SEC

What’s in a Name?: New name ideas for old Big East

February 28, 2013 by 1 Comment

With the seven Catholic schools leaving and taking the name “Big East” with them, the no name conference, that will add Houston, Tulane, East Carolina, SMU, Memphis, and UCF for the 2013 season, is in desperate need of a new name.

Perhaps the most confusing thing about all of this conference realignment is what to name these new conferences.  The Big 12 has 10 teams, the Big 10 has 12 teams, and the SEC has teams outside of the Southeastern region of the United States.  It can be confusing, but if you change the Big 12 to the Big 10 and the Big 10 to the Big 12 life will make sense.

Luckily for the remaining teams in the old Big East, there are some solid options for the new name of the Big East.  Here are a few conference name suggestions for the remaining non-Catholic schools in the old Big East:

Conference Formerly Known as the Big East
Think of that picture like the symbol that the artist formerly known as “Prince” uses.  Any symbol will work, a dollar sign with a huge slash to symbolize the lack of money the teams formerly in the Big East will make compared to the BCS conference schools, or a frowny face which will show how sad the schools are for not being invited to the Catholic 7′s new “Big East”.  Think about it, how many conferences are recognized by just a symbol?  None, so being able to add a unique twist to the conference name might actually help make up for some of the revenue that is going to be lost.  Just pick a symbol, throw in “the conference formerly known as the Big East”, and let the merchandising of the conference begin.

Conference USA 2.0
Makes sense to me.  After all, the Big East certainly likes snatching teams from C-USA.  When they first expanded in 2005, the Big East took C-USA football members Louisville, Cincinnati, and South Florida.  This time they take Houston, SMU, Tulane, Memphis, Central Florida, and East Carolina of C-USA.  With the departure of Louisville to the ACC, this makes eight of the 12 schools (Navy is not scheduled to join until 2015) former members of C-USA.

Please Take Me Next Atlantic Coast Conference Conference
The PTMNACCC is a mouthful, but when you take into account that the ACC pillages the Big East much like the Big East pillages C-USA you can understand the name.  With Pitt, Louisville, Notre Dame, and Syracuse leaving to go along with Virginia Tech, Miami, and Boston College from 2005, the Big East is looking like a minor league farm system for the ACC.

Metro Conference
This was the conference Memphis, Cincy, and Tulane belonged to before it folded resulting in the formation of  C-USA.  Since C-USA and Big East are now taken, and nobody has the name Metro Conference, it also makes sense.  Most of the universities in the old Big East are in major metropolitan areas so the name works from that angle as well.

Catholic 7
Since St. John’s, Seton Hall, Marquette, Providence, DePaul, Villanova and Georgetown are taking the Big East name with them, why can’t the old Big East teams take the name those schools have been known by the past few months. Stealing the name of the seven schools that crippled an already struggling conference, seems like the right thing to do to spite them.

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  If you think you have a better name for the new look Big East tweet him @churtj09 #newBigEast for his and your amusement.  He also live tweets from different college football games throughout the Mid-South.

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Historic signing day for Ole Miss could be ‘program changer’

February 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze (Photo by Justin Ford)

Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze (Photo by Justin Ford)

The unlikely post season bowl appearance is continuing to bring success to the Ole Miss Rebels football program.  National signing day 2013 will go down in history as one of the best recruiting classes of all time to sign a national letter of intent (NIT) with the Rebels.

The major recruiting services rank Ole Miss at No. 2 (247Sports), No. 5 (ESPN), No. 6 (MaxPreps), No. 7 (Rivals) and No. 9 (Scout).  These ranking are fluid and will not be finalized until all NIT are received by the institutions.

“I think today has the possibility of being a program changer,” Hugh Freeze said. “Obviously, it’s all on paper right now. We’ll start having to manage expectations now. We’ll still be in the second year of our journey together, but I do think we took a huge step forward today on that journey toward being where we all want to be, and that’s competing for an SEC West championship. We’re thrilled with today.”

Ole Miss reeled in the nation’s No. 1 defensive end in Robert Nkemdiche,, the country’s No. 1 offensive tackle in Laremy Tunsil (Lake City, Fla.), the No. 1 wide receiver in Laquon Treadwell (Crete, Ill.) and the No. 2 safety in Tony Conner (Batesville, Miss.). That quartet highlights a class that includes 16 players rated 4 stars or better by the various recruiting services.

The Rebels pulled in prospects from eight states, including Mississippi (eight), Georgia (six), Tennessee (four), Alabama (three), Texas (three), Florida (two), Illinois (one) and Louisiana (one).

