In October of 1904, the Chattanooga Mocs played their first intercollegiate football game. 111 years later, the program has seen an abundance of talent – both from our hometown and from across the nation – attend the university to don a Mocs uniform and step between the lines.
While an all-time team roster will never be filled with complete agreement, a panel of experts compiled information to create a star-studded UTC depth chart that dates as far back as 1926 and as recently as 2014.
The players that follow have completed their careers at UTC and make up the CityScope® Magazine UTC All-Time Team. It goes without saying that the players presented here have achieved a remarkable level of success. Because of the program’s rich history, other great athletes arguably could have been included.
Offense
Chris Sanders
Height/Weight:
6’0” | 210 lbs.
Hometown:
Flower Mound, TX (Edward S. Marcus)
Lettered: 1999-2000
• Honorable Mention All-America selection in 1999 and Second Team All-America selection in 2000
• All-time career passing yards leader at UTC (7,230)
• Ranks second in career passing touchdowns (49) in UTC history
• All-time leader in single-season touchdown passes (27) at UTC
• Holds the Mocs record for most completions (41) and most passing yards (532) in a single game
• Played professionally in the NFL (Falcons, Titans) and the AFL (Arena Football League) until 2008
B.J. Coleman
Height/Weight: 6’5” | 220 lbs.
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN (McCallie)
Lettered: 2009-2011
• Owns the career touchdown passes record (52) and ranks second in single-season touchdown passes (26) at UTC
• Threw for the second most career yards in UTC history (6,871) and holds the Mocs record for the third most single-season passing yards (2,996)
• SoCon Second Team All-Conference in 2010
• Seventh round draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft (Green Bay Packers)
Gwain Durden
Height/Weight: 5’10” | 185 lbs.
Hometown: Reidsville, GA (Reidsville)
Lettered: 1977-1980
• Tops UTC’s career rushing ranks with 3,656 yards
• Ranks fifth in career rushing touchdowns at UTC (18)
• Holds the top two single-season yards per carry marks at UTC, set in 1979 and 1980 (7.8 and 7.1)
• Earned SoCon All-Conference honors in 1979
• Dubbed UTC’s Most Valuable Back in 1979
Gene Roberts
Height/Weight: 5’11” | 188 lbs.
Hometown: Kansas City, MO (East)
Lettered: 1945-1946
• Set and holds UTC’s single-season rushing touchdowns record (18)
• Scored 117 points in 1946, which currently holds as UTC’s single-season scoring record
• Ranks fourth all-time in single-season rushing yards at UTC (1,113)
• Named Little All-American in 1945 and 1946
• Drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers of the All-America Football Conference in 1947
• Earned a Pro Bowl nod in 1950 after securing the NFL scoring title with 102 points in 1949
Cos DeMatteo
Height/Weight: 6’2” | 212 lbs.
Hometown: Winchester, TN
(Franklin County)
Lettered: 1998-2001
• Holds the Southern Conference records for most touchdown passes caught in a quarter (3) and in a game (6)
• All-time leader in single-season touchdown receptions (11) and ranks second all-time in career touchdown receptions (23) at UTC
• Ranks second all-time in career receptions (166) and fourth in career receiving yards (2,092) at UTC
• Leads UTC in career touchdowns (27) and ranks sixth on UTC’s all-time scoring list with 162 points
• Two-time Honorable Mention All-American and SoCon All-Conference selection (1999, 2000)
Eldra Buckley
Height/Weight:
5’9” | 207 lbs.
Hometown: Charleston, MS (Charleston)
Lettered: 2005-2006
• Holds the top two single-season rushing records at
UTC (1,233 yards in 2005, 1,204 yards in 2006)
• Ranks second all-time at UTC in single-season rushing touchdowns (11)
• Ranks fifth in career rushing yards (2,437) and fifth in career rushing touchdowns (18) at UTC despite playing for only two seasons
• Stands at fourth all-time at UTC in career yards per carry (5.6)
• Awarded SoCon All-Conference honors in 2005 and 2006
• Played professionally with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL for two seasons
Joel Bradford
Height/Weight: 6’0” | 165 lbs.
