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Top 5 Sporting Events That Memphis Has Ever Hosted Besides The Western Conference Finals

May 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Memphis_skylineMemphis has a very strong sports history.  For decades, the University of Memphis has been an elite team on the national stage.  However, Tiger basketball is not the only big time event that Memphis has played host to.  The St Jude Classic is an annual event that always has signature moments.  But does anything come close to the Memphis Grizzlies hosting the Bluff City’s first ever NBA Western Conference Finals?

Here are a few events that have catapulted to the top of the Memphis sports scene:

Mike Tyson vs. Lennox Lewis, Heavyweight Championship, June 8, 2002 at The Pyramid.

World championship boxing matches always bring out the A-list in the entertainment world and this was no exception.  Some of the celebrities in attendance were Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise, Britney Spears, Clint Eastwood, Ben Affleck, Hugh Hefner, Halle Berry, Richard Gere, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, LL Cool J. Wesley Snipes and many others.

This fight was originally scheduled for April 6, 2002 in Las Vegas, but Las Vegas and other states refused to issue Tyson a license to box.  Tickets sales were slow at first because of the high cost of $2,400, but 15, 327 show to see Lewis defeat Tyson in eight rounds.

Memphis vs. Tenneseee, No. 1 vs. No. 2,  February 23, 2008 at FedExForum.

The Tigers entered the game with a 26-0 record and the Vols were 24-2.  Memphis was ranked No.1 in the country and  Tennessee was No. 2. Justin Timberlake and Peyton Manning were among the stars to show up for this time.  There was plenty of tension in the building for an in-state rivalry game on a national stage.  John Calipari and Bruce Pearl were opening taking verbal jabs at each other.  The Tigers had the longest home active winning streak in the country (47 games).  The Vols won the game 66-62. Entertainment Tonight television show was in attendance with the 18,629 fans for the game.

Derrick Rose and Robert Dozier were not able to contain Memphis native J. P. Prince and Chris Lofton off in order to keep their undefeated record alive.  The Tigers did go on to play in the National Championship game against the Kansas Jayhawks.

Illinois vs. Alabama, Bear Byrant’s last game,  December 29, 1982 at Liberty Bowl Stadium.

After the 1982 season, the legendary coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide decided to end his coaching career. He announced his last game as coach would be at the Liberty Bowl. The Tide lost their final regular season game to the Auburn Tigers.  Bryant stated,”This is my school, my alma mater. I love it and I love my players. But in my opinion, they deserved better coaching than they have been getting from me this year.”   The Tide won the Liberty Bowl 21-15 over the Illini in front of 54,123 and and what was described as a media “circus” from around the country.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. the Memphis Grizzlies, The Triple OT Game, May 10, 2011 at FedExForum.

The Memphis Grizzlies were coming in off of upsetting the number one seeded San Antonio Spurs and came into this game with a 2 games to 1 advantage over the Thunder.  Zach Randolph 34 points and 16 rebounds and Marc Gasol 26 points and 21 rebounds were not event to defeat the Thunder.  This133-123 triple overtime thriller won by the Thunder was led by Kevin Durant’s 35 points and Russell Westbrook’s 40 points.   The Thunder went on to win the series in seven games.  It took three-hours and 52 minutes to play the game. This was the only sporting event ever held in Memphis to be nominated for a ESPY.

Andy Kaufman vs Jerry “The King” Lawler, April 5, 1982 at the Mid-South Coliseum.

Kaufman was a frequent guest on Saturday Night Live (SNL) were he would wrestle women as part of his skits.  Kaufman came to Memphis and offered any woman $1,000 if they could beat him.  Lawler became tired of his antics and they began a verbal feud.  They finally fought and Kaufman won the fight on a disqualification, because Lawler used an illegal move (the piledriver).

The two would meet again on July 28 on the David Letterman show and Lawler would give Kaufman the slap heard around the world.  During Lawler’s appearance on the show Kauffman threated to sue Lawler for injuring him in their match and got tired of listening to Kaufman babble and he slapped him.  This confrontation between the two actually brought wrestling the national stage.  This was the first time wrestling and Hollywood to crossed paths. Memphis was selling out the Mid-South Coliseum every week back then. Lawler vs. Kaufman has been featured in movies (Man on the Moon) and on various TV specials.

These are just a few of the top sporting events that Memphis has hosted.  There are plenty of other events that the city has played host to.  What are some of your favorite sporting events of all time that has occurred within the city limits of Memphis?

Terry Davis is a regular contriburtor for MemphiSport. Follow him @Terryd515.

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Tennessee-Vanderbilt rivalry continues to heat up

March 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Do we have a legit interstate rivalry beginning to brew here in the great state of Tennessee?  It certainly looks that way, and it is about time.