Nkemdiche will join his older brother, sophomore linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche, on the Rebel roster. Denzel earned All-SEC honors as a redshirt-freshman in 2012 while leading Ole Miss to a turnaround 7-6 season and a victory in the BBVA Compass Bowl.

Robert Nkemdiche could become the best player ever in the history of Ole Miss football.

Robert Nkemdiche could become the best player ever in the history of Ole Miss football.

Tunsil is regarded as the third-best overall prospect in the country by 247Sports.com, Treadwell is rated the nation’s fifth-best player by Rivals.com, and Conner is ranked 24th by MaxPreps and ESPN.com. Other signees among the nation’s top 150 include OL Austin Golson (Prattville, Ala.), RB Kailo Moore (Rosedale, Miss.) and RB Mark Dodson (Memphis, Tenn.).  The Rebels also signed Marcus Robinson, LB, Herbert Moore, DT, and Jordan Wilkins RB all are from Memphis.

“Derrick Jones may be one of the hidden gems of this class,” Freeze said. “The guy’s a phenomenal athlete. I’ve seen him play basketball. He plays above the rim. I think he can play a lot of places for us from safety to receiver.”

The Rebels received 22 high school signatures on Wednesday to go with three junior college players and three high schoolers that had already signed. One of those junior college recruits, DT Lavon Hooks (Atlanta, Ga.), is rated by 247Sports.com as the top overall JUCO prospect in the country.

Managing expectation will be tough considering Alabama, Florida and LSU also grabbed some impressive recruits in this year’s signing class.  If the Rebels are able to combine the talented new additions with the experience they obtained last year, Ole Miss could be playing in a bowl game played on New Year’s Day.

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

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MSL: Cooper-Young Fest Weekend 2012

September 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Programming Note: MSL airs at a special time 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm on Saturday, September 22.

Hour 1:

Fox 13 Good Morning Memphis anchor Ernie Freeman joined Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter on MSL for Talking Football with a Celebrity. Also, SEC Shout Outs.  Plus, the guys recap the top 5 stories of the week in the Starting 5.

Hour 2:

Jerry “The King” Lawler’s son Kevin Lawler joins Kevin Cerrito on the show to update everyone on his dad’s condition. Also, Hang Up & Listen. Plus, Woohoos and Boos.

HOUR 1 AUDIO:

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Click here to download Hour 1 of the September 15, 2012 MSL

HOUR 2 AUDIO:

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Click here for more MSL interviews.

Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter host MemphiSport Live (MSL) on Sports 56 & 87.7 FM every Saturday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. 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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MSL’s Talking Football with a Celebrity: Chris Wallace

September 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

GM Chris Wallace joined Kevin Cerrito and Ben Hogan on MSL for the debut edition “Talking Football with a Celebrity” and to discuss Justin Timberlake buying a minority stake in the Memphis Grizzlies.

AUDIO:

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Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter host MemphiSport Live (MSL) on Sports 56 & 87.7 FM every Saturday from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. 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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A Mid-Southerner’s Guide to Fantasy Football 2012

August 17, 2012 by 1 Comment

The time is here, media days have come and gone in college; training camp is over; and exhibition games have begun in the NFL.  That can only mean one thing, football season has arrived.  With the arrival of football season, it also brings Fantasy Football.  As I am typing this, there are hundreds of thousands of people sitting in a draft room, or going over their rankings to make sure they have the best teams they can get.

Photo courtesy of Carolina Panthers

Most people have his or her own draft strategy when going into a draft, whether it be grab two running backs in their first two picks, or maybe just go with the best player available every time and then worry about setting a lineup after the draft.  Another strategy that some use is to draft a player from one’s favorite pro team or college team.  That is not always the best strategy because sometimes players get taken two or three rounds before they should be taken.

The following list consists of former Mid-South area/SEC players and current Tennessee Titans and where they should be taken in 2012 fantasy football drafts.

