2021 FCS Season Preview: Chattanooga

CSJ Projected Finish: 1st

Entering the Spring, a lot of people pointed to Chattanooga as the team to beat. But as the season got closer, the Mocs delayed their camp and cancelled their first game.

From there rumors starting to escape that they weren’t really in to playing in the Spring and if they did, they would use it as an extended camp to improve their depth for the fall.

At first, it seemed they were just that, rumors as the Mocs ran out to a 3-0 start, but then the rumors were proven true when the Mocs played mostly second and third string players in a loss to Mercer. Shortly after that, UTC opted out of the remainder of the spring.

The Mocs are led by their defense and the offense scores enough to keep them ahead. There is a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. Their best offensive player, Aylim Ford did not play at all in the spring but should be ready for the fall. Altogether, this should be the team to beat in the Southern Conference.

Impact Players

RB Aylim Ford did not play at all in the spring. He played in the Mocs one game in the fall against FBS Western Kentucky where he had 92 yards rushing. Ford was a thousand-yard rusher with nine touchdowns as a freshman in 2019. He should drive the offense this year.

DL Devonnsha Maxwell is tough to stop for an opposing offense. He had 13 tackles for loss and 7 sacks in 2019 and 7 TFLs and 5 sacks in just four spring games. Look for him to dominate opposing offensive lines all year.

LB Jay Person emerged in the spring as the beneficiary of the double teams that Maxwell sees. Person had seven tackles for loss and five sacks. This one two punch should make the Mocs very tough to play against.

Key Game: October 9 vs. VMI

Chattanooga

Home	Time/Results	Away	Venue	Match Day	TV/Streaming	Highlights
Austin Peay	30 - 20	Chattanooga	Finley Stadium	Chattanooga, TN	-	-
Chattanooga	20 - 0	North Alabama	Braly Stadium	Florence, AL	-	-
Chattanooga	23 - 28	Kentucky	Kroger Field	Lexington, KY	-	-
Western Carolina	13:30:001:30 pm	Chattanooga	Finley Stadium	Chattanooga, TN	-	-
Chattanooga	13:30:001:30 pm	VMI	Alumni Memorial Stadium	Lexington, VA	-	-
East Tennessee State	13:30:001:30 pm	Chattanooga	Finley Stadium	Chattanooga, TN	-	-
Chattanooga	13:00:001:00 pm	Samford	Seibert Stadium	Birmingham, AL	-	-
Furman	13:30:001:30 pm	Chattanooga	Finley Stadium	Chattanooga, TN	-	-
Chattanooga	13:30:001:30 pm	Wofford	Gibbs Stadium	Spartanburg, SC	-	-
Chattanooga	15:00:003:00 pm	Mercer	Five Star Stadium	Macon, GA	-	-
The Citadel	13:30:001:30 pm	Chattanooga	Finley Stadium	Chattanooga, TN	-	-

Worst Case: The offense cant score enough points and the Mocs finish in the middle of the SoCon standings.

Best Case: The Mocs live up to their preseason billing and win the conference and maybe a playoff game or two.

Jamie Williams

Jamie is a proud 2002 graduate of James Madison University. He’s witnessed the growth of the program from no one in the stands in 1998, to the hiring of Mickey Matthews, to the 2004 National Championship, to the 2008 team, to the struggles in the early 2010s, and finally the rebuild under Mike Houston. He also allegedly really enjoys Washington, DC-based Stanley Cup winners.

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