Vanderbilt Tennessee rivalryVanderbilt and Tennessee have played 107 times, and there is not a more lopsided “rivalry” in all of college football.  Tennessee dominates the rivalry, holding the advantage 73-29-5.

Yet, thanks to Coach James Franklin, the culture at Vanderbilt is changing.  After more than a century of football futility, Vanderbilt has finally grown a backbone, and is no longer going to take the back seat to any SEC team, especially in state rival Tennessee.

If you need an example of this new found courage from Vandy, look no further than Coach Franklin’s tweets from late Wednesday night:

james franklin tweet

Ironically they came just hours before five star recruit Jalen Hurd, out of Hendersonville’s Beech High School, announced his commitment to Tennessee for the 2014 season.

Franklin can deny his tweets were meant for any one player or college institution, but it certainly looks like he is taking a subtle shot at Tennessee, and he has every right to do so.  He has turned a perennial SEC cellar dweller into a program with expectations of making a bowl game every year.

In Frankiln’s two year tenure at Vandy, he has lead the Commodores to a bowl game in both seasons.  Vanderbilt has only been to six bowl games ever, and Franklin accounts for two of them.  On top of that, the nine wins Vandy had this past season was their first nine win season since 1915.

Last year, Franklin also led the Commodores to their first five win conference record since 1935, and a thorough beat down of the Vols at Vanderbilt Stadium (first time Vanderbilt beat Tennessee at home since 1982).  As if the 41-18 victory was not enough, Franklin rubbed it in the Vols faces, taking a timeout after a penalty with 43 seconds left in the game, and Derrick Dooley was fired soon after.

That game might not have been the straw that broke the camel’s back for UT coach  Derek Dooley, but at the very least it was the dirt that was kicked in the camel’s face after it went down.

Vanderbilt’s rise could not come at a better time, as the Vols have been on the decline the past five years. Tennessee still holds the advantage in tradition, with the Vols owning 16 conference championships and six national titles (that is 16 more conference titles and six national titles more than Vanderbilt).

However, despite all the history that Rocky Top has, the Vols, not the Commodores, are the ones currently looking to turn things around.

Butch Jones has taken over for the Vols, and has a stellar 2014 recruiting class, with two of the state’s top six prospects already committed to Tennessee.  Will Jones be able to slow down the momentum that Franklin has built at Vanderbilt?

CJ Hurt covers the NBA for MemphiSport. Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from games.

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2012 SEC Bowl Preview

December 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

It is believed by most analysts and fans that SEC football has been, and is currently, the premiere conference in the nation.  The combination of size and speed combined with the tactical masterminds of coaches like Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, and Les Miles make it difficult for one to argue otherwise.  After all, the last 6 National Champions hail from the SEC.  With bowl season upon us the SEC has again sent at least one member to the national championship game and another member to a BCS bowl in what is becoming a yearly ritual.  It is a very difficult bowl slate for the conference this year due in large part to the fact that all nine of the teams the SEC faces come from the other AQ conferences (three from the Big 10, two from the ACC, two from the Big East, one from the Big 12, and Notre Dame).  There is no surprise that the conference has nine teams selected to represent in bowls this season.  Yet, it is surprising (at least to me) that teams from the SEC are favored in all nine of their matchups.  Surely the mighty conference will not be 9-0 at the end of the bowl season (last year the SEC went 5-2 with one of those bowl losses coming to another SEC team).  The question is which games will SEC teams come up short in during this year’s bowl campaign?  Listed below are the bowls, with their participants, the spread, a brief description, and whether or not the SEC team will cover their spread.

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
North Carolina State vs. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt -6 1/2
James Franklin has led the Commodores to back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time ever. They are looking to send seniors like Zac Stacy out with a win, and avoid a loss like the one they suffered to Cincinnati in last year’s AutoZone Liberty Bowl.  North Carolina State comes into the game with one of the best secondaries in the nation and must find a way to contain the combination of Jordan Rodgers and Jordan Matthews if they are going to be able to win.  In the end Vanderbilt gets the first bowl win of the Franklin era and covers the spread too.

Chick-fil-A Bowl
Clemson vs. LSU
LSU -4
The organizers of the Chick-fil-A Bowl should really considered renaming this the Lord of the Tigers Bowl.  If LSU is going to win they will have to go through one of the most prolific offenses in the country.  Clemson ranks ninth nationally in total offense and sixth in scoring and are led by star QB Tajh Boyd.  He is one of the most dynamic football players in the nation, and it will be fun to see what tricks Miles, AKA the“Mad Hatter”, will pull out to contain Boyd’s explosiveness.  It will be a battle of strength on strength however, as LSU has one of the best defenses in the nation and is 8th nationally in total defense.  There is a 100 percent chance that the Tigers will win this game.  It just will not be LSU as the Clemson offense will prove too much and they pull off the upset.