(Note: Rounds are based on a basic 10 team, snake draft league)

 Quarterbacks:

  1. Matthew Stafford (DET) - Stafford actually stayed healthy for all of last year and led the Lions to their first playoff appearance since Barry Sanders left.  He is a Top 5 fantasy QB, but should not be taken in the first round (Round 2)
  2. Cam Newton (CAR) - The former Heisman Trophy winner burst onto the scene last year and surpassed everyone’s expectations.  Some expect a sophomore slump from Cam, while others expect even bigger things from him.  This leads to folks reaching for him all the way into the first round, do not do that (End of Rd. 2/Top of Rd. 3)
  3. Eli Manning (NYG) - The two-time Super Bowl Champion is one of the least appreciated QBs in Fantasy Football, but puts up the numbers every year.  That is good though for some owners because he might slide past where he should be taken.  (Round 3)
  4. Peyton Manning (DEN) - Here is the big enigma for the upcoming football season.  Is he going to be the “old” Peyton or will he struggle after missing all of last year?  He is a risk/reward guy.  Good Luck! (Round 4)
  5. Jay Cutler (CHI) - This is where I disagree with a lot of the draft kits and cheat sheets that I have seen so far.  The addition of Brandon Marshall and the re-signing of Matt Forte makes Cutler a fantasy starter.  One might be able to get him a little later, so wait after you have already filled RBs and WRs to grab “Cutty.” (Round 7)
  6. Matt Flynn (SEA) & Jake Locker/Matt Hasselbeck (TEN) - All 3 of these players are in QB competitions in camp, so none of them are guaranteed a starting job.  Hold off on these three. (Undrafted)

 Running Backs:

  1. Arian Foster and Ben Tate (HOU) - Foster is considered by most to be the number 1 overall pick for this year, because of the other player listed, Tate, I would take both LeSean McCoy and Ray Rice over Foster.  Still top 3 pick, but Tate will steal some carries and playing time (Foster – Round 1, Tate – Round 6)
  2. Chris Johnson (TEN) - Johnson had a down year in 2011 after holding out for a contract and never seemed to get on track, barely getting over 1,000 yards.  Look for him to rebound quite nicely this year and is worth a late first round pick.  (Round 1)
  3. Darren McFadden (OAK) - Another disappointment from last season.  If “Run-DMC” can stay healthy, expect 1,200 yards and double digit touchdowns.  (Round 2)
  4. Trent Richardson (CLE) - The number 3 overall pick out of Alabama is expected to carry the workload in Cleveland this year.  Almost no competition for carries there, so expect good things, but also keep expectations reasonable.  (Round 4)
  5. BenJarvus Green-Ellis (CIN) - The “Law-Firm” has a new address, but will be the lead back for the Bengals.  He should not be counted on as a lead back in Fantasy Football, but can contribute enough for the “FLEX” position.  (Round 6)
  6. DeAngelo Williams (CAR) - There are way too many guys that will be getting playing time in Carolina to rely much on DeAngelo this year.  If Jonathan Stewart goes down, his value takes a huge jump, but other than that, could be good for bye week fill-in.  (Round 8)
  7. Mark Ingram (NO), Peyton Hillis (KC), and Felix Jones (DAL) - These three players will most likely backup starters for their respective teams.  Hillis will get some goal-line carries and play more at the beginning of the season with Jamaal Charles coming off ACL surgery.  All three are good handcuff options if one was to draft the starters for their teams. (Ingram and Hillis – Round 9; Jones – Round 11)

Wide Receivers:

  1. Roddy White and Julio Jones (ATL) - The only two receivers worth taking in the first round of draft are Calvin Johnson and Andre Johnson.  White is in the tier right below them and is in that Top 5 class.  The high powered Falcons offense also has Jones, who is a solid starter as well.  (White – Round 2; Jones – Round 4)
  2. AJ Green (CIN) - Green and Dalton made quite a rookie tandem last year in Cincinnati and are expected to do even bigger things this year.  Green is a borderline Top 10 receiver and treat him as such.  (End of Round 3)
  3. Mike Wallace (PIT) - While Wallace is the Steelers’ ‘home-run hitter,’ his contract holdout is costing him more than just money.  The emergence of Antonio Brown could turn Wallace into the number two receiver in Pittsburgh and that’s if he does agree to join the team this year.  He is worth a gamble because of the possible reward, but might want to grab a backup a couple rounds earlier than originally anticipated (Round 4)
  4. Percy Harvin (MIN) - After a career year last year for Harvin, look for him to finally surpass the 1,000 receiving yards mark this year, which would make him a starter in any fantasy league. (Round 5)
  5. Dwayne Bowe (KC) - Bowe is Matt Cassel’s favorite target, and with Cassel missing a bunch of games last year due to injury, Bowe’s number dropped significantly.  Cassel returns this year, but I expect the Chiefs to have a more conservative offense this year than two years ago, so look for Bowe’s numbers to be somewhere between 2010 and 2011. (Round 6)
  6. Robert Meachem (SD) - The number one receiver in San Diego takes over for Vincent Jackson.  He has Top 10 talent, but has never quite reached his potential.  (Round 7)
  7. Denarius Moore (OAK) - Another former Vol receiver, Moore was a training camp sensation last year.  He had moments of brilliance last season, but also disappeared for games at a time.  Carson Palmer has had a full offseason to learn the playbook and work with his receivers, so Moore is a borderline fantasy starter.  (Round 8)
  8. Kenny Britt and Nate Washington (TEN) - Britt is by far the more talented receiver out of the two, but with his injury and off the field problems, he might not be the best option for one’s fantasy team.  Britt is almost guaranteed to be suspended for a few games at the beginning of the season and Washington will move into that top receiver slot.  (Both – Round 10)

