UTC Mocs logoIt is as much a part of the program as the blue and gold uniform colors for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team. While many college football teams have gameday traditions in which players walk through crowds of cheering fans to get to their stadiums, UTC's "Moc Walk" is a bit of a different twist.
After changing from street clothes into their pads and uniforms, the players are joined by coaches, trainers, managers and other support staff for the decades-old tradition of walking to Scrappy Moore practice field.
Five days a week the Mocs make their way from McKenzie Arena along a half-mile walk that includes crossing three busy intersections before reaching the Tennessee Riverwalk near Manker Patten Tennis Club, which leads to the practice field.
It's not uncommon for motorists to roll their windows down and yell encouragement to players and coaches or, now that the team has been on a winning streak, even ignore a green light and let the padded pedestrians cross.
"In the past, even if we had the light to cross, we've had cars that would just drive through and not slow down. We had to watch it," senior tight end Faysal Shafaat said with a chuckle. "It seems like ever since we started winning we get more respect and more people stop their car to let us cross. That's kind of nice."
When Russ Huesman returned to take over as his alma mater's head coach, one of the changes he made was to make sure that everyone involved with the team -- including coaches, trainers, managers and sports information department workers -- made the walk. Previously some coaches or support staff had driven to the practice field, but Huesman no longer allowed that.
"I like the walk. I thought it was part of a tradition and it was important," Huesman said. "You can think on the way down or talk to your buddies and catch up on the way.
"I've been offered rides many times but never taken one. I see a lot of the same people as we walk across campus, and it's nice. People who are jogging or riding their bikes on the Riverwalk will say, 'Go, Mocs' or tell us they appreciate what we're doing. I love to see all the people out on the Riverwalk. It's just a neat experience."
Another of Huesman's rules was to make sure players understood they could not remove athletic tape or leave trash on the field or along the Riverwalk. And they had to pay attention to their surroundings to make room for joggers, cyclists and other people walking along the sidewalks.
Conversations to and from practice typically range from things the players need to work on once they get to the field, to what music they hope will be playing at practice to where their groups will meet for dinner later. And of course, there always are pranks being pulled or a teammate to make fun of for having a bad haircut or getting rejected by a girl.
During one of senior defensive lineman Zach Rayl's first years with the team, he was stopped by a tourist and asked what high school team they played for.
"I didn't know how to take that question," Rayl said. "She said she wasn't from around here, so I just tried to be polite and tell her we're from the university. Hopefully we look more like a college team to everybody now.
"It can be tough on those hot summer days during camp or when it's cold or rainy, but for the most part I like it because it helps you loosen up, and going from here to there you get in that football mindset and practice mode."
For the first time in 30 years, the Mocs will continue to make the walk for practice for the week after Thanksgiving. Before this season UTC players had to turn in their equipment once the regular season ended, but now they have a playoff game to prepare for next week, making all of them grateful to get to continue making the trip.
"Hopefully we'll be walking for a few more weeks," said senior running back Marquis Green. "It can be tough when it's hot and you've just practiced a couple of hours and have to walk back. That's when it seems like a long walk. And it is still a long walk, but as time has passed it seems shorter now because it's kind of cool to just walk with your teammates, your friends and crack jokes or talk about stuff.
"I guess it becomes one of those things that all of us will remember after we're done playing here."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293.