TAXSLAYER.com Gator Bowl
Northwestern vs. Mississippi State
Mississippi State -2
This is the closet spread out of all of the SEC bowl games this year and for good reason.  While the Bulldogs started off red-hot winning seven straight games, they went 0-3 against ranked teams, and managed to win just one game in their last five, including a loss to arch rival Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.  Northwestern is entering this contest with one of the best rushing attacks in the nation, averaging 230.9 yards rushing per game.  The Bulldogs have struggled defending the run this year and in their last game allowed the Rebels to rack up 233 yards on the ground. Mississippi State has not beaten a good team all year and Northwestern is a good team.  State loses in a close game and therefore does not cover the spread.

Outback Bowl
Michigan vs. South Carolina
S. Carolina -5
These are two of the best defenses in the nation with Michigan 11th in total defense and 16th in scoring D, while South Carolina is 12th in total D and 13th in scoring D respectively.  The matchup everybody wants to see is Jadeveon Clowney versus Denard Robinson.  Shoelace is one of the fast players in all of college football and is 14th in the nation in rushing yards.  On the other hand, Clowney is a true beast off the edge and one of the main reasons why the Gamecocks rank fifth in the nation in sacks.  He is also more than capable of containing the elusive Robinson.  The Wolverines will be without their tailback Fitzgerald Toussaint so expect Devin Gardner to play quarterback and Robinson to be the primary tailback. This should be a low scoring game as neither team allows more than 21 points per game.  Three of the Wolverines four losses are to the top three teams in the AP poll (Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Alabama), and Michigan is more than capable of pulling off the upset.  South Carolina loses in a hard-fought contest and fails to cover the spread.

Capital One Bowl
Nebraska vs. Georgia
Georgia -10
Yet another intriguing matchup and it is the third SEC vs. Big Ten matchup of the bowl season.  Both teams are division winners and both are coming off of losses in their individual conference championship games.  Georgia lost a close contest to Alabama, while Nebraska was demolished in stunning fashion by Wisconsin.  Georgia appears to have advantages all over the field, but the one area of concern for Mark Richt and Georgia has to be their rushing defense.  The Bulldogs are allowing 177.7 yards per contest, including 350 yards on the ground to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.  Nebraska, led by Taylor Martinez, brings in the number eight rushing attack in the nation which might give the Bulldog defense some issues.  There is a strong chance that this will be Aaron Murray’s last game in a Georgia uniform and in the end he will prove too much for a struggling Cornhusker defense. Georgia wins big and covers the spread with ease.

AllState Sugar Bowl
Louisville vs. Florida
Florida -14
This is the largest spread of this year’s bowl season for the SEC and for good reason.  Even though the Big East is 4-2 in their last six BCS bowl games, Louisville should be underdogs thanks to their struggles late in the season.  They dropped two of their final three games of the regular season and just recently climbed back into the BCS poll.  On the other hand, Florida was one game away from a perfect regular season, a trip to the SEC Championship, and a chance to play for a BCS National Championship. Louisville should not be underestimated though, as they bring in the best red zone offense in the nation. Florida will be the best defense the Cardinals have faced all year so quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is going to have to put together a stellar game and limit turnovers, which is easier said than done against this Gators defense.  The Gators are fifth in the nation in turnover margin, and have 19 interceptions on the year. The two touchdown spread seems right given the circumstances and the talent gap between the two teams.

AT&T Cotton Bowl
Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M
Texas A&M -4 1/2
Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and the Aggies will renew an old Big 12 conference rivalry when they take on the Sooners in the Cotton Bowl.  It is a rivalry that Aggies fans probably looked forward to never playing again as A&M has only won two games in their last ten meetings against Oklahoma.  All of the attention will be on Johnny football, as it should be, but do not forget about the quarterback on the other side of the field.  Landry Jones is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation and is more than capable of putting up big numbers of his own. Oklahoma has the number five passing attack in the nation thanks to Jones and is every bit as potent on offense as Manziel and the Aggies.  Defensively both teams have their issues, but in the end expect Oklahoma to get the win in what is sure to be a shoot out and an exciting game.

BBVA Compass Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. Ole Miss
Ole Miss -3 1/2
In his first season as head coach, Hugh Freeze has the Rebels bowling.  Ole Miss is coming off of an emotional win against hated rival Mississippi State and is looking to carry that momentum into their matchup with the Panthers.  Pitt has allowed just one touchdown in their last 10 quarters and is led on the defensive side of the ball by stand out defensive back Jason Hendricks.  Bo Wallace and Dante Moncrief will have to find a way to exploit a secondary that has only allowed 12 touchdown passes all season.  Freeze’s boys certainly have their hands full, but it is nothing that they cannot handle and they should cover the spread with ease.