Tight Ends:

  1. Jason Witten (DAL) - Tony Romo’s favorite target is one of the best at his position, but with Tight End being such a deep position this year, one does not need to reach to grab one as early.  Also, with the possibility of a lingering injury (spleen) there are better options out there.   (Round 8)
  2. Jared Cook (TEN) - Cook finished 2011 on a high note, averaging over a hundred yards a game in his last three games.  If Washington doesn’t emerge during Britt’s absence, Cook will.  He has sleeper potential written all over him.  (Round 11)

Kickers:

  1. Stephen Gostkowski (NE) - He is the best in the business, so one will have to reach if he or she wants “Gotti” on his or her team.  Usually I advise to wait until the last two rounds to draft a kicker, but he will not be on the board there. (Round 11)
  2. Rob Bironas (TEN) - Bironas is a fantasy starter, but do not pick him before one of the final two rounds.  (Round 13)

Ultimately, it is up to the owner on how one wants to go about building a team and these are just a few helpful notes for draft day.

Ben Hogan covers Fantasy Football for MemphiSport and is the producer of Memphis’ No. 3 “Best Sports Radio Show” MSL. Follow him @NottheGolfer.

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Arkansas remains No. 1 in the TAMs Rankings

October 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment

It was a thrilling Saturday of college football, especially for our TAMs teams. The two teams in Arkansas are putting together special seasons. Arkansas State is in contention for their second ever Sun Belt championship after a win against conference rival Louisiana-Monroe. The Razorbacks wowed everyone with an impressive 38-14 win over Auburn. The best team in Mississippi is neither Ole Miss nor Mississippi State, and every team in the state of Tennessee lost on Saturday. This week’s most disappointing team is MTSU who after winning their first game of the year last week against Memphis found a way to lose to lowly Western Kentucky in double overtime 33-36. Without further ado here is the TAMs Poll for the week of October 12, 2011…

Rankings compiled by MemphiSport. Updated every Wednesday.

1.  Arkansas (5-1): Last week No. 1

Arkansas remains first in the TAMs much to the delight of my man Big Red.  The Razorbacks also kept their SEC West championship hopes alive after a big time victory over Auburn on Saturday.  We all know about Tyler Wilson and the potent Razorback offense, but what about their defense who in the last six quarters has only given up 17 points and held Auburn scoreless in the final three quarters of the Saturday’s contest.  If the defense continues to play the like this, Arkansas might be able to sneak into a BCS bowl this season.  Next up for the Razorbacks is a bye week, and then they play fellow TAMs team Ole Miss.

Last Game: W 38-14 vs. Auburn @ Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Ole Miss @ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Best Win:  42-38 vs. Texas A&M @ Cowboy Stadium
Worst Loss:  38-14 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

2.  Southern Mississippi (5-1):  Last week No. 4

Mississippi might not belong to Mississippi State like the billboards say. The Golden Eagles keep on winning and are beginning to look like the best team in Mississippi.  Southern Miss kept on rolling Saturday against Navy as they exploded offensively for 584 total yards and 63 points in their route of the Midshipmen.  However, if Southern Miss is going to make it to the C-USA championship game they need to win out with Marshall losing one more conference game.  All eyes will be on their November 12 matchup against Central Florida as that game could decide who will represent the East in the C-USA championship.  They only play one TAMs team and that team is Memphis at the end of the season. If the Golden Eagles win the C-USA championship we might get to see them take on Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl and finally figure out who owns the state of Mississippi this season.