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN (McCallie)
Lettered: 2008-2011
• Owns the single-game (274) and single-season (1,284) receiving yards records at UTC
• Stands at eighth all-time in career receptions (134), fifth all-time in career receiving yards (1,944), and is tied for sixth all-time in career receiving touchdowns (13) at UTC
• Third Team All-American selection in 2010
• Earned SoCon All-Conference honors in both 2010 and 2011
Rocky Turner
Height/Weight: 6’0” | 190 lbs.
Hometown: Augusta, GA (Butler)
Lettered: 1968-1971
• Recorded the fourth most single-season receiving yards (984) in UTC history in 1971
• Stands at seventh all-time in career receiving yards at UTC (1,864)
• Holds the top punt return average in a single season mark at 13.2 yards (1970)
• Named as an Honorable Mention All-American in 1971
• Drafted by the New York Jets of the NFL in the 10th round of the 1972 draft and went on to play until 1974
Terrell Owens
Height/Weight:
6’3” | 224 lbs.
Hometown:
Alexander City, AL (Benjamin Russell)
Lettered: 1992-1995
• Ranks second all-time in career receiving yards (2,320), third in career touchdown receptions (19), and sixth in career receptions (144) at UTC
• Earned SoCon All-Conference honors in 1995
• Played on five teams throughout his 15-year NFL career – the San Francisco 49ers (1996-03), Philadelphia Eagles (2004-05), Dallas Cowboys (2006-08), Buffalo Bills (2009), and Cincinnati Bengals (2010)
• Six-time Pro Bowl selection, five-time All-Pro selection, and NFC Champion during his NFL career
• Currently fifth in receptions (1,078) and tied for second in receiving touchdowns (153) in NFL history
Brent Adams
Height/Weight: 6’5” | 256 lbs.
Hometown: Elberton, GA
(Elbert County)
Lettered: 1971-1974
• Earned the Scrappy Moore (Team MVP) award in 1974
• Second Team Little All-America in 1974 at UTC
• Drafted in the eighth round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons
• Played for three seasons in the NFL, starting in 28 games
Joe Kopcha
Height/Weight: 6’0” | 221 lbs.
Hometown: Whiting, IN (Whiting)
Lettered: 1926-1929
• Earned nine varsity letters across three sports at UTC – football, basketball, and track
• Played professionally with the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions of the NFL over a span of eight years, taking a leave of absence after the 1929 season and later retiring after the 1936 season to pursue his medical career
• Selected as All-Pro in 1933 and 1934
• Played for the Chicago Bears’ 1932 and 1933 NFL championship teams
Chester Lagod
Height/Weight:
6’2” | 220 lbs.
Hometown:
St. Clairsville, OH (St. Clairsville)
Lettered:
1949-1952
• Captain of the Mocs in 1951, playing under Scrappy Moore
• Dubbed Little All-American in 1951 and 1952 while at UTC
• Inducted into the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame in 1987
• Joined the New York Giants of the NFL in 1951, where he spent one season
Curtis Rouse
Height/Weight: 6’3” | 316 lbs.
Hometown: Augusta, GA
(Lucy Craft Laney)
Lettered: 1979-1981
• Named SoCon All-Conference in 1981
• Invited to and played in the 1981 Senior Bowl All-Star Game
• 1982 NFL Draft selection of the Minnesota Vikings
• Played for six seasons in the NFL (five with the Vikings, one with the San Diego Chargers)
Charlie Long
Height/Weight: 6’4” | 260 lbs.
Hometown: Fyffe, AL (Fyffe)
Lettered: 1956-1960
• Earned Little All-American nod in 1960
• Drafted by the Boston Patriots of the AFL (American Football League) in 1961
• Nine-year professional career that included two AFL All-Star selections (1962, 1963)
Chris Harr
Height/Weight: 6’4” | 299 lbs.
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN (Notre Dame)
Lettered: 2007-2010
• One of only five true freshmen to earn playing time for the Mocs in 2007
• SoCon All-Conference selection in both his junior and senior seasons at UTC (2009, 2010)
• Signed with the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL as a free agent in 2011
Matt Vick
Height/Weight: 5’11” | 185 lbs.
