Special teams loomed large in the outcome of ETSU’s 24-17 loss to Tennessee Tech on Saturday at William B. Greene Jr. Stadium.
The Golden Eagles (8-1, 5-1) made several big plays in the kicking game while rallying from a 10-point deficit and scoring 17 unanswered points to complete their comeback and seize first place in the Southern Conference.
Immediately after ETSU (6-3, 4-1) pulled ahead by double digits on Ewan Johnson‘s 38-yard field goal with 4:05 remaining in the half, Tennessee Tech’s Qua Ashley took the ensuing kickoff and ran it 59 yards deep into Bucs territory. The Golden Eagles scored a touchdown just three plays later, again with Ashley the culprit, finding the end zone on a 12-yard run.
Tennessee Tech also tied the game at 17 on Carter Brown’s 33-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, and pinned the Bucs inside their own 10-yard line on a punt as well as a kickoff.
“They absolutely kicked our rear end on special teams,” Bucs coach Will Healy said during his opening statement in the postgame press conference.
Special teams had been a strength for ETSU in several of its games during the five-game win streak that this result snapped. Johnson was named the Southern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week after making all 10 kicks he tried in ETSU’s rout of Western Carolina at the end of September. Suderian Harrison made a 31-yard punt return last week against VMI. And the Bucs blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown Oct. 10 against The Citadel.
Johnson also made the midseason watch list for the Fred Mitchell Award, which goes the top kicker from any level below the FBS who stands out both on the field and through his community service.
‘It’s idiotic on my part’
Healy was his own worst critic when evaluating some of the decisions in the game — most notably, ETSU’s drive midway through the third quarter. A 42-yard run by Jason Albritton advanced the Bucs inside the Tennessee Tech 40. The Bucs got as far as the Tech 25, well within the range of Johnson for a field goal. ETSU called passes on the next three plays, which resulted in a sack, an incompletion, and another sack. The Bucs lost 18 yards, falling back to the 43, and had to punt away the ball.
“Should have run it on third down. The only thing that couldn’t happen happens,” Healy said of the sacks, noting he was heavily involved in the decisions on that drive. “I wanted to take a shot. I’m expecting at some point in time we’re going to win one of those one-on-ones. It’s kind of like expecting us to be able to contain those returners. It’s idiotic on my part. They creased the first (kickoff return). I kicked it to (Ashley) again. Stubbornness, you know, and probably another stubborn moment on our third down and probably just running to kick a field goal.”
Injury update
The Bucs played without one of their top defenders, linebacker Jarvis Johnson. Slated to start, the former SoCon defensive player of the week was not able to go due to what Healy said was a deep thigh bruise.
“Didn’t do a whole lot of practice, but moved around,” Healy said.
Freshman receiver Josh Buckhalter, who returned the blocked punt for a touchdown against The Citadel, also missed the game due to injury, as did center Maddox Radcliffe and linebacker Jeremiah Curry. Receiver Trey Weary appeared to get knocked out late in the game.
QB struggles
ETSU quarterback Mason Mims did not have his best game against Tennessee Tech. Mims finished 15 of 32 for 114 yards without a touchdown, setting career lows as the Bucs starter for completion percentage or passing yards.
Mims did make some big throws, none bigger than a fourth-down slant to Harrison on ETSU’s final drive of the game. Needing a touchdown, the Bucs advanced as far as the Tennessee Tech 15 before Mims’ fourth-down try got batted down by the pass rusher.
“He’ll keep throwing, he’ll keep learning. You know, my expectations for him have not changed,” Healy said of Mims.
Extra Points
Several Next Level Locals started for ETSU: Charlie Browder (Kingsport/Dobyns-Bennett/Christ School/UCF/Tennessee) at tight end, Sam Browder (Kingsport/Dobyns-Bennett/Christ School/Memphis) at offensive left tackle, Ty Williams (Greeneville/Austin Peay) at offensive right tackle. Defensive tackle Mason Ball (Elizabethton) saw the field as well, but did not start. … Bucs RB TJ Peyton, who came in leading the SoCon in all-purpose yards, had 179 yards: 123 rushing, 26 receiving, and 30 on a kickoff return. … ETSU dropped into a tie for second place in the SoCon with Mercer with this result.