Last Game:  W 63-35 vs. Navy @ Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Next Game: vs. SMU @ M.M. Roberts Stadium
Best Win:  30-24 vs. Virginia @ Scott Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-20 vs. Marshall @ Joan C. Edwards Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

3.  Tennessee (3-2): Last week No. 2

The Vols have been jumped in this week’s poll thanks in large part to injuries and their shaky rushing attack.  They started their tough four game stretch off with a loss to Georgia on Saturday and will have to make due without super sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray who left the game with a broken thumb.  A one dimensional Tennessee offense managed a mere  -20 rushing yards against Georgia on Saturday, and in their two SEC games this season they have a pitiful   -29 yards rushing.  The schedule does not get any easier for Tennessee as they play the no. 1 and no. 2 ranked teams in the nation in consecutive weeks.  To make matters worse Tyler Bray is out four weeks due to a broken thumb.  He is scheduled to return just in time to take on fellow TAMs teams MTSU, Arkansas, and Vanderbilt in November.

Last Game:  L 20-12 vs. Georgia @ Neyland Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Best Win: 45-23 vs. Cincinnati @ Neyland Stadium
Worst Loss:  33-23 vs. Florida @ Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

4.  Mississippi State (3-3):  Last week No. 5

The Bulldogs disappointing season continued Saturday as they struggled against UAB for three quarters before pulling away in the fourth.  UAB was ahead at halftime 3-0 which was their first time all season leading a game going into the half.  The decision to bench Chris Relf in favor of Tyler Russell in the second half worked out well for Coach Mullin, but it has created a quarterback controversy and a distraction that a struggling Bulldog team can ill afford to have.  Next up for the Bulldogs is No. 15 South Carolina, and then they get a bye week to try and work through their quarterback struggles. 

Last Game: W 21-3 vs. UAB @ Legion Field
Next Game:  vs. South Carolina @ Davis Wade Stadium
Best Win: 59-14 vs. Memphis @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  24-10 vs. Georgia @ Sanford Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

5.  Vanderbilt (3-2):  Last week No. 3

I do not know what to say about the Commodores.  Last week they were the third best team in the TAMs Poll, but after failing to score in seven consecutive quarters I am beginning to wonder if they can score against the Memphis Tiger defense.  Even though Vanderbilt looks awful right now they still have a chance to get six wins and be bowl eligible for the first time since 2008.  However, Vanderbilt might not win another game this season if Coach Franklin does not find a way to get more production out of his offense.

Last Game:  L 34-0 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Next Game: vs. Georgia @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Best Win:  30-7 vs. Ole Miss @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Worst Loss: 34-0 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Ole Miss)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

6.  Arkansas State (4-2): Last week No. 6

Coach Freeze has Arkansas State fans fired up over this year’s squad.  The Red Wolves have one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, are just two wins away from bowl eligibility, and are in contention for their second ever Sun Belt championship.  Arkansas State is coming off of a bye week and Coach Freeze is looking to carry the momentum from the first half of the season over into the second half.  Ryan Aplin and the Red Wolves are going to have to step up as they have a tough game on Saturday against last year’s conference co-champion Florida International.  If Arkansas State can win this game things set up nicely for them to win the Sun Belt championship.

Last Game:  W 24-19 vs. Louisianna-Monroe @ Malone Stadium
Next Game:  vs. Florida International @ ASU Stadium
Best Win:  47-3 vs. Memphis @ ASU Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-7 vs. Virginia Tech @ Lane Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0  

 

7.  Ole Miss (2-3):  Last week No. 7

The Rebels will return to action this Saturday after a much needed bye week.  Houston Nutt has planted himself firmly on the hot seat and if Ole Miss does not start winning soon they will fail to make a bowl for consecutive years and Coach Nutt will be gone. Their next opponent is an Alabama team that leads the nation in scoring defense, giving up less than ten points per game. After Alabama Ole Miss gets to try and slow down the top ranked TAMs poll team Arkansas who averages over 460 total yards and close to 40 points per game . 

Last Game: W 38-28 vs. Fresno State @ Bulldog Stadium
Next Game: vs. Alabama @ Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium
Best Win:  38-28 vs. Fresno State @ Bulldog Stadium
Worst Loss:  14-13 vs. BYU @ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Vanderbilt)

 

8.  MTSU (1-4): Last week No. 8

The Blue Raiders are only two losses away from not being bowl eligible after a heartbreaking double overtime defeat to Western Kentucky on Saturday.  Logan Kilgore and the MTSU offense is not the problem as they are averaging 30 points per game and are the No. 20 team in the nation in total yards per game.  The problem is teams are scoring at will against the pitiful Blue Raiders D.  They are 108th in the nation in total defense and 112th in the nation in points against.  Next up for MTSU is a bye week then they will try for win number two against a Florida Atlantic team who has not won a game all season.

