Coach Fuente comments on his first win as Memphis coach

October 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Photo by Justin Ford

It was a gloomy, rainy, and cold Saturday.  However, it was the perfect day for the University of Memphis Tigers and Coach Fuente to pick up their first football win of the season.  The Tigers snapped a two game losing streak to Rice with their 14-10 victory on Saturday and are now 6-35 in their last 41 contests.

“I am proud of the team.  To go through some of the things they’ve gone through the past couple of the years and this year.  To keep plugging away… I am extremely happy for our team,” Coach Fuente said after the game.

He now has his first win as a head coach and it came in a defensive battle that saw neither team gain more than 250 yards of total offense.  It was a historic night for the Tigers football program and for Fuente too.  The first win of Fuente’s coaching career keeps the Tigers in the hunt for a C-USA Championship.  So, in honor of the first win of the Fuente era, here are some of his thoughts on the game.

“They (Carl Harris and Brandon Hays) did a really good job.  I was really proud of them.  Brandon has come a long way in the past four months and Carl is slowly coming along.  He’s got a little bit of speed that some of those other guys don’t have.”
The football was wet, the wind was blowing all game long, and throwing the ball was almost not an option for Memphis.  In fact, the Tigers only threw it 14 times, so Memphis needed somebody to step up in the rushing attack.  Enter Carl Harris and Brandon Hays who combined for 120 of the Tigers 164 rushing yards.  Harris averaged just under five yards per carry on 12 rushes in the second half, while Hays averaged 8.5 yards per carry. Both of them did most of their damage in the second half when the Tigers were trying to ice the game.

“We did not want to go away from it… we felt like we could have some success if we would get out of our on way and hold on to the ball, my goodness!”
Holding on to the ball has been an issue for the Tigers all year, and this game was no different.  The first offensive play of the game was a fumble by Jai Steib that Phillip Gaines from Rice returned for a touchdown.  Yet, the fumble did not deter Fuente from the running game.  That dedication to the run paid off in the end as the Tigers won the time of possession battle for the first time this year, holding the ball for nearly ten minutes longer than Rice.

“We put ourselves in this position really four weeks in a row previously… and let’s go get over the hump.”
Coach Fuente might have never said truer words than these to his players all year.  Memphis is always within striking distance, trailing by no more than ten points to any opponent this year at the end of the first half (MTSU and Rice are the two teams who led the Tigers by ten).  However, the second half is a different story as the Tigers are being outscored 71-44.  This game followed the same script as the four before it with the Tigers trailing by just ten at halftime.  This time Memphis found a way to “get over the hump” Fuente mentioned, win the second half, and subsequently win the game.

“Well I think the defense in general really kept us in the ball game.  It is hard to single out one guy.  But the defense in general played lights out for us.”
 This is by far the best the defense has played all year.  They only gave up three points all game and shut the Owls out in the second half.  In addition to not allowing an offensive touchdown in the game, the Tigers recorded two sacks, and seven tackles for loss.  Red shirt sophomore Martin Ifedi led the way for a defensive of line that has been struggling to get pressure on opponents quarterbacks.  He had one sack and two tackles for a loss.

“He (Eric Mathews)had been in on running plays several times in a row, so we wanted to try and run a little play action and he found the guy and we scored.”
Eric Mathews saw a significant amount of playing time and it paid off in the end.  He was used mostly in the run game, but when Rice began stacking the box with Mathews in the game Coach Fuente decided to take a chance.  The play action pass was the first completion of Mathews’ young college career, and it was the score that put Memphis up for good.

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

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Despite loss, Memphis is still better than Arkansas State in some areas

September 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Saturday’s contest against Arkansas State marks the second time in as many years that the Tigers have lost to the Red Wolves.  A rivalry that was once dominated by Memphis has quickly turned in the Red Wolves’ favor.  From 1990-2004 Memphis had a 10-0-1 record against ASU.  Hard to believe I know, especially after the events that have transpired in recent memory.  Arkansas State has dominated this rivalry post 2004 going 4-1 including a 44 point beat down last year.  This year’s contest was closer as the Tigers almost pulled off the upset losing 33-28, even though Arkansas State outgained Memphis 619-293 gaining 33 first downs to the Tigers’ 13. “I thought the defense was getting tired that is only understandable,” Coach Fuente said when asked about the play disparity between the two teams.  “We would have loved to hold the ball longer offensively and run the ball better.”