Discover BCS National Championship
Notre Dame vs. Alabama
Alabama -9 1/2
For the seventh straight year, a SEC team is in the BCS Championship Game.  Saban is looking for his third national title since taking over as the head coach for the Crimson Tide.  Notre Dame is no slouch though, and if you like defense this is going to be the best game on the bowl schedule.  The Irish are number one in the nation in scoring D while Alabama is second.  Both teams rank near the top in every defensive statistical category and points will be hard to come by, especially in the red zone. Alabama and Notre Dame allowed a combined 11 red zone rushing touchdowns all season (9 for the Crimson Tide and two for Notre Dame) and are in the top three defenses in the nation when it comes to red zone defense.  Manti T’eo and the Fighting Irish defense will have their hands full trying to contain the dynamic duo of Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon.  Both of the Alabama tailbacks have over 1,000 yards rushing this year, and are more than capable of exploding for a big game at the same time (ask Richt about them).  With two stellar defenses on the field it is highly unlikely either team jumps out to a comfortable lead. Alabama wins, but does not cover the spread.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from different college football games throughout the Mid-South.

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Where should Bobby Petrino coach next?

November 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The regular season is over for most college football teams, which means coaches are getting fired and the hunt for a replacement is taking place.  Enter Bobby Petrino, the former head coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks, Atlanta Falcons, and Louisville Cardinals.  While Petrino is without a doubt one of the best coaching candidates available this year, his past indiscretions will make it difficult for a college football program to hire him.  He was fired fromArkansasafter crashing his motorcycle with his mistress on the back of it (and tried to cover it up), he left the Falcons 13 games into his first season as head coach to take theArkansasjob, and he took theAtlantajob shortly after signing a 10 year extension atLouisville.

He has shown a lack of loyalty and poor judgment at each of his past head coaching spots, so why would anybody hire him? It is a simple answer, Petrino wins games. And if you are a program looking to regain the glory and prestige of years past, winning is all that matters.  A 4-3 bowl record, combined with two BCS bowl appearances, a 75-26 head coaching record, and several top 10 finishes in his eight year college coaching tenure will make Petrino one of the most sought after coaches of the offseason.

So where should he coach next? Here is a list of schools Petrino should show interest in coaching.

Tennessee
The Volunteers are fresh off of their third straight losing season under former head coach Derek Dooley and are hungry for a return to national relevance.  Offensively the Vols are one of the most talented teams in the nation, ranking in the top 25 nationally in passing yards, points per game, and total offense.  If he can convince players like Justin Hunter and Cordarelle Patterson to forgo the NFL draft, then the Vols will bring back one of the most talented offensive units in the nation.  Something that should make the offensive minded Petrino happy.  His offenses have routinely been able to outscore opponents, so the transition atTennessee should be easier than another coaching position.

Auburn
Everyone knows that Petrino interviewed for theAuburn job a few years ago and did not get it.  Now, thanks to the recent dismissal of Gene Chizik,Auburn is looking for a coach and Petrino would be an excellent candidate.  True Chizik is just two years removed from a national title, but this season’s 0-8 SEC record along with the fact that he had a 15-17 conference record meant that a change had to be made.  The development of quarterbacks after Cam Newton left was one of the biggest issues that Chizik could not seem to figure out.  Petrino does a great job improving his quarterbacks (see Ryan Mallet and Tyler Wilson for example) and he will get the best out of Kiehl Frazier if he is hired as the head coach atAuburn.

North Carolina State
This is one of two programs looking for a head coach that has a winning record for the 2012 football season (Purdue is the other school).  Yet, the reason why N.C. State is a good fit is mainly because it is the best available job not in the SEC.  Which means an easier road to a BCS Bowl, and that means more money and possible opportunities for a coach who is known to jump ship at the sight of a better job.  There are only two ACC teams ranked in the BCS poll (Florida State and Clemson) and Petrino should be able to win games and compete for a conference championship sooner here than at any other location. 

California
A trip to the west coast might not be a bad idea either, especially at a program likeCal.  The Golden Bears are hungry for a winning season and might be willing to overlook Petrino’s past mishaps.  It is not necessarily a rebuilding job inBerkeley, although this year’s 3-9 record indicates otherwise.  Thanks to the job that formerCal coach Jeff Tedford did in his 11 year tenure, the Golden Bears are now a respectable program and a good coaching fit for Petrino’s offensive genius.  Fans are yearning for the glory days when Aaron Rodgers was the quarterback and the Golden Bears had one of the most potent offenses in the nation, and if there is one thing Petrino can do it is coach a high powered offensive attack.

Arkansas
Sure they fired him, but now the Razorbacks faithful know how much they need Petrino.  The Razorbacks administration should amend his firing to a one year suspension and bring him back.  After all, everyone deserves a second chance.  Just make sure to put a motorcycle clause in his contract.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from different college football games throughout the Mid-South.