Last Game:  L 33-36 vs. Western Kentucky @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Next Game:   vs. Florida Atlantic @ FAU Football Stadium
Best Win: 38-31 vs. Memphis @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Worst Loss:  49-21 vs. Georgia Tech @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Memphis)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0  

 

9.  Memphis (1-4):  Last week No. 9

Another blowout loss to yet another conference opponent does not bode well for Coach Porter’s future.  Fans have begun clamoring for his resignation and with a talented East Carolina squad coming to town this Saturday those clamors could become shouts by the end of the second quarter.  Memphis still cannot move the ball offensively or score averaging only 13.5 points per game.  The defense is taking some small steps forward as they forced 3 turnovers and sacked the quarterback 5 times last game against Rice.  Their next and final TAMs opponent is Southern Mississippi at the end of the season.

Last Game: L 28-6 vs. Rice @ Rice Stadium
Next Game:  vs. East Carolina @ Liberty Bowl
Best Win: 27-6 vs. Austin Peay @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  47-3 vs. Arkansas State @ ASU Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 3 (Miss St., Arkansas State, MTSU)

 

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.

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

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: TAM Rankings, The Big Features Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Arkansas Tops First Ever TAMs Rankings

October 5, 2011 by 2 Comments

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, MemphiSport is proud to debut the TAMs Rankings, a weekly poll ranking all the college football teams in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi (TAM).  This new rankings system also doubles as a tribute to the Bluff City’s ABA heritage.  Without further ado here are the rankings for week of October 5, 2011…

Rankings compiled by MemphiSport. Updated every Wednesday.

1.  Arkansas (3-1): Critics wondered how Arkansas would respond coming off of an embarrassing loss to Alabama and the Razorbacks responded emphatically with a thrilling come form behind win against Texas A&M.   These Razorbacks are just as potent offensively as last year’s squad ranking 7thin the nation in passing yards and averaging 39 points a game.  Arkansas cannot rest with the defending national champions SEC West foe No. 15 Auburn next up on the schedule.  This is a must win game if Arkansas is going to keep their hopes alive for an appearance in the SEC Championship game.  We look forward to the second half of the Razorbacks schedule as they will play four of the other members in the TAMs Rankings.
Best Win: 42-38 vs. Texas A&M @ Cowboy Stadium
Worst Loss:  38-14 vs. Alabama @ Bryant-Denny Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0



2.  Tennessee (3-1):  The Vols are off to fast start this season thanks to a prolific passing attack led by super sophomore Tyler Bray.  Tennessee has the 11thbest passing attack in the nation and is scoring 37.8 points a game.  However, the running game has not faired as well and Coach Dooley has to find some balance offensively if the Vols are going to get back to the SEC championship game.  We will find out what this Tennessee team is made of in the coming weeks as they have a tough four game stretch against Georgia, No. 1 LSU, No. 2 Alabama, and No. 18 South Carolina.  November is TAMs month for the Vols as three of their four opponents in the month are TAMs teams. 

Best Win: 45-23 vs. Cincinnati @ Neyland Stadium
Worst Loss:  33-23 vs. Florida @ Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

3.  Vanderbilt (3-1):Vandy is one of the most surprising stories of this young season so far.  Coach James Franklin has this Commodore team dominating opponents on the defensive side of the ball.  They rank 11th in the nation in total yards per game and are only giving up a staggering 15.8 points per game.  The Commodores are coming off a bye week and their last game was a disappointing 21-3 loss to South Carolina .  Vanderbilt hopes to right the ship and pull off a huge upset against No. 2 Alabama this week.  The Commodores man-handled TAMs team Ole Miss earlier this season and they have two TAMs teams left this season (Arkansas and Tennessee ).

Best Win:  30-7 vs. Ole Miss @ Vanderbilt Stadium
Worst Loss: 21-3 vs. South Carolina @ Williams-Brice Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Ole Miss)
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

4.  Southern Mississippi (4-1):

Southern Miss is off to an impressive start to the 2011 season and their defense should be given most of the credit.  No team has scored more than 27 points against the Golden Eagles and they are only giving up 19.4 points a game.  They will be challenged in their next two games (Navy and SMU), but the schedule is favorable and Southern Miss has the opportunity to play for a C-USA championship.  The Golden Eagles only play one TAMs teams this year and that is Memphis in the “Black and Blue” game at the end of the season.