However, Coach Fuente again told the media that while this year’s game was close, these Tigers are not satisfied with moral victories, “We are not into playing games close.  We got to learn how to do a lot of things in this program.  We got to learn how to win… at crucial times during the game we did not make the play.”   It is just another loss to their rivals from Arkansas in what is becoming a discouraging trend.

There is a silver lining to every cloud, and while the Tigers have been no match for the Red Wolves on the football field the past couple of years, Memphis can still brag about being better than ASU at some football related things.

Here is a short list of things Memphis football has going for it that Arkansas State does not:

The special teams:
This unit accounted for two of the Tigers’ four touchdowns on Saturday, one on a blocked punt and the other on a muffed punt that was recovered in the endzone for a touchdown.  “Awesome.   Just awesome.  Those guys are doing a great job,” Fuente said when asked about the play of his special teams.  In addition to the two special teams touchdowns, punter Tom Hornsey had a performance for the ages.  Seven of his eight punts were downed inside the 20 yard line, including a 62 yard blast.  So far this season, Hornsey is averaging 45.9 yards per punt which is good for 14th best in the nation.  Also, Memphis has the third best punt return yardage defense in the nation, holding opponents to -10 return yards.  So take that Arkansas State.

The commercials:
Red Wolves’ fans should not feel too bad.  After all, there are not too many commercials that can top “Mind your business Dennis!” It is clever, funny, and a true masterpiece of cinema magic.  Drew Smith deserves whatever the equivalent of an Academy Award is for commercials (Click here to listen to Drew’s interview on MSL).  That catch phrase has helped to ignite a fan base, as is evident by all the fans wearing the t-shirts with the infamous catch phrase on it.

The facilities:
When it comes to the facilities that the two teams play in there is no comparison.  The Liberty Bowl seats over 61,000 fans and seems like the Taj Mahal when compared to the 30,964 that Liberty Bank Stadium seats.  It has also undergone many renovations to keep up with the changes that college football has gone through over the years, while Liberty Bank Stadium still looks like an FCS stadium.  However, things should improve for the Red Wolves after they finish their $22 million renovation project.

The Jumbotron:
This is the pride and joy of Memphis football, and one of the reasons Tigers fans were looking forward to the start of the season.  There is no point in telling you the size again because by now you have memorized the fact that it is 106’ X 58’and it is the sixth largest video board in all of college football.  Not too many teams in the nation can compete with the Tigers’ when it comes to the video board, so Memphis wins this battle between the two programs hands down.

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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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Week 1 TAM Football Rankings: Razorbacks start 2012 season at No. 1

September 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

College football made its triumphant return this past week, and along with it is our TAM ranking.  Arkansas starts this year where they ended it last year, at No. 1. While both Arkansas State and Southern Miss both fall out of the top three thanks to embarrassing blow out losses to Oregon and Nebraska respectively.  Vanderbilt gave South Carolina all they could handle, but came up short in the end. Mississippi State and Ole Miss both man handled FCS opponents, but Memphis and MTSU were both upset by FCS foes.  Tennessee had the most impressive win by a TAM team this week with their victory over North Carolina State.  Week one is in the books and it is time to unveil the week one TAM rankings.

 

1.  Arkansas (1-0):
Arkansas took care of business against Jacksonville State.  Tyler Wilson threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns in the contest.  The Razorbacks were wondering who was going to step up in the passing game after they lost some playmakers at receiver.  Tight end Chris Gragg filled that void nicely against Jacksonville State.  He had seven catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns, and might be the playmaker Wilson and the Razorbacks need to help the offense out in the passing game.  Louisiana Monroe is up next and then Alabama (the No. 1 ranked team in the nation) comes to town.
Last Game: W 49-24 vs. Jacksonville State @ Little Rock Arkansas
Next Game:  vs. Louisiana Monroe @ Little Rock Arkansas
Best Win:  49-24 vs. Jacksonville State @ Little Rock Arkansas
Worst Loss:  N/A
Wins Against TAMs Teams: N/A
Losses Against TAMs Teams: N/A

2.  Tennessee (1-0):
Are the Vols back? Maybe. Maybe not. Beating North Carolina State is certainly the right step on the road back to national prominence.  Tyler Bray was spectacular throwing for 333 yards and two touchdowns.  Cordarrelle Patterson’s performance in his first game in a Volunteer uniform was special as he caught six balls for 93 yards and two touchdowns.  The defense helped out by forcing four interceptions on the day.  Georgia State is next, but all eyes are on their matchup in two weeks with rival Florida.

