New UTC football head coach Tom Arth speaks to the media and Mocs football fans Tuesday at Finley Stadium.
photo by Dennis Norwood
“No one is more competitive that I am … I am humbled and ready for the challenge to win a national championship here at Chattanooga.”
-- UTC new head football coach Tom Arth
It was a supposedly “Mission Impossible” type school assignment for 10-year-old Caroline Arth – oldest of five children of new UTC head football coach Tom Arth and his wife Lauren.
Write a paper about a “saint among us”.
Actually the decision was easy as she chose to write about her dad as “he is faithful, loving and kind,” said Caroline at the UTC press conference Tuesday where coach Arth and his family were introduced to the local media and the Mocs football faithful.
Lauren Arth added “hard working and dedicated” in describing her husband, while UTC athletics director David Blackburn stated, “he is one with dignity and class, one who knows what good looks like and that is important to us and he has great vision and a plan for our student-athletes.”
* Russ Huesman Era: Coach Arth replaces Russ Huesman who led the Mocs to 59 wins in eight seasons along with three Southern Conference titles and three trips to the NCAA playoffs. Huesman accepted the head coaching position at the University of Richmond last week.
Huesman was the defensive coordinator for Richmond when the Spiders won the national championship in 2008. Huesman was the UTC coach from 2009-2016.
* Fast Hire: The hire of coach Arth was a quick one – maybe faster than it took Caroline to write a paper about her dad.
The 35-year-old Arth who has just completed his fourth year as head coach at John Carroll University (Ohio) was contacted at a Christmas party in Ohio last Thursday by phone from a member of a search firm that asked if he could be in Atlanta the next day.
“The call was totally unexpected and everything happened fast as I was in Atlanta Friday (Dec. 11), was offered the job Saturday morning, flew home to Ohio that day, discussed our options with my family and accepted the job Saturday night.”
* Football is Football: Asked by a media representative about the move from coaching at the non-athletic scholarship level which is D-III (academic and need-based scholarships, but not athletic help), Arth said, “no apprehensions from division III to this level … football is football. Our (UTC) team will be as prepared as anyone.
“I am blessed to be in this situation and know that we accomplished a great deal at John Carroll during my four years as head coach.”
The former All-American quarterback at John Carroll in the early 2000’s led the Blue Streaks to a 40-8 record the past four years, trips to the NCAA quarterfinals and semifinals and road wins against a pair of road wins against No.1 teams (Mount Union and Wisc.-Whitewater) this past season and selected as the 2016 D-III national coach of the year.
“Some people get tied up on a big name hire, but Tom has done well everywhere,” said Blackburn.
* Why Say Yes to UTC?: First, this university is important to me and when we recruit high school kids we need to be confident in the university’s academic programs … we want our student-athletes to be prepared for life when they graduate from UTC.”
Second, is the people. There is something special happening here and I want to learn from the people at UTC and have an impact on the process.”
Third, the legacy of the program and its tradition of success. My staff and I will work tirelessly to bring a national championship to UTC.
* Instilling the Will To Win: “And we want to instill in our players its more than football … it’s about the big picture … when it is tough we need people who will fight.
“There is a big difference between will and want ... There are only a few who have the will to fight and see it through.
* Finalizing a Staff: Coach Arth and his family will return to Ohio Wednesday morning and he hopes to finalize and announce his UTC staff in a few days.”
Some sources list John Carroll defensive coordinator Branden Staley has made a decision to join coach Arth at UTC … other JCU coaches who might also move South are defensive line coach Brian Cochran, offensive line coach Nick Hennessey and linebackers coach Matt Feeney.
* Recruiting: “Our most important recruiting area is the state of Tennessee …. We have to take care of our home state and control our area … and, of course, we will recruit in Alabama and Georgia.”
* Biggest Challenge Facing Coach Arth: “Understanding how to manage 63 athletic scholarships …. I will rely on my staff who have been in those situations.
* Christmas Shopping..? “Everything surrounding this job opportunity has happened so fast, Lauren and I have not bought any presents, so we have some work to do when we return home,” stated coach Arth with a laugh.
Christmas Carols: "My favorite Christmas carol is 'O Come all Ye Faithful' ... I listen to classic Christmas carols from Thanksgiving to Christmas."
* Ultmate Golfing Foursome: "I would want to play with Joe Montana (childhood hero), Jerry Rice and Tom Brady ... I have had a handicap as low as 12, but it is probably an 18 now."
Go To Food: "I eat LOTS of ice cream during the season."
* 2017 Schedule: The Mocs open against Jacksonville (Ala.) State Aug. 26 on ESPN in Montgomery, Ala. playing in the Cramton Bowl, the site of the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl … 35 weeks from Christmas Eve ...
After a week off, the Mocs play at LSU (Sept.9) and then host UT-Martin (Sept.16) in the home opener ..
“I do not dwell on who the opponent is, but focus on our preparation.
“Of course, we know who we are playing and work on defensive and offensive strategies, but we do not sit there and continually talk about who we play next.”
* Pro Football Career: “I played three years with the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL as well as in the Arena League and in Europe. I wish I had played in the Arena League before the NFL, because in the Arena League the game is so fast and you have to learn to get rid of the ball quickly.”
* Playing Behind Peyton Manning: “I have a notebook full of written notes on what I learned from Peyton either in the quarterbacks meetings, at practices or in the game.
“Peyton was the same focused guy whether it was in a walk through the day before a game or during the game itself. He was the same in every situation.”
Coach Arth plans to be focused and have his staff and players ready to take the Mocs program to the next level.
And if the 23rd coach in Chattanooga football history can bring a national championship to the Scenic City, Caroline Arth might not be the only one describing him as a " saint among us."
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net