Best Win:  30-24 vs. Virginia @ Scott Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-20 vs. Marshall @ Joan C. Edwards Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

5.  Mississippi State (2-3):

Hopes were high for the Bulldogs coming into this season after a stellar campaign in 2010.  However, Mississippi State is dead last in the conference and Coach Dan Mullin still has yet to beat an SEC West opponent not named Ole Miss.  If the Bulldogs simply beat the teams they are supposed to beat the rest of the season they can still go to decent bowl, but an SEC title is out of reach.  For what it is worth the Bulldogs did throttle TAMs team Memphis in the first game of the season and their last two games of the season are against fellow TAMs teams Arkansas and Ole Miss.

Best Win: 59-14 vs. Memphis @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  21-10 vs. Georgia @ Sanford Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 ( Memphis )
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

6.  Arkansas State (3-2):

The Red Wolves have won three of their last four thanks in large part to the play of standout quarterback Ryan Aplin who is dominating opponents through the air.  Aplin has the team poised to make a run at their second Sun Belt Conference championship and a trip to the New Orleans Bowl.  Arkansas State absolutely dominated TAMs team Memphis early on in the season and they look forward to playing MTSU in their second to last contest of the year.

Best Win:  47-3 vs. Memphis @ ASU Stadium
Worst Loss:  26-7 vs. Virginia Tech @ Lane Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 ( Memphis )
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

7.  Ole Miss (2-3):

To say the Rebels are struggling offensively this year would be an understatement.  Ole Miss is dead last in the SEC in scoring, averaging a measly 22.6 points per game.  The schedule does not get any easier for Coach Nutt and the Rebels as their next three opponents are all ranked in the top 15.  Ole Miss already has an embarrassing loss to TAMs team Vanderbilt on their resume, they will play Arkansas in two weeks, and they end the season with Mississippi State.

Best Win:  38-28 vs. Fresno State @ Bulldog Stadium
Worst Loss:  14-13 vs. BYU @ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 1 (Vanderbilt)

 

8.  MTSU (1-3):

MTSU has struggled all season due in large part to an inept defense which is giving up an unimpressive 36.3 points per game.  The Blue Raiders defense could not stop Memphis, who came into the game averaging 15 points per game, from putting up 31 points.  The lone bright spot to the season so far for MTSU is the play of quarterback Logan Kilgore who is 19th nationally in passing yards (second in the Sun Belt behind Corey Robinson of Troy State).  They are undefeated against TAMs poll members having already defeated Memphis and have Tennessee and Arkansas State on the schedule as well.

Best Win: 38-31 vs. Memphis @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Worst Loss:  49-21 vs. Georgia Tech @ Johnny Floyd Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 1 ( Memphis )
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 0

 

9.  Memphis (1-4):

The pollsters could not agree on much, but one thing we could all agree on is that Memphis is the worst of the TAMs teams.  The Tigers have yet to beat any FBS foe and rank in the bottom of every FBS football statistic.  They are only averaging 15 points per game while their defense is giving up 38 points to the opposition.  Memphis has already played three TAMs teams and lost every game, giving up an average of 48 points per game to TAMs teams.

Best Win: 27-6  vs. Austin Peay @ Liberty Bowl
Worst Loss:  47-3 vs. Arkansas State @ ASU Stadium
Wins Against TAMs Teams: 0
Losses Against TAMs Teams: 3 (Miss St., Arkansas State, MTSU)

 

CJ Hurt covers college football for MemphiSport.  Follow him @churtj09 for live tweets during University of Memphis home games. 

 

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Encouraging and Discouraging things from the Tigers’ blowout loss to the Bulldogs

September 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Thursday night’s home opener did not go as well as Tiger fans hoped it would.  Mississippi State looked seemingly unstoppable at times but Memphis did show spurts of good play.  Now that the dust has settled and the emotions of the game have had time to calm down, here are three encouraging and three discouraging signs from the U of M’s 45-point loss to MSU…

3 Encouraging Signs

1) Gibson ran the football like a man

Artaves Gibson saw a lot of playing time and made the most of his opportunity.  The 6’ 1’’ 220 lb. freshman made defenders miss in traffic and punished them when he got into space.  He had 17 carries for 85 yards and most importantly he took care of the football.  With Jerrell Rhodes’ injury and Billy Foster’s ability to politely place the ball on the ground expect this super freshman to get more opportunities to shine.

2) Both Andy Summerlin and Taylor Reed played well

The quarterback position was a major question mark for the Tigers going into opening night and both QBs played on Thursday.  Summerlin started and his arm strength and ability to make the necessary throws were all on display.  Unfortunately he was not able to make the deep throws because he did not have enough time (see 3 Discouraging Signs).  When Reed came into the game Memphis ran more quick routes and used their tailbacks more as safety valves for the true freshman.  Reed made some great throws that receivers did not catch (see 3 Discouraging Signs) and some good check downs.  Overall both quarterbacks played better than expected.