Last Game:  W 35-21 vs. North Carolina State @ Georgia Dome
Next Game:  vs.  Georgia State @ Neyland Stadium
Best Win: 35-21 vs. North Carolina State @ Georgia Dome
Worst Loss:  N/A
Wins Against TAMs Teams: N/A
Losses Against TAMs Teams: N/A

3.  Mississippi State (1-0):
Talk about balanced attacks.  The Bulldogs passed for 183 yards and rushed for 194 yards in their first game of the season.  They also returned two interceptions, one by Darius Slay and the other by Matthew Wells, for touchdowns.  They will need a solid effort if they are going to beat Auburn, and give Dan Mullin his first win over a SEC West opponent not named Ole Miss on Saturday.
Last Game: W 56-9 vs. Jackson State @ Davis Wade Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Auburn @ Davis Wade Stadium
Best Win: 56-9 vs. Jackson State @ Davis Wade Stadium
Worst Loss:  N/A
Wins Against TAMs Teams: N/A
Losses Against TAMs Teams: N/A

4.  Vanderbilt (0-1):
Vandy gave South Carolina all they could handle in their Thursday night SEC opener, but came up short at the end thanks to a missed pass interference call.  Jordan Matthews looked like a star catching 8 passes for 147 yards and one touchdown.  There is no time for the Commodores to lick their wounds as next up is a trip to Northwestern.
Last Game:  L 17-13 vs. South Carolina @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Northwestern @ Ryan Field
Best Win:  N/A
Worst Loss: 17-13 vs. South Carolina @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: N/A
Losses Against TAMs Teams: N/A

 5. Ole Miss (1-0):
Ole Miss trailed 20-14 at halftime, but scored 35 second half points while allowing only seven to get the win over UCA.  Bo Wallace accounted for 346 total yards and three touchdowns on 264 yards passing and 82 yards rushing.  The Rebels defense looked sloppy in their season opener, and will need to improve on the defensive side of the ball if they are going to compete in the SEC.  Up next for Ole Miss is UTEP and then the Texas Longhorns come to town.
Last Game: W 49-27 vs. UCA @ Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium
Next Game: vs. UTEP @ Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium
Best Win:  49-27 vs. UCA @ Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium
Worst Loss:  N/A
Wins Against TAMs Teams: N/A
Losses Against TAMs Teams: N/A

6. Arkansas State (0-1):
It was clear early on that the Red Wolves were going to be no match for Oregon.  Arkansas State gave up 29 first quarter points on their way to allowing 50 first half points to the mighty Ducks of Oregon.  Luckily for Red Wolves fans Memphis is coming to town this Saturday, so you can expect Arkansas State to get their first win of the year.
Last Game:  L 57-34 vs. Oregon @ Autzen Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Memphis @ ASU Stadium
Best Win:  N/A
Worst Loss:  57-34 vs. Oregon @ Autzen Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: N/A
Losses Against TAMs Teams: N/A

7. Southern Mississippi (0-1):  
Austin Davis was missed severely in the Golden Eagles loss to Nebraska, as Southern Miss threw for only 75 yards in the game.  The Golden Eagles were also dominated on the defensive side of the ball, giving up 632 total yards to the Cornhuskers.  Thankfully the Golden Eagles have a bye week to regroup before they begin C-USA play with East Carolina.    
Last Game:  L 49-20 vs. Nebraska @ Memorial Stadium
Next Game: vs. East Carolina @ M.M. Roberts Stadium
Best Win:  N/A
Worst Loss:  49-20 vs. Nebraska @ Memorial Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: N/A
Losses Against TAMs Teams: N/A