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Coaching candidates for Tennessee football

November 19, 2012 by 2 Comments

Derek Dooley was fired Sunday after one of the worst losses in school history to rival Vanderbilt.  This came as a surprise to no one as Dooley’s SEC record in his three year tenure with the Vols is 4-19 (including a loss to Kentucky last season to snap a 26 game win streak against the Wildcats) with an overall record of 15-21.  He has posted a losing record every year since taking over head coaching duties for the Volunteers and Tennessee has made it to only one bowl in his tenure.  Tennessee will be looking for their fourth coach in six years and whoever they hire will have the difficult task of bringing the Vols back to national relevance.  During the glory years under Phillip Fulmer Tennessee averaged just three losses a year.  Since then the Volunteers have struggled to stay above .500 and make it to bowls.  The Vols are in a tough spot financially due to NCAA probation, buyouts, and a budget deficit for the 2011-2012 academic year.  Yet, Tennessee needs to find a good coach, who will be reasonably priced, and have the ability to turn the program back into the powerhouse it once was.  Below is a list of qualified candidates who meet these criteria.

Bobby Petrino
Remember when fans and experts were saying that Arkansas had the talent to contend in the SEC West this year regardless of if Petrino was the head coach?  Well they were terribly wrong as the Razorbacks are going to miss out on a bowl this year without him.  Their struggles show how valuable a signal caller Petrino is and what he can do for your football program.  He has head coaching experience which is something the Volunteers want (and need) and the credentials to walk in and instantly demand the respect from everyone affiliated with the program.  He has finished in the top ten of the BCS rankings four times during his eight years as a college coach (twice at Louisville and twice at Arkansas) which is something Tennessee has not managed to do since 2003.  The great thing about Petrino is that he is coming off of a scandal and should be cheaper than he would be had he not crashed his motorcycle.

David Cutcliffe
Few people have the insight and understanding of SEC and Tennessee football, but Cutcliffe does. In fact, Cutcliffe withdrew his name from consideration the last time Tennessee was looking for a football coach, something vols fans should hope doess not happen twice. He started off as an assistant coach under Fulmer and worked with star quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tee Martin.  Cutcliffe was the offensive coordinator for the National Championship team as well. Fans should not be too discouraged by his head coaching record (just 65-67) because he has spent the last five seasons coaching at Duke, which is a very difficult place to win games if you are a football coach.  Yet, he has found a way to improve the football program and the Blue Devils are now bowl eligible for the first time since 1995 (just their ninth bowl game in school history).  He is a quality coach who is flying under the radar, and may even give the Vols a hometown discount seeing as he has strong Tennessee ties.

Tommy Tuberville
Speaking of coaches with SEC (and Ole Miss) ties, Tuberville is another great option that the Tennesse brass should consider inquiring about.  He is the head coach at Texas Tech, but you have to believe that if a job opened up in the SEC (a conference he did extremely well in while he was a head coach) he would take it.  Tennessee is rich in tradition (much like Auburn and Ole Miss) and being the Vols head coach will allow him to reacquaint himself with all of his old SEC rivals (Georgia and Alabama).  Tuberville would also get a chance to inflict some pay back on two of the schools that he used to coach for in Auburn and Ole Miss.  While he will not come cheap, the Vols should certainly see if there is a way to lure him to Knoxville.  After all, he has an overall record of 130-75, is 7-3 in bowls, and while at Auburn beat arch rival Alabama six straight times.

Kirby Smart
If you can not beat them join them, it is that simple.  Not only is Smart one of the best assistant coaches in the nation, he is the best assistant coach from your arch rival’s program.  Hiring him away from Alabama will simultaneously make the Vols a little better and the Crimson Tide a little worse, closing the huge gap between the two programs.  The problem with Smart is that he is going to be a hot commodity at the end of the year and Tennessee cannot afford a biding war for his services.  However, hiring a defensive minded coach like Smart might be just what the Vols need to make a return trip to prominence and snap their six game losing streak to Alabama.

Chan Gailey
The Vols do not have the money to lure him away from the NFL, so in order for this to have a chance at working he will need to be fired from the Buffalo Bills.   Provided he loses his job after this year, Gailey would be a terrific hire for Tennessee.  He has years of coaching experience in both professional and college football, is a great offensive mind, and should be able to help turn the Vols football program around.  Georgia Tech was the last college team he coached and they made it to bowl games in all six of his seasons.  Not bad considering Tennessee has missed out on bowl eligibility the past two years.  

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from different college football games throughout the Mid-South.

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Arkansas fighting for bowl eligibility after 30-27 loss to Ole Miss

October 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

If you would have said that the Arkansas Razorbacks would be fighting for bowl eligibility before the start of the season people would have looked at you like you were crazy.  Yet, thanks to a 30-27 loss in Little Rock to Ole Miss, that is exactly where the Razorbacks find themselves.