3) They were playing the No. 20 team in the nation

Yes, Memphis was blown out and it was tough for Memphis fans to watch, but they were playing a team that is bigger, faster, and more athletic than they are.  It’s not like they took a whooping from UAB or Tulane, this is the No. 20 ranked team in the nation.  The reason why Memphis looked so inferior to Mississippi State was because right now they are inferior.  Nothing Memphis could have done would have prevented the beat down that they took.  A loss is a loss whether by 1 or 100 and it was not a conference game so Memphis can still compete for a C-USA championship.  Everybody needs to take a deep breath and calm down.  Now if they lose to Arkansas State, then start panicking.

3 Discouraging Signs

1) The O-line did not give the quarterbacks enough time

Summerlin was under distress the entire time he was in the game.  On pass plays you can see him making his reads but by the time he gets to his second read he is running for his life.  There were plays during the game where Summerlin did not have time to let the receivers finish running their routes.   I know Mississippi State’s D-line is supposed to be good but Memphis made them look phenomenal.  Coach Porter is going to have to figure out a way to improve the O-line otherwise it will not matter who the quarterback is because they will be on the ground most of the game.

 

2) Special teams play was bad (real bad)

With the exception of the two kicks that Paulo Henriques put out of the end zone, Memphis’ special teams were pitiful.  Memphis started every drive during the entire 1st quarter inside their 15 yard line.  EVERY SINGLE DRIVE!  In contrast Mississippi State started all but one drive (the opening kickoff) in Memphis territory.  The punts throughout the game were low line drives and the coverage was slow to cover it allowing Mississippi State to cross into Memphis territory most of the game.  Add to it that the kick return team for Memphis was unable to get across the 20 yard line all game and you have an inept special teams unit.  Memphis will not win games if the special teams cannot find a way to give Memphis better field position.

3) The defense is giving up too many big plays

The switch to a 3-3-5 is not paying the dividends that Coach Porter thought it would.  The safeties gave up entirely too many big plays through the air and once Mississippi States tailback got to the second level nobody was there to tackle them allowing Vick Ballard to score twice on runs more than 40 yards.  The linebackers did not shed blocks and the D-line did not get consistent pressure on Relf.  On both of the touchdown passes thrown by Relf he had all day to throw and safeties were caught peeking into the backfield allowing wide outs to run right by them.  Porter is going to have to find a way to sure up the defense if the Tigers are to stand a chance this season.

 C.J. Hurt covers Tiger football for MemphiSport. You can follow him via Twitter @churtj09.

Photos by JD Meredith.

Filed Under: The Big Features, Tiger Football, Web Exclusives Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Memphisport Live: 2.8.11

February 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Playboy model/SEC Cheerleader Taylor Corley joins Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter for her first broadcast interview since it was revealed that she posed in Playboy under the name Taylor Stone. During the exclusive interview, Corley talks about leaving the Mississippi State cheerleading squad, trying out for Playboy, her future ambitions, and more.

Also, Kevin reveals he has officially been appointed “Mayor of Flinn Broadcasting.” Plus, the guys discuss Snoop at the Forum, Spoon’s return to the Tigers,  and J-Will’s return to the Grizzlies in this week’s Starting 5.

Click here to listen to the 2.8.11 edition of MSL

Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter host Memphisport Live every Tuesday at 6:00 PM on Sports 56 WHBQ. Memphisport Live was voted 3rd Best Sports Show in the 2010 Memphis Flyer Best of Memphis poll.

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MSL Exclusive: Playboy model Taylor Corley announces she is no longer cheering for MSU

February 8, 2011 by 6 Comments

Playboy model Taylor Corley has mutually parted ways with the Mississippi State cheerleading squad. Corley made that announcement while on MemphiSport Live (MSL) for her first broadcast interview since it was revealed that she posed in Playboy under the name Taylor Stone.

During her exclusive interview with Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter, the model also talked about trying out for Playboy, showing her boobs for the first time, joining the cast of a new reality TV show, and much more.

AUDIO:

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Click here to listen to Taylor Corley’s interview from the February 8, 2011 MSL

Click here for more MSL interviews.

Kevin Cerrito and Marcus Hunter host MemphiSport Live (MSL) every Tuesday at 6:00 PM on Sports 56 WHBQ. MSL was voted 3rd Best Sports Show in the 2010 Memphis Flyer Best of Memphis poll. Listen to full episode podcasts here.

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