8.  Memphis (0-1):
This is certainly one of the worst losses in the history of the University of Memphis football program.  Costly turnovers and inopportune penalties led to the Skyhawks kicking the game winning field goal with just four seconds left.  Coach Fuente must get his player to regroup and forget about last week’s blunder if the Tigers are going to be able to avenge the 44 point beat down they took last year in Jonesboro.   
Last Game: L 20-17 vs. UT-Martin @ Liberty Bowl
Next Game:  vs. Arkansas State @ ASU Stadium
Best Win: N/A
Worst Loss:  20-17 vs. UT-Martin @ Liberty Bowl
Wins Against TAMs Teams: N/A
Losses Against TAMs Teams: N/A

9.  MTSU (0-1):
The Blue Raiders were dominated by FCS opponent McNeese State.  They trailed 23-6 at the end of the third quarter and allowed 298 rushing yards.  Coach Stockstill was on the hot seat before the season started, and the seat has now burned a hole through his pants.  MTSU plays Florida Atlantic at home with a chance to save their season and their coaches job, but it might be too little too late for Stockstill.
Last Game:  L 27-21 vs. McNeese State @ Floyd Stadium
Next Game:   vs. Florida Atlantic @ Floyd Stadium
Best Win: N/A
Worst Loss:  27-21 vs. McNeese State @ Floyd Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: N/A
Losses Against TAMs Teams: N/A

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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 TAM Rankings.

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

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‘No Tigers No’: Why Memphis lost to UT-Martin

September 2, 2012 by 1 Comment

The first words out of Coach Fuente’s mouth during the postgame press conference were “That was rough.”  Rough indeed, as the Fuente era began with a loss to FCS foe UT Martin in the first home game of the year for the Tigers.  It was no ordinary game thanks to a two hour and forty minute rain delay, and with that loss, it marks the sixth straight home opening loss for Memphis.  The Tigers lost on a last second field goal after Keiwone Malone fumbled the ball on a punt recovery.  While that mistake was certainly costly, and led to the Skyhawk’s game winning field goal, it was not the only reason Memphis lost.  Below are the “No Tigers No!” moments from the Tigers’ home debut.

Photo by Justin Ford

1.  The Tigers’ defensive line was ineffective.
It was clear within minutes that Memphis missed Dontari Poe (No. 11 pick to the Kansas City Chiefs), as the defensive line allowed UT Martin tailback Jason McNair to explode for a 52 yard gain early in the first quarter.   The night did not get any better for the Tigers’ defensive line as they watched the Skyhawks run for a staggering 181 yards.  In addition to giving up entirely too many yards on the ground, Memphis did not register a single sack (or even quarterback hurry) the entire game.  This unit will need to improve if Memphis is going to have a chance at some wins this season.

2.  The rain delay affected the flow of the Tigers’ game.
When asked if he thought the rain delay had any effect on his team Coach Fuente simply said, “I think it was our offense’s inability to get anything going more so than anything else… The delay was the same for both teams.”  Of course, Fuente is not going to use the delay as a reason for the Tigers’ loss, but I am.  Anytime you go from playing full speed to stopping for nearly three hours your body tightens up and players get stiff, it is just a fact.  Memphis was leading before the delay 10-7, but allowed 13 points after the extended intermission while scoring only seven leading to their defeat.

3. Memphis had costly penalties  that extended drives for the Skyhawks.
This is perhaps the most frustrating issue that Memphis had to deal with during the game, especially after the delay.  The Tigers’ had one penalty before the game paused because of the weather, but they added in five penalties after the break.  A facemask penalty on one drive and a horse collar penalty on another allowed UT Martin to convert two different third and longs.  Both of those penalties allowed the drives to continue marching down the field for points.  In addition, there was another facemask penalty on an incompletion after the play was dead that might have lead to the game being put out of reach had UT Martin not missed the field goal.  “I knew they were going to play hard,” Coach Fuente said about his team’s struggles late with penalties. “We played smart at times, and that is not the reason we lost.  It is one of the reasons though.”  Memphis cannot continue to shoot themselves in the foot if they are going to win games this year.