“We held them to three field goals but that was one too many,” John L. Smith said after his team’s crushing defeat.  The Razorbacks lost on a last second field goal thanks to a perfectly executed two-minute drill drive by the Rebels who improved to 5-3 on the season, and are just one game away from being bowl eligible.  Ole Miss was 2-10 last season, and their turn around is nothing short of remarkable.

Just as remarkable is the Razorbacks turn around.  They started the season with SEC West Championship aspirations and were even ranked in the top ten nationally (and No. 1 in the TAM rankings).  It is hard to believe that these same Razorbacks now stand a chance of not reaching bowl eligibility.

“It is going to be hard.  Life is hard.  We are going to battle… gain more confidence, more confidence more work, more work more confidence, and continue that cycle,” explained Coach Smith.  Hard is an understatement as the three of the next four Arkansas opponents are ranked in the top 15 in the BCS standings.  Arkansas is now 3-5 and needs to win three more games to become bowl eligible.

However, Coach Smith remains positive even with the difficult task ahead of them, “They have, to this point, shown great character and great class.  They have done everything we asked, they continue to battle, and they will continue to do the same.  They are not going to start pointing fingers or any of that stuff.”

The game changed in the second quarter when Charles Sawyer blocked a Razorbacks punt and returned the ball all the way to the Arkansas 22 yard line.  All it took was four plays for the Rebels to gain the lead on a Barry Brunetti one yard touchdown run, a lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the game.  “When you get a punt blocked there is a 90 percent chance you are going to lose.  I take that very personal.  So if there is anybody to blame it is me,” Coach Smith said.

That blocked punt is not the only thing Razorbacks fans are blaming on Smith.  He is also shouldering the blame for this disappointing season.  The disappointment started with an unforgivable loss in the second week of the season to Louisiana Monroe.  Since then the Razorbacks have struggled to find the consistency needed to win games.

Clearly Smith is not Bobby Petrino, but nobody thought Arkansas would need to win three of their final four games just to make bowl eligibility.  “We had a chance,” Smith said.  “We just have to make a couple more plays and maybe we get there.”

Hopefully Arkansas can find a way to make “a couple more plays” in their next four games.  Otherwise, this season will go down as one of the most disappointing seasons in Razorback history.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from different college football games throughout the Mid-South.

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Derek Dooley’s time is running out after 41-31 loss to Mississippi State

October 14, 2012 by 1 Comment

Tennessee went into Saturday’s game against Mississippi State trying to make a statement, trying to get their first conference win of the year, and trying to quiet the rumors that their head coach might not return to the sidelines next year.  Unfortunately, the Vols suffered the same fate that they have so many times before under Coach Dooley, a loss to another top 25 team.  With Saturday’s 41-31 loss to fellow TAM team Mississippi State, Dooley is now 0-13 against top 25 teams and 4-15 against SEC foes since taking over at the University of Tennessee.

The rumors are growing louder and some are beginning to speculate that Dooley will not return for a fourth season as the Volunteers head coach.  “I do not read it or look at it,” Dooley said about the rumors circulating his future with the program.  “I am going to be watching Alabama, and try to give our players a good chance.  That is all you can do in this profession.”

He can try to ignore the whispers all he wants, but the fact of the matter is the Vols (and his coaching career) are in serious trouble.  Coming into Saturday’s contest Tennessee allowed an abysmal 425.8 total yards per game, which was second worst in the SEC.  And in their three conference games this year they are giving up a staggering 492.7 total yards per contest.

“We are not very good right now.  You are what your film is,” Dooley said.  “Three SEC games we are giving up a lot of yards and a lot of points… When you give up a lot of points and a lot of yards it is usually a combination of a lot of things.”

Coach Dooley needs to figure out his defense’s problem quickly because allowing 43 points per game to conference opponents is not going to get the job done in the SEC.

However, the fact that is job security grows more uncertain with every passing day will not deter Dooley, “All you can do is try to get over the hump next week.  That’s what athletics is.  You never know when it is going to happen.  You have to keep coaching, correcting, evaluating, and play your way through it.”

That is a very positive outlook, but if the Vols do not find a way to get over the proverbial “hump” they will not be bowl eligible for the second straight year, have three consecutive losing seasons, and Coach Dooley will be out of a job.

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CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from different college football games throughout the Mid-South.

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Who will be the next head football coach at Arkansas?

