Ellington

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga coach Russ Huesman wraps a whistle around his neck, slaps on a hat, and pulls sunglasses up to his eyes in preparation for a four-minute walk. His jaunt takes him from his meeting room, past the glass door of UTC athletic director Rick Hart’s office, out McKenzie Arena and down to Scrappy Moore Field for two hours of coaching football.

Those few minutes are a chance for the Mocs’ coach to gather his final thoughts before practice. He may take the steps by himself but he’s never alone walking down Mabel Street and the Chattanooga Riverwalk before stepping on the field.

“I hear it all the time, walking back and forth from practice,” says Huesman before an evening practice. “There are people sticking their heads out the windows of their cars, and people walking, jogging and riding bikes that tell me, ‘Have a great year! We’re looking forward to y’all playing! Go get ’em!’ I’ve never walked down here without somebody saying something good to me.”

The late-summer swelter makes it obvious: it is football season in Chattanooga.

The chatter about town — on golf courses, in coffee shops and beer gardens, too — is louder than the cicadas sitting in trees. There’s hope. There’s optimism. There’s belief.

There’s a home-grown guy at quarterback in McCallie graduate B.J. Coleman, who transferred from Tennessee and looks like a movie star wearing blue and gold instead of orange.

There’s a fan base bragging about the best season since a 1997 team went 7-4. For the second straight year those fans are looking forward to football instead of counting the days until basketball starts.

There’s ambitious marketing, attempting to get 20,000 people in Finley Stadium for the home-opener against Southern Conference rival Appalachian State. There are plans to host just as many fans for homecoming on October 16 when the Mocs face Georgia Southern. That’s the one weekend of the year when University of Chattanooga alums and students gather to celebrate the old days — as well as the future.

“Last year there was a buzz, and this year it feels like it’s been ratcheted up a notch,” says Hart, who deserves a big chunk of the credit for UTC’s athletic prowess in all sports since joining the school in 2006. “It’s palpable. There are more people talking about UTC athletics, and making UTC sports part of their routine and their life.”

During Hart’s relatively short tenure, Mocs teams have captured a stunning 17 tournament championships in the Southern Conference. During the 2008-09 year, five different UTC teams competed in NCAA championship tournaments. A year earlier, UTC was awarded its first Germann Cup, signifying the best all-around women’s sports program in the SoCon.

“Rick has done a great job,” says basketball coach John Shulman, who has guided the Mocs to the NCAA tournament twice in his previous six seasons. “The support staff has grown immensely, and the things he’s done in this budget crunch are amazing. It’s special and all of us — coaches, family, friends, boosters — are very appreciative.”

UTC has become a model program in the SoCon, overshadowing the basketball success of league rival Davidson and Stephen Curry, as well as Appalachian State’s football glory stemming from the upset of Michigan in 2007. After all, UTC enjoyed the limelight when Shulman and the Mocs were adopted as the “team of the week” by Jimmy Fallon’s latenight show on NBC after winning the SoCon title in 2009 and advancing to the NCAA tournament.

Since Hart’s arrival, improvements in UTC’s athletic program have extended beyond the fields and courts. Over half of the Mocs’ student athletes buckled down in the classroom last year, making Hart’s Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. His initiatives have produced increased ticket sales, successful fundraisers, effective partnerships and improved athletic facilities.

“I get notes and letters and e-mails,” he says. “People stop and tell me how a UTC team helped them with a service project. Or a teacher tells me one of our student-athletes spoke to their classroom. Or somebody preaches in their church.

“Our students are taking their classes seriously, we’re giving back in the city, and honestly, we’re seen as a valuable community partner. All of that leads to competitive success in our sports.”

2010 Mocs Football Schedule2010 mocs football schedule

Sept. 4 Sat. Appalachian State Finley Stadium 3:00 p.m.

Sept. 11 Sat. at Jacksonville State Jacksonville, Ala. 7:00 p.m.

Sept. 18 Sat. E astern Kentucky Finley Stadium 6:00 p.m.

Sept. 25 Sat. at Western Carolina Cullowhee, N.C. 6:00 p.m.

Oct. 2 Sat. Open

Oct. 9 Sat. at The Citadel Charleston, S.C. 2:00 p.m.

Oct. 16 Sat. Georgia Southern Finley Stadium 6:00 p.m. (Homecoming)

Oct. 23 Sat. at Furman Greenville, S.C. 2:00 p.m.

Oct. 30 Sat. Elon Finley Stadium 2:00 p.m.

Nov. 6 Sat. at Auburn Auburn, Ala. TBA

Nov. 13 Sat. Samford Finley Stadium 2:00 p.m.

Nov. 20 Sat. at Wofford Spartanburg, S.C. TBA