4.  Fumbles killed the Tigers’ drives and led to the game winning field goal
The Tigers lost three fumbles on the day, and Jerrell Rhodes was responsible for two of them.  Rhodes was impressive running the football, gaining 117 yards and getting a touchdown on the ground.  Yet, two costly fumbles stopped the offense’s drives and prevented them from scoring any points. He is going to have to do a better job securing the football if he wants to be the workhorse Memphis needs him to be this season.  The Malone fumble was a tough pill for Fuente to swallow, “It is hard. I guess he fumbled the ball,” he said with a dejected look on his face. “They reviewed it, and that is all I can ask… the only way I could have a beef is if they did not review it.”  Malone’s fumble gave the Skyhawks the ball on the Tigers’ 27-yard line with 17 seconds left in the game, setting UT Martin up for the game winning field goal.

5. Jacob Karam was inadequate for most of the game
“He valued the ball which I appreciated,” Fuente said when asked about the quarterback’s performance, and that is all that you can say about Karam’s first start.  He was just 7-20 for 98 yards and no touchdowns before his last drive.  However, that last drive he went 5-7 for 59 yards and threw the game tying touchdown.  Karam did a decent job running the ball as he rushed for 63 yards, but his performance in the passing game is going to need to improve in order for Memphis to stretch the field and stop opponents from loading up to stop the run.

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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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5 Reasons To Be Excited About Memphis Football This Season

August 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment

It is finally football season and opening day is fast approaching.  All of us have been waiting patiently for the season to begin.  Especially Memphis Tigers fans, who want nothing more than to wash the bitter taste of the 5-31 record during the past three seasons out of their mouths.  Hopes are high for this year’s squad, just like last year.  However, this looks to be a rebuilding year for the Tigers who have their third head coach in four years, a low number of scholarship players, and a severe lack of depth.  But do not fret die hard Tigers’ fans for this year will certainly be full of excitement and bring you plenty of memorable moments.  Below are five reasons to be excited about this year’s Memphis Tigers.

1. Winnable home games:
Fans should be thrilled that the Tigers have three winnable home games on the schedule this year. Now when I say winnable I do not mean competitive contest where Memphis only loses by a touchdown or two.  I mean games Memphis should be favored in and win.  This year, instead of opening against Mississippi State (like they did last year),Memphis will play FCS foe UT Martin which is almost a guaranteed victory.  MTSU is also included in the home slate. And while the Blue Raiders lead the all-time series 15-8-1, the home team is 7-1 in the last eight games which bodes well for the Tigers.  Another possible victory will be against Tulane who the Tigers have beaten the last six times the two have played, including a victory last year for their only conference win of the year.

2.  Unknown NFL quality talent:
Last year it was Dontari Poe, but do the Tigers’ have a player on this year’s team that is going to contribute at the NFL level?  The possibility makes every Memphis fan wonder who “that guy” is.  It might be Akeem Davis, who is a stellar cornerback and the teams leading returning tackler.  He also had three interceptions to lead the team last year.  Punter Tom Hornsey is another player on the Tigers’ roster with NFL caliber talent.  Hornsey was named freshman All American and has averaged at least 42 yards per kick the past two seasons.  Maybe there is a player on the roster that we do not know about yet who is going to have a break out year and emerge as the next big thing out of Memphis.

3.  Historic last year as a Conference USA member:
This year marks the end of their affiliation with Conference USA as Memphis will be joining the Big East next football season. Memphis has been in several conferences throughout their football history (Mississippi Valley Conference, SIAA, Missouri Valley Conference, and Metro Conference), and the Tigers were even independent for some years.  The move to the Big East is more than welcomed, and it is not just because of their BCS automatic bid and the money that comes along with it.  Since joining C-USA 16 seasons ago the Tigers have amassed an abysmal 44-73 conference record with no conference championships.  So a change of conference scenery might be just what the team needs to motivate them to try and go out on top and snag the university’s first C-USA Championship.

4.  New amenities in the Liberty Bowl:
The Liberty Bowl under went some renovations this off season to get ready for the Tigers’ jump to the Big East.  There are more lights in the stadium for night games, more concession stands, and a new Astroturf on the field.  But the biggest (literally) and most notable addition to the Liberty Bowl is the 98’ X 48’ Jumbotron located in the south endzone, and when you add the speakers to it the giant video board measures in at a staggering 106’ X 58’.  It is the sixth largest video board in all of college football.  Add to it the smaller LED board in the north endzone (38’ X 10’), and you have two video boards that will certainly enhance all Liberty Bowl patrons’ game experience.