September 28, 2012 by 8 Comments

April 1, 2012 is a day that all Razorbacks fans want to forget because on that day their quest for a SEC Championship was ruined.  Bobby Petrino’s scandal, and subsequent dismissal from the university, left a gapping void that interim coach John L. Smith has been unable to fill so far this year.  Arkansas has gone from BCS Title contender to maybe managing to get bowl eligible in a matter of three weeks.  The Razorbacks have lost three straight games including a 52-0 home loss to SEC West rival Alabama.  Even if Arkansas can turn things around it is highly doubtful that Coach Smith will return as head coach next year.  So, who should Arkansas hire as their next head coach?  Maybe Arkansas will steal Mike Smith from the Falcons the way they stole Petrino.  Or maybe they go out there and hire Jody Sears, the interim coach at Weber State.  While these are two unlikely candidates, there are several strong coaches that Arkansas should seriously consider hiring, and here is a short list of possible future Razorbacks coaches.

Phillip Fulmer
It was rumored that Coach Fulmer would be the next head coach at Arkansas after Petrino was fired.  Sadly for Razorbacks fans it was just a rumor, but maybe the two sides can work something out in time for next year.  Fulmer spent 17 years at the University of Tennessee and is one of the most accomplished coaches in SEC history.  He has two SEC titles, five SEC Championship game appearances, and a SEC record of 92-34.  His teams almost always finished the year nationally ranked (ranked in the AP top 25 13 of his 17 years) and he also has a National Championship.  Hiring a coach with the accomplishments and accolades of Fulmer would ensure the Razorbacks stay nationally relevant, and help them as far as recruiting is concerned.

Skip Holtz
Son of former Arkansas head coach Lou Holtz, Skip Holtz was another name rumored to be in the mix for the head coaching job at Arkansas when Petrino was let go of.  Holtz is familiar with the area spending his middle and high school days in Fayetteville while his dad was the head coach of the Razorbacks.   Hiring Holtz would certainly rejuvenate the Razorbacks fan base and he is more than capable of getting Arkansas back to where it was when Petrino was coaching.  However, there is some cause for concern with Holtz.  While he does have 12 years of head coaching experience and a record of 87-64, he is struggling at South Florida going 4-11 in Big East play in his three year tenure at the school.

Kirby Smart
The one bad thing during Petrino’s tenure at Arkansas (other than the motorcycle accident) was the defense. Arkansas put up some spectacular offensive numbers during his tenure, but their defense was mediocre at best.  As the old saying goes “Offense wins games, but defense wins championships,” and right now there is not a better defensive mind in college football than Kirby Smart.  He has spent the last six seasons at Alabama learning (and winning) under Coach Nick Saban.  In his four years as the Crimson Tides defensive coordinator, his defenses have finished in the top five nationally in total defense and scoring defense three times.  Also, he is the 2009 Broyles Award winner for best coordinator in the nation.  Hiring somebody with knowledge about how the Alabama program works is another plus for Smart, especially since Arkansas is 0-5 against the Saban led Crimson Tide.

Mark Stoops
If Kirby Smart is the best defensive mind in college football, Mark Stoops is not too far behind.  Stoops has nine years of defensive coordinator experience, and he has spent the past three seasons at Florida State, transforming the ‘Noles defense into one of the nation’s best.  The Seminoles finished last year ranked fourth in the nation in total defense and first in the nation in rushing defense.  So far this year the Seminoles are the second best team in the nation in total defense, a credit to Stoops’ coaching ability.  While Stoops does not have any head coaching experience, it would be a mistake for Arkansas to not consider hiring a coach with the resume that he has.

Todd Berry
Few Arkansas fans knew who Todd Berry was before this season started, but they all know who he is now.  His Louisiana-Monroe squad upset the Razorbacks three weeks ago and started this Arkansas free fall.  Coach Berry is in his third year as the Warhawks head coach and has a record of 10-17 while there.  He has ten years of coaching experience at smaller schools (Illinois State, Army, and UL Monroe) amassing a woeful 39-77 career record, but do not let the record discourage you.  His team’s performance so far this year has been eye opening and he will garner significant attention this off season.   Last year the Warhawks finished eighth in the nation in rushing defense and 21st in total defense, an impressive feat considering the disparity in facilities and talent UL Monroe has when compared to bigger FBS schools. All Berry needs is an opportunity to coach at a school with the resources Arkansas has and he will be able to win games.

Bobby Petrino
Good luck with that one.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from different college football games throughout the Mid-South.

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Harsh Reality of SEC Football: 2012 Schedule Breakdown

January 1, 2012 by 4 Comments

Watching reality TV is becoming one of America’s favorite pastimes.  We all do it.  From Jersey Shore to American Idol, everybody has at least one reality TV show that they enjoy watching.  So needless to say I was actually watching my favorite reality show (Billy the Exterminator) when news broke that the SEC had released its 2012 conference football schedule.  Immediately questions began racing through my mind like “Who has the toughest conference schedule?”, and “Which poor teams get to travel to Missouri to play in November?” just to name a few.  However, the question that made me laugh was “Which reality TV shows would I use to describe our TAM teams SEC schedule?”, and that got me to thinking.  Here are the results from that burning question.

