By Thomas Sellers Jr.
For months area recruiting experts were wondering where would Brighton’s Charles Mosley take his talents for college. One of the first people to know outside of the Mosley family circle was Jarra Dowell. As Mosley set in Dowell’s chair at Mandatory Swagg Barber Shop at 7750 Highway 51 North in Millington, he prepared to cut Mosley’s trademark mohawk. But this wouldn’t be just any Mosley mohawk. The senior lineman had a special request for designs. And it was that hairstyle that Mosley used Dec. 9 to make it official his verbal commitment to The University of Tennessee. Once Mosley walked into a packed Brighton High School Library, the checkerboard patterns on the side of his head with “UT” on the right and “Vols” on the left made it clear. “Why not?” Mosley said rhetorically. “It’s the school I fell in love with. I feel at home at Tennessee and Coach Jones. I’m ready to go to work right away and bring Tennessee back on top.” Butch Jones just wrapped up his first season on the hill in Knoxville leading the Volunteers to a 5-7 record. Tennessee ended the 2013 season with a win over the Kentucky Wildcats. But it was the previous Volunteer game, a loss to Vanderbilt, that presuded Mosley to pick the Big Orange. For a moment it appeared Tennessee had a victory and would stay alive for a bowl game. But after the reversal of a fourth down spot giving the Commodores a fresh set of downs, Vandy drove down the field for the go-ahead touchdown. “After the Vandy game, I knew I wanted to go,” Mosley said. “They just lost to Vandy and a feeling just came over me, ‘I want to go to Tennessee and help them win.’ I don’t know what the feeling was and why it came over me. But I knew I wanted to go to Tennessee and be a Vol. Growing up in the home of Jeff Sr. and Janet Mosley, Charles had a few dreams of being a Michigan Wolverine. Then the last two years the recruiting process increased Mosley’s list of favorite teams. “Just to support him and let him make him make his decision so it won’t come back on us, ‘You the one who told me to go somewhere,’” Jeff said of the process. “We won’t have to have that problem. This was his decision. He has to be happy wherever he goes. He has to play.” “I’m happy with his choice,” Janet said. “I always told him to go where he will be happy because he has to be there for three or four years.” Also by Charles’ side for the announcement were his siblings Jeff Jr., Michael and Maya. Other family and friends were there wearing UT orange celebrating the moment. Other teams in the running were Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Mosley’s No. 2 choice Alabama. Although several fans tried to encourage Mosley during his decision process, he said his close circle just gave him the support he needed. “Nobody in here really cared where I went,” he noted. “They just wanted to see me do good. They know I have the ability to do well and they just want to see that. I just thank them all.” Mosley also thanked the coaching staff of Brighton headed by Will Wolfe. Each season Mosley played for the Cardinals he helped the team reach the playoffs. His sophomore season Mosley anchored the line of the first 10-win Brighton team in school history. In his final two campaigns, the Cardinals have hosted playoff games and won the 2013 District 13-3A championship. Mosley has been selected to multiple All-Star games and was a finalist for Mr. Tennessee Football Lineman. With so many accomplishments and honors, the Mosley family said it was the announcement to become a Vol that was the final clipping on the perfect haircut.
“It’s a dream come true,” Jeff Sr. said. “I’m glad he’s decided what college he wants to go to. As long as he enjoys himself.”