5.  Beginning of a new era:
This is Justin Fuente’s first head coaching gig after being offensive coordinator at TCU for the past three years.  He has coached some impressive offenses in his time at TCU, and hopes to bring the success he had at TCU to Memphis this year.  The up pace tempo offense that Fuente has implemented will surely captivate Tigers’ fans, especially after last year’s team finished last in C-USA in total yards (117th nationally).  There is more energy and excitement surrounding this team than there has been the past three years, and that is because the Fuente era is upon us.  Do not miss out on it.

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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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Coach Justin Fuente talks Taylor Reed and Motorcycles on MSL

April 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

University of Memphis head football coach Justin Fuente joined Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter on MSL to talk about motorcycles, Taylor Reed rumors, the Big East, and more.

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Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter host MemphiSport Live (MSL) every Saturday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm on Sports 56 WHBQ. MSL was voted 3rd Best Sports Radio Show in the 2010 & 2011 Memphis Flyer Best of Memphis poll.  

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MSL: 4.14.12

April 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Hour 1:

University of Memphis head football coach Justin Fuente joins Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter to talk about motorcycles, Taylor Reed rumors, the Big East, and more.  Also, the guys talk about the Grizzlies’ possible playoff matchups, Jack Murphy leaving to Northern Arizona, Opening Weekend for the Redbirds and more during the Starting 5.

Hour 2:

USA Today’s J. Michael Falgoust joins Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter to talk about his Gilbert Arenas article and the postseason hope of the Grizzlies. Also, Hang Up & Listen.  Plus, the guys talk about the Red Hot Chili Peppers at FedExForum and more during Woohoos and Boos.

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Click here to read J. Michael Falgoust’s article about Gilbert Arenas

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Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter host MemphiSport Live (MSL) every Saturday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm on Sports 56 WHBQ. MSL was voted 3rd Best Sports Radio Show in the 2010 & 2011 Memphis Flyer Best of Memphis poll. 

Follow the MSL hosts on Twitter @cerrito & @marcus_hunter

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5 Things Tiger Fans Should Know About The 2012 Football Schedule

January 26, 2012 by 5 Comments

Photo by JD Meredith

This past football season for the Memphis Tigers is one that fans and players cannot wait to put behind them.  The team only won two games and was blown out in all but two of their losses.  Last season the Tigers’ ranked in the bottom half in almost every major statistical category in the FBS, saw the firing of head coach Larry Porter, and more importantly finished dead last in our TAM rankings.

Well with the release of the football schedule earlier today Tiger fans can continue the process of forgetting about the last year’s dreadful season.  First year head coach Justin Fuente is in charge now, and will try to make Memphis respectable again. However, last year was so bad that I doubt even the infamous Seal Team 6 can rescue this football program.  Alas, here are five things you need to know about the Memphis Tigers 2012 football schedule.

1.  Dude where’s my SEC team?
The thing that jumps out the most when you look at the schedule is the fact that there is no SEC team.  This marks the first time in 63 years that Memphis does not have an SEC opponent on its schedule.  The Tigers are 37-126 all time versus the SEC so that might have something to do with the glaring absence of a team from that conference.  However, Memphis does lead the all time series against Arkansas and Auburn so that is something Tiger fans can brag about.  Also, if you do not include Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Tennessee the Tigers have a much more reasonable record of 15-25 against the SEC.  You have to find the silver lining in every cloud, especially when that cloud is 63 years of futility against three teams from one conference.

2.  As the kids would say “Wallah Magic!” no Houston and Tulsa again for the Tigers.
The next most glaring thing about this schedule is the absence of Houston and Tulsa, the two best teams from the west, for the second straight year due to the C-USA schedule rotation. It works out in the Tigers’ favor however because instead of getting two games against some of the best in C-USA they get to play fellow bottom dwellers Tulane and Rice.  Which are two much needed winnable games for the Tigers.

3.  Memphis only plays four teams who had a winning record last season.
This is great news for a team that has not had a winning season since 2007.  However, some of the teams from last year’s schedule with losing records (like UCF and Rice) still managed to beat Memphis like a drum so do not get too excited Tiger supporters.  Yet your chances of winning increases when you are playing lesser competition.  In fact, Memphis only plays one team in their first seven games that had winning records from last year.

