Mocs hope to contain Samford's dangerous passing game

UTC defensive back Kareem Orr helps the Mocs get set during their Aug. 30 season opener against Tennessee Tech at Finley Stadium. Orr has two interceptions and a fumble recovery through three games this season, but a big test awaits in Saturday's game against Samford.
UTC defensive back Kareem Orr helps the Mocs get set during their Aug. 30 season opener against Tennessee Tech at Finley Stadium. Orr has two interceptions and a fumble recovery through three games this season, but a big test awaits in Saturday's game against Samford.
photo UTC defensive back Kareem Orr helps the Mocs get set during their Aug. 30 season opener against Tennessee Tech at Finley Stadium. Orr has two interceptions and a fumble recovery through three games this season, but a big test awaits in Saturday's game against Samford.

As a ball-hawking defensive back for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Kareem Orr looks forward to challenges such as the one he'll face Saturday night.

The Mocs host Samford at 7 at Finley Stadium, and the Bulldogs will bring one of the top passing attacks in the country. Preseason favorites to win the Southern Conference, they're ranked 17th in both Football Championship Subdivision polls.

Samford quarterback Devlin Hodges, a candidate for the Walter Payton Award presented annually to the FCS national offensive player of the year, already has passed for 1,105 yards and 10 touchdowns with five interceptions. Samford's offense averages 501.7 yards and 38.7 points per game, each of which leads the SoCon.

The Bulldogs (1-2, 0-1) like to employ a quick-strike passing offense predicated on short throws to athletic receivers who can make plays in space. If they feel they've lured the defense in, that's when they go over the top for long gains.

"It's important that when you play this team, you keep them in front of you and force checkdowns, but then when you do that, you've got to rally to the football and you've got to tackle," UTC coach Tom Arth said. "The guys that they're throwing those 3-, 4-yard passes to, can take those 3-, 4-yard passes, make a couple of guys miss, break a tackle and turn it into 60 like that.

"We do want to keep them in front, we do want to force them to go underneath, but then you've got to do a great job of finishing on the ball carrier."

The Mocs (3-0, 1-0) did that during last season's game in Birmingham, Alabama. Hodges passed for 333 yards, but it took 54 passes and 33 completions to get there as UTC forced seven turnovers in a 23-21 upset of Samford, a top-10 team at the time.

Orr had two of those takeways - both fumble recoveries and both in the final 2:27 of the game. The first led to the game-winning field goal by Victor Ulmo with 19 seconds remaining, and the second came on the last play of the game.

Orr has continued those tendencies this season for the Mocs, with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He has a takeaway in each game.

The Mocs have forced seven takeaways in all this season - four interceptions and three fumble recoveries - which ranks second in the SoCon, and it could only help them to get a couple more this week. UTC is second in the SoCon in pass-efficiency defense (111.2) and third in passing yards allowed (189.0).

"This is a very exciting game for us," Orr said. "I honestly can't wait to get out there and play. It'll be a challenge. They have good receivers - (jersey numbers) 6, 1, 11. We can't wait to line up against them. The defensive backs, the linebackers, we'll be ready for the challenge."

No. 6 is senior Kelvin McKnight, a 2017 FCS All-American who had 86 catches and nearly 1,200 receiving yards last season. He already has 30 catches and five touchdowns this season - 14 catches and two scores came in the Bulldogs' 36-26 loss at Florida State, with Samford challenging the traditional Football Bowl Subdivision power until late in the fourth quarter. No. 1 is junior Chris Shelling, who has 15 catches and two scores. No. 11 is senior Andrew Harris, who had 122 yards on five catches against Florida State.

UTC junior linebacker Hawk Schrider said the key will be keeping Samford's skill players in front of them.

"We have to play smart, but the reality is they're a really good team," he said. "They're going to complete their passes, they're going to get their yards, but we can't let the big plays affect us. Up front, we have to be aware when they do try to run the ball, because they will test it on us.

"We have to be able to stuff that and make them a one-dimensional team."

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.

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