Ole Miss: Tabatha’s Hair Salon Takeover
Here is a brief breakdown of this reality TV show for those of you who have never had to sit through an episode.  Basically there is a hair salon on the brink of going out of business and Tabatha Coffey comes in, gives the owners new rules and guidelines to follow and saves the salon.  If Ole Miss football was a hair salon, it would no doubt be on the verge of shutting down.  The Rebels have missed a bowl for two straight years, and they are riding a 14 game SEC losing streak.  However, here comes Tabatha in the form of new head coach Hugh Freeze.  Coach Freeze turned a struggling Arkansas State program around this past season, and he is looking forward to doing the same thing at Ole Miss.  The schedule is anything but easy for the Rebels.  They play all four of the best teams in the SEC on the road with trips to Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, and LSU.  Fans are going to have to be patient in Coach Freeze’s first year as conference wins are going to be hard to come by.   Yet you can expect Coach Freeze to save Ole Miss football, just like Tabatha saves salons.

Tennessee: The First 48
We all know about this particular reality show because it was based out of Memphis for a while. The show’s premise stems from the fact that if detectives do not get a lead on a murder case in the first 48 hours (or two days) their chances of solving the case gets cut in half.  IfTennessee wants to return to a place of prominence in the SEC then they better win their first two conference games on the schedule.  Otherwise, the Volunteers’ case of the missing SEC championship will remain open for another year.  They play two important eastern division games against Florida and Georgia right off the bat, and if they do not show up in their first two Saturdays of SEC play, their chances for an SEC east championship will too be cut in half.  After the season the Vols had last year, starting 0-2 in conference play will place Coach Dooley squarely on the hot seat.

Vanderbilt: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
This is one of those feel good reality TV shows that helps less fortunate families and communities by renovating their house or school, turning it into a splendid spectacle for all to behold.  No school in SEC football has been less fortunate than Vanderbilt, as the Commodores have only gone to five bowls (including this year’s Liberty Bowl) in their 121 year history.  However, the Commodores fortunes appear to be changing.  They have a very manageable conference schedule in 2012 with no games against Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama, or Arkansas.  So Vandy might get a chance to go to back to back bowls for the first time ever.  Thanks to Coach Franklin and a favorable conference schedule, the house of Vanderbilt is getting some serious renovations and is beginning to look like a solid program.

Arkansas: Big Brother
The Razorback’s schedule reminds me of the TV show where contestants are confined to house with cameras everywhere, facing random evictions, and the winner gets a fabulous prize.  No prize is more precious than an SEC championship and a trip to a BCS bowl forArkansas.  Cameras will be all around the Razorbacks next season, who will face lofty expectations after coming off of a 10-2 season and finishing the regular season ranked in the top 10 of the BCS.  The schedule shapes up nicely for the Razorbacks who avoid the best teams in the east (Florida,Georgia, andSouth Carolina), while playing their most difficult divisional games at home (Texas A&M, LSU, andAlabama).  They should also bring back the best quarterback in the SEC (and the TAM player of the year) Tyler Wilson to lead yet another explosive offense under Coach Petrino. Arkansas must avoid being eliminated from the BCS house early on when they faceAlabama, but the Razorbacks should be position for an SEC west championship by the end of the year.

Mississippi State: Punk’d
This MTV hit takes me back to my younger days, when watching pranks being pulled on unsuspecting people made me happy (wait it still does!). The recipe for a great prank is to get the person being pranked to believe that everything is going better than it should, and then you pull the rug from under them, crushing their world with a series of mishaps and traumatic experiences. Mississippi State has an easy first three games in conference play facing off againstAuburn,Tennessee, andKentucky.  The Bulldogs could very well be 3-0 in conference play, and feel comfortable talking about an SEC West championship.  However, be warned Bulldog fans, Ashton Kutcher might not be in his van waiting to hop out and laugh at you for being foolish enough to believe that Mississippi State can win a SEC championship next year, but I am. After a relatively easy first three games in SEC play, the Bulldogs next four games will be against some of the best teams in the SEC, when they take on Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, and Texas A&M.  I warn Mississippi State fans now do not believe the hype until after their October 27 game against Alabama when we should see what the Bulldogs are really made of.  If you choose not to heed this warning Bulldog fans, you should get prepared to sit on a metaphorical whoopee cushion by the end of the season.

Click here for the 2011 College Football TAMs Awards

The Mid-South is full of fans with allegiances to different area college football programs. Which FBS program in the three states surrounding the Memphis area is the best? To help end some arguments and start others, every week MemphiSport ranks all the college football teams in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi . We call it the TAMs Rankings.

C.J. Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport. Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets from games.

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