4.  Can the home schedule get any blander, as there are no marquee home games?
The home games for the 2012 season are as follows UT Martin, MTSU, Rice, UCF, Tulane, and Southern Mississippi so what is the game that is going to get a huge fan turnout?  For a school that is trying to get noticed by a major conference fan turnout is key.  Having a strong fan following makes any team more alluring, but when you are a bad team you need good teams on the schedule to bring in a strong fan turn out.  Make no mistake about it Memphis will be blown out at home next season, but it will be against one of the schools listed above and not a team that will bring fans in like Ole Miss, Mississippi State, or Tennessee.

5.  Lastly (and most importantly) my prediction for the 2012 season is…
With the absence of SEC teams, a new coaching staff that will focus on scoring (something the Tigers struggled to do last year), and the maturity of young players like Taylor Reed I believe the Memphis Tigers will go 4-8 in 2012.  They play FCS foe UT Martin in the first game of the season which should give the Tigers win number one.  MTSU comes to the Liberty Bowl this year, and after almost beating the Blue Raiders last year (and beating them the year before) expect that game to be intense and the Tigers second victory.  That gives the Tigers a 2-2 out of conference record and with home games against two of the worst teams in C-USA (Tulane and Rice) Memphis should manage to double their win total from last season.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for insightful tweets about college football and tweets that might change your life.

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5 things Memphis fans should know about Justin Fuente

December 8, 2011 by 1 Comment

Most Tiger fans have no clue who Justin Fuente is, nor do they know about any of his accomplishments in the realm of college football. Therefore, I have assembled ` 5 things you need to know about the new football coach at the University of Memphis.

1) He is young and hungry

Most coaches are well past their 30’s when they get their first head coaching  job, but Justin Fuente has achieved head coaching status at just 35 years of age. Fuente has been coaching college football for ten years. He started off at Illinois State as quarterbacks coach in 2001 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2004. Then Fuente went to TCU in 2007 where he served as their running backs coach for two seasons. In 2009 he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator for the Horn Frog’s, and now he is head coach at Memphis. Talk about somebody on the fast track to success.

2) Other schools wanted him

While this is not the big name R.C. Johnson and Tiger supporters wanted initially, Fuente is still a catch. The offensive success that he had at TCU has led to several programs seeking his offensive genius. He interviewed for the LSU offensive coordinator position last year, and was rumored to be the next head coach at Kansas before taking the position at Memphis. He might not be Mike Leach or Bob Stoops, but he is an up and coming coach that will bring an exciting style of football to Memphis.

3) His offense is dominate

Fuente’s offense at TCU was amongst the most explosive and dynamic units in the nation during his tenure. Under his watch in 2009, the Horned Frog’s offense set single season records for points scored, touchdowns, and first downs. The following year Fuente saw those three records broke again. Since Fuente was made co-offensive coordinator, TCU has averaged over 40 points per game during the regular season. This should be an encouraging sign to Tiger’s fans whose offense has struggled to say the least the past two years, averaging only 13.8 points during that time span.

4) He has coached at two BCS bowls

With conference expansion passing Memphis by (again), the Tiger’s could use a coach who has helped guide a non AQ team to a BCS game. Fuente’s offense has helped take the Horned Frogs to two BCS games as a non AQ school. TCU is 1-1 in those games with an upset win over Wisconsin in last year’s Rose Bowl. If he could get the Tigers to a bowl game next year that will be an amazing feat, but if anybody can do it he can.

5) He has a 35-3 record while at TCU

The Horn Frogs amassed a 35-3 record during Fuente’s tenure as co-offensive coordinator. While the success that the Horned Frogs have had cannot be solely placed on the offense, it does help your chances to win tremendously when your team can score at will against the competition. In that same three year time span the Tigers have a record of 5-31. Fuente has seven times more wins and ten times fewer losses than Memphis, which is a welcome sign to all Tiger fans who are hungry for wins.

CJ Hurt covers football for MemphSport. Follow him @churtj09 for live tweet from different games throughout the Midsouth.

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