Pressure is on Rusty Wright, UTC football as conference play opens
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (BVM) — Chattanooga Mocs head football coach Rusty Wright has some bullet points on his resume that not many other coaches can lay claim to. First, he is one of the lucky people to have played, been an assistant, and been named head coach at the same university. He is also one of the few coaches who can say that they have participated in two football seasons during the same calendar year.
Wright鈥檚 collegiate career began at UTC all the way back in 1992 where he played tight end. After his playing career ended he immediately began his coaching career as an assistant, where he stayed for seven seasons in various roles.聽
After bouncing around several different places as an assistant, Wright returned to UTC in 2013 as the linebackers and special teams coach, a position he held for four years. Those four years are some of the best that UTC has had to date. Wright was a part of a group that won three Southern Conference titles as well as playoff appearances those same years.聽
A couple of down years for UTC and two coaching changes later, Wright was finally given the reins to his alma mater in April 2019.
It鈥檚 a nice story. The former player and assistant is called upon to lead his old squad back to its days of prominence. It鈥檚 the perfect storyline, worthy of some runtime on a show like 鈥淔riday Night Lights鈥�. But not all that glitters is gold.聽
Wright鈥檚 first season at the helm of the Mocs was solid. The team went 6-6, finishing 3rd in the Southern Conference. The 2020 season, however, was a rollercoaster.聽
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most FCS programs decided to call it quits on the fall campaign. Wright and UTC were stubborn and ended up playing one game against Western Kentucky before the season was officially postponed to the spring.
Having a football season in the spring and then turning right around in the fall and playing another is a novel idea in itself. Wright was adamant all along. The spring season was going to be used for developmental purposes — the older guys would get some run in the first couple of games and then it would be the younger guys who commanded a majority of the reps.聽
The Mocs started the spring season 3-0, leading to a No. 9 ranking in the country. With the strong start, many wondered if Wright would change his developmental tune. Opportunity isn鈥檛 a lengthy visitor and the chance to capitalize on the early success was a temptation. Still, Wright stuck to his guns and on March 27, when the Mocs kicked off against Mercer, it was a group made up of all freshmen and sophomores that took the field.聽
The game resulted in a loss, and that following Monday UTC opted out of the spring season. They punted, literally, betting that their prospects for success would be better in the fall. It鈥檚 a decision that left many head-scratching. Sure, playing football in the spring is unusual to say the least, if you have a chance to possibly win a championship, don鈥檛 you take it?
The decision put a bullseye on Wright, turning the pressure for next season up to 11. Moving on from a season that had potential only places that much more on the next.聽
Currently, the Mocs sit at 1-2 on the year, but their last game against SEC foe Kentucky was an encouraging showing. The final tally was 28-23 and saw UTC leading in the fourth quarter. But there are hardly any moral victories in football, a loss is a loss.聽
For Wright, everything to prove is still ahead. The Mocs open up Southern Conference play this week against Western Carolina. The team looks to be positioned well going in, but it will be up to Wright to write the end of his superb storyline.