Hometown: Franklin, TN (Battle Ground Academy)
Lettered: 1997-2000
• SoCon record holder for most consecutive field goals made in a single season (13)
• Stands as the Mocs all-time leading scorer with 242 career points
• Holds records for the most field goals in a game (4), season (22), and career (44) at UTC
• Mocs Special Teams MVP in 2000
• Second Team All-American selection in 2000 while at UTC
Bucky Wolford
Height/Weight: 5’11” | 175 lbs.
Hometown: Kimberly, AL (Mortimer Jordan)
Lettered: 1966-1969
• Started on offense, defense, and special teams during his tenure at UTC
• Ranks seventh at UTC in career yards per carry (5.2)
• Tied for first in UTC history for career interceptions (13) and third for single-season interceptions (7)
• Holds the mark for the fourth longest kickoff return in UTC history (94 yards, Ole Miss, 1968)
• Inducted into the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989
Jacob Huesman
Height/Weight: 6’2” | 220 lbs.
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN (Baylor)
Lettered: 2012-Present
• Finished third in voting for the Jerry Rice Award (given to the national freshman of the year in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision) and landed on the SoCon All-Freshman Team in 2012
• Earned Second Team SoCon All-Conference honors in 2013 as a sophomore
• Named SoCon Offensive Player of the Year in sophomore (2013) and junior (2014) seasons
• Led UTC to back-to-back Southern Conference Championships (2013, 2014)
• Finished 11th in voting for the Walter Payton Award (awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision) and was a Second Team All-America selection in 2014
• Helped the Mocs to their most successful football season in 2014, going 7-0 in conference play and winning a postseason game for the first time in the program’s history
• Critical in garnering national attention for the Mocs in 2015, positioning the program as the No. 8 team in the nation in the FCS Preseason Coach’s Poll
Josh Cain
Height/Weight: 6’1” | 227 lbs.
Hometown: Dunlap, TN (Sequatchie County)
Lettered: 1999-2002
• Holds the SoCon record for the most tackles in a single game (30)
• Recorded 85 tackles at UTC in 1999, the second most ever by a freshman
• Ranks first in single-season tackles (192) and second in career tackles (511) in UTC history
• Selected as Second Team All-American and earned SoCon All-Conference honors in 2001 and 2002
• Signed with the Chicago Bears of the NFL in 2003 where he played for one season
Junior Jackson
Height/Weight: 6’0” | 245 lbs.
Hometown: Barnesville, GA (Lamar County)
Lettered: 1986-1989
• Ranks third all-time in single-season tackles (181)
• Recorded the third most career tackles in UTC history (454)
• Named SoCon Coaches Player of the Year in 1989
• First Team SoCon All-Conference team in 1989
Glen Richardson
Height/Weight: 6’2” | 205 lbs.
Hometown: Crystal River, FL (Crystal River)
Lettered: 1982-1985
• Holds the mark for most career tackles at UTC (522)
• Recorded 183 tackles in a single season in 1985, good for the second most all-time at UTC
• Three-time SoCon All-Conference selection (1983-1985)
• Presented with the Scrappy Moore Award (Team MVP) in both 1984 and 1985
Terdell Sands
Height/Weight: 6’8” | 340 lbs.
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN (Howard)
Lettered: 1999
• Played for one season at UTC before being drafted in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs
• Played for four NFL teams over the course of a nine-year professional career – Kansas City Chiefs (2001), Green Bay Packers (2003), Oakland Raiders (2003-2008) , and the New England Patriots (2009)
Tony Hill
Height/Weight: 6’6” | 248 lbs.
Hometown: Warrenton, GA (Warrenton County)
Lettered: 1987-1990
• Ranks fifth in all-time sacks at UTC (13)
• Earned All-American honors in 1990
• Named SoCon All-Conference in 1990
• Selected 108th overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1991 NFL Draft
Bob Klein
Height/Weight: 6’3” | 195 lbs.
Hometown: Blue Island, Il
Lettered: 1933-1935
• Named UTC’s first Little All-American in 1936 at defensive end
• Three-time All-Dixie Conference selection
• Was known to ‘‘do it all’’ on the football field, working from all aspects of the game – defensive line, offense, and special teams
• Earned ten varsity letters across three sports (football, track, and basketball) in his time at UTC
Jack Gregory Jr.
