Mocs secure winning season

The 2009 UTC Mocs made history Saturday, by mounting the largest comeback in the program's existence. When the dust settled, UTC had overcome an 18-point first-half deficit to beat the The Citadel Bulldogs 31-28.

"Obviously, it was a great win," Head Coach Russ Huesman said. "It was an unbelievable effort by our guys to play that way in the second half to come back and win the football game against a good team. The Citadel is a good football team, they're talented. We are going to have to figure out how to start better."

In addition, UTC secured their first winning season since 2005 in the process.

With one game remaining, UTC will finish no worse than 6-5 in Huesman's first season.

UTC scrapped the running game almost altogether in the second half and went with what they do best: let B.J. Coleman throw it all over the field.

Coleman completed 39 of 61 attempts for 356 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

The sophomore from Chattanooga set season highs for completions, yards and attempts.

Early on, the Mocs seemed to struggle.

The Citadel moved the ball at will and opened up a quick 21-point lead. Coleman helped the Bulldogs with an interception that led to the biggest lead of the game.

The Mocs finally got on the board just before halftime with a Craig Camay field goal to cut the lead to 21-3. Camay, a senior from Marietta, Ga., was named Southern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week by going 3-3 on field goals.

Huesman was less than thrilled with his team's first half performance.

"At half time it was a pretty heated locker room. As soon as I left the field, I told the defensive coaches do not go and try figure out game plans, we've got to catch the football and we've got to throw the football," he said. "I told the defense we've got to tackle better. I told the offense don't even try to draw up new plays. Just tell them to catch the ball, throw the ball, and block people."

The second half started out much better than the first. UTC was able to deliberately move the ball down the field only to be stymied inside the 20.

Camay came on and booted his second field goal to shorten the lead to 21-6 early in the third quarter.

The Citadel had little opposition as they moved the ball right back down the field, but this time UTC was up to the challenge.

The Bulldogs were forced to attempt a field goal which missed wide left.

UTC regained possession and the momentum began to swing in the Mocs' favor.

B.J. Coleman carved up The Citadel's defense and UTC quickly moved the ball 80 yards in less than a minute and a half.

Coleman appeared in total command as he drilled a pass on 3rd and 15 to former-quarterback-turned-reciever Jare Gault, a senior from Boiling Springs, Miss., for 27 yards and a first down.

Coleman later found junior Chris Pitchford, from Knoxville, on a post pattern to cut the lead to 21-13.

However, The Citadel still had some fight left. The Bulldogs responded with a nice, long drive of their own, and 12 plays and 69 yards later, they extended their lead to a 28-13 spread.

On this day, the fourth quarter belonged to the Mocs.

Coleman continued his second-half tear by orchestrating a 10-play, 71-yard drive that ended with a four-yard touchdown pass to junior Blue Cooper, from Rome, Ga. While the crowd chanted Cooper's name, the Mocs had cut the lead to 28-21 after sophomore Sloan Allison, from Ooltewah, Tenn., snagged Coleman's two-point conversion pass.

Trailing by seven, UTC decided it was time for an onside kick. Craig Camay calmly executed the kick perfectly and freshman Robert Harrison, from Marietta, Ga., recovered it for the Mocs.

On the Mocs' ensuing drive, the offense moved the ball down to the Bulldog 26-yard line but were held in check by a determined defense.

Camay came on again, and was clutch, trimming the Bulldogs' lead to four.

The Mocs defense bowed its neck on the following possession and forced The Citadel to a three-and-out for just the second time all day.

Once again UTC's special teams rose to the occasion as sophomore Joel Bradford, from Chattanooga, juked and jived his way down field for a 53-yard return to The Citadel nine-yard line.

After a running play was stuffed on third down, Coleman right, and found Cooper for the score on fourth down. UTC had its first lead, with just over four minutes to play.

The Mocs' defense took the cue from the offense and held The Citadel on four straight plays to secure the victory.

Freshman defensive lineman Joshua Williams, from Griffin, Ga., led the way for the Mocs with seven tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. Williams also notched his freshman record seventh sack of the season.

Huesman said he was happy with the win, but pointed out there is still work to be done.

"The season is not even over yet, and I have eight guys coming up and t hanking me for barely doing anything," he said. "They don't have to thank me. It's pretty neat that a bunch of guys just come up and hug you and thank you. This is a great group of kids.