Blue Cooper

When not much else was working for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga offense Saturday, quarterback B.J. Coleman knew he had one reliable option: Blue Cooper.

The fifth-year senior wide receiver caught 16 of Coleman's 22 completions, for 143 yards, and even though he didn't score, he did plenty to help the Mocs rally for a 24-20 win over Western Carolina.

"Sixteen out of 22?" a shocked Cooper said after the game.

Eleven of Cooper's career-high 16 grabs came in the second half, including five on the Mocs' go-ahead drive late in the game. Of UTC's 301 yards of total offense, the Coleman-to-Cooper connection was responsible for nearly half.

"I couldn't be happier for Blue," Coleman said. "The kid's got so much heart. He's going to go in there over the middle, catch the football, get hit, get back up and do it again."

Cooper's big day gives him 60 catches for the season, nearly matching his career total of 68 coming into his final season. Injuries have plagued him throughout his career, and he played Saturday with a high ankle sprain, but in 2009 he's been at the top of his game since the opener.

Saturday was his third 100-yard game of the season.

"He's just a ballplayer," Mocs coach Russ Huesman said. "Tough as nails, man. I'll take 100 Blue Coopers out there."

An ugly start

The Mocs prevailed Saturday despite their worst start of the season, which helped Western Carolina jump out to a 13-0 lead.

On the first play of the game, tight end Garrett Hughes dropped a Coleman pass. On the second play tailback Chris Awuah lost a yard, and on the third play Coleman's throw sailed on him and was intercepted.

Later in the first quarter, the Mocs tried a fake field goal at the Western Carolina 22-yard line. Kicker Craig Camay tried to run outside but was stripped by Chris Collins, and Robert Peele returned the fumble 42 yards to the UTC 29.

Fortunately for UTC, the defense held the Catamounts to field goals after both turnovers.

Successful reunion

Among the announced crowd of 9,320 at Finley Stadium were more than 30 members of the 1979 UTC squad, back for a reunion. The 1979 team, coached by Joe Morrison, went 9-2 and shared the Southern Conference championship with VMI. Huesman and offensive line coach Russ Ehrenfeld were on that team, as was Bryon Coleman, father of the current Mocs quarterback.

The team got together Friday night, tailgated in the First Tennessee Pavilion before the game and had a postgame reception.

"I saw guys I hadn't seen in 30 years," Huesman said.

Extra points

Mocs safety Jordan Tippit picked off his fourth pass of the season late in the second quarter and made his second fumble recovery of the season early in the fourth quarter. ... Linebacker Joseph Thornton led the Mocs with eight tackles and defensive end Josh Beard had six, including a sack, giving him 10 1/2 for the season. UTC's other defensive end, Josh Williams, got a sack on Western Carolina's final drive, giving him six.