top three receivers combine to average about 10 yards per reception. As a whole, Coleman is only averaging 10.5 yards per completion on the year.
• Leading receiver is Blue Cooper who has over 80 catches on the year. That many catches is impressive regardless of who you are playing for.
• Run defense... UTC doesn't have much of one. We ought to run it often and easy against these guys.
  
• If nothing else, you've got to give this university a nod for having one hell of a random alumni base. Notable alums of Tennessee-Chattanooga include Terrell Owens, Ward Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver), Mr. Belding (Saved by the Bell), and the guy who invented Rolaids. I suppose that between the girl and I -- she's a lifelong Saved by the Bell junkie, and I can go through a Sam's Club size case of Rolaids during the course of a football season -- we actually owe a lot to this university.