Height/Weight: 6’5” | 250 lbs.
Hometown: Tupelo, MS (Okolona)
Lettered: 1963-1965
• Honorable Mention Little All-American in 1965 at UTC
• Spent 13 seasons in the NFL, playing six seasons for the Cleveland Browns and seven for the New York Giants
• Pro Bowl Selection in 1969 with the Cleveland Browns
• NFL sack leader in 1972 with the New York Giants
Bob Standifer
Height/Weight: 6’5” | 257 lbs.
Hometown: Chattanooga, TN (Central)
Lettered: 1982-1984
• Named All-American at UTC in 1984
• Earned SoCon All-Conference honors in 1983
• Declined the NFL Draft in 1985 and was drafted seventh overall by the Oakland Invaders of the USFL
• Played for three years professionally (two with the Oakland Invaders
and one with the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL)
Randall “Brick” Mitchell
Height/Weight: 6’1” | 275 lbs.
Hometown: Savannah, GA (Herschel V. Jenkins)
Lettered: 1982-1985
• Dubbed as Honorable Mention All-American in 1984
• Made the SoCon All-Conference Team in 1984 and 1985
• Signed with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL in 1987 where he played for one season
Davis Tull
Height/Weight: 6’2” | 246 lbs.
Hometown: Knoxville, TN (Bearden)
Lettered: 2011-2014
• Selected to the SoCon All-Freshman team in 2011 after redshirting in 2010
• Three-time SoCon Defensive Player of the Year (2012, 2013, 2014)
• Three-time All-American (2012, 2013, 2014)
• Recorded a UTC single-season record 12.5 sacks in 2012
• Finished his UTC career with 37 sacks, the most career sacks in UTC’s history
• Drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft
Mike Hunt
Height/Weight: 5’11”| 170 lbs.
Hometown: Knoxville, TN (Farragut)
Lettered: 1979-1981
• Began his UTC football career as a walk-on before earning a scholarship in 1978
• Awarded UTC’s Most Valuable Back award in 1980
• Two-time SoCon All-Conference selection (1980, 1981)
• Inducted into the UTC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011
David McCrary
Height/Weight: 5’11” | 160 lbs.
Hometown: Rockmart, GA (Rockmart)
Lettered: 1983-1985
• Ranks fourth in all-time career interceptions at UTC (11)
• Owns the career (3), season (2), and game (2) interceptions for touchdowns records at UTC
• Leads the Mocs in all-time career interception return yards (215)
• Holds the SoCon record for most career punt returns (118)
• Owns the career (1,253), season (385), and game (142) punt return yards records at UTC
• Earned SoCon All-Conference Honors in 1984
Dick Young
Height/Weight: 5’11” | 210 lbs.
Hometown: Bridgeport, CT (Bassick)
Lettered: 1951-1954
• Little All-American selection in 1954 as a DB
• Drafted in 1954 by the Chicago Cardinals of the NFL
• Ultimately played for the Baltimore Colts for three seasons as a fullback (1955-1957)
Philip Aldridge
Height/Weight: 6’2”| 190 lbs.
Hometown: Columbus, GA (Hardaway)
Lettered: 1983-1985
• Set and currently holds both the career (13) and single-season (8) interception marks
• Responsible for the third longest interception return in UTC history (75 yards)
• Named to the 1985 SoCon All-Conference team
Greg Cater
Height/Weight: 6’0” | 191 lbs.
Hometown: LaGrange, GA (LaGrange)
Lettered: 1976-1979
• Earned SoCon All-Conference in 1977, 1978, and 1979
• Holds the single-season punting yards record at UTC (3,448)
• Ranks second in career punting average at UTC (41.6 yards)
• Played professionally in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills (1980-1983) and St. Louis Cardinals (1986-1987)
Buster Skrine
Height/Weight: 5’10” | 185 lbs.
Hometown: Woodstock, Ga. (Etowah)
Lettered: 2007-2010
• Two-time SoCon All-Conference selection (2009, 2010)
• Fifth-round selection in the 2011 NFL Draft (Cleveland Browns)
• Has started in 37 games in the NFL, recording 6 interceptions
• Currently plays for the New York Jets