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By Phil Stukenborg
Contact reporter
October 31, 2003
Tommy West caught himself in midsentence.
The uncharacteristic pause came during West's weekly press luncheon earlier this week when he was asked how his University of Memphis football team has made such marked improvement and put itself on the verge of becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 1994.
"Well, in the past we've been either a real good defensive team or . . ." West said, before stopping to recollect his thoughts. "I was going to say 'or a good offensive team,' but that hasn't been the case."
No, it hasn't.
And long-suffering Tiger fans can recall the agony, decade by decade. They endured lackluster offenses in the mid-1990s, units that ranked among the lowest in several NCAA Division 1-A offensive categories. The 1995 team was held to 10 or fewer points on six occasions. The 1996 team scored only 141 points - or 12.8 per game.
And, almost incredulously, the 1981 and 1986 teams averaged fewer than 10 points per game.
Entering Saturday's Conference USA game against East Carolina at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, the Tiger offense is poised to become the most prolific in school history. It is averaging 31.4 points and 464 yards per game, about six points and 110 yards more per game than a year ago and about 20 points and 200 yards per game more than the offenses in the mid-1990s.
"It's just fun being out there now," said Tiger quarterback Danny Wimprine.
Memphis (5-3 overall, 2-2 in C-USA) has scored 251 points through eight games. If the Tigers maintain that pace, they'll finish with 375 points, the most in a single season since the 1949 team scored 385 in 10 games.
West's spread offense, which he introduced when he became coach in 2001, has been the catalyst, along with the improved play of Wimprine and running back DeAngelo Williams, two of the most productive performers in the program's history.
Wimprine, a junior, has set 23 records, including career marks for pass completions (499), pass attempts (905), passing yards (6,249) and touchdown passes (51).
Williams, a sophomore, has rushed for 1,003 yards through eight games and needs 57 yards to become the school's single-season rushing leader. He holds career records for most 100-yard rushing games (11) and most consecutive 100-yard rushing games (seven).
In their past two wins, the Tigers have scored 45 and 41 points to win conference games at Houston and Tulane.
"Our coaches have done such a great job," Wimprine said. "The receivers have done a 180-degree turn from last year to this year.
"(Receivers) coach (Clay) Helton has done a great job with them. They are learning how to practice and how to prepare. When you can do that in practice, you go into a game confident that you are going to do things well and put a good product on the field."
Production from the receiving position has been a pleasant factor. Before the season began the Tigers were lamenting the loss of 6-4 Tavares Gideon, the team's leading receiver a year ago, to a torn knee ligament. The Tigers also lost deep threat Antoine Harden, who was dismissed from the team after last season, Von Webb (knee) and promising newcomer Mario Pratcher, who broke his collarbone in a preseason scrimmage. Pratcher has returned and has played in three games.
"Von was going to be a big-time receiver for us," Williams said. "We had lost Gideon, then we lost Pratcher, there were a lot of negative vibes flowing through here."
Memphis also was putting an inexperienced offensive line on the field.
"Anyone could have written it down on paper or typed it up and said we were going to lose," Williams said. "But we've come out and played to win and started turning people's heads."
Tiger offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said the high point production - averaging 41 points in its five wins - is the result of Wimprine "protecting the ball better" and the offense being "opportunistic with its field position."
The spread produced 303 points - or an average of 25.3 per game - in 2002. If the Tigers maintain their average of more than 30 points per game, it will mark the first time that has happened since 1969.
West traces the improvement from last year to this year to the running game. Memphis is averaging 181.4 yards rushing, compared to 115.8 last year.
"And we've found ways to get the ball to DeAngelo Williams," said West, whose package has Williams catching passes out of the backfield. Williams is the team's second-leading receiver with 29 catches for 354 yards.
"We also have a running game we didn't have a year ago," West said. "A year ago we had all the intercepts (20) because we had to throw the ball all the time. And Danny will be the first to tell you that having a running game takes the pressure off."
The running game is paced by Williams, averaging a C-USA-leading 125.4 yards per game. He is coming off a career-high 195-yard effort last weekend at Tulane.
And backup Derron Parquet, the transfer from LSU, has added a powerful, productive complement, rushing for 97 and 70 yards the past two games.
"Everybody has picked up their level of play," Williams said. "The wideouts are making things happen, Danny Wimprine is playing at an unbelievable level and the offensive line . . . they've just made it a track meet for me."
When the Tigers struggled scoring inside the opposition's 10-yard line earlier this season, West countered by putting in an option package, one where he places Avery, Williams and Darron White in a T-formation behind Wimprine. It has allowed the Tigers to offset their lack of a power running game.
"I'm pleased with where we are, but we certainly are not the finished product yet," West said. "We've stumped our toe a couple of times, but we are getting real close to being an offense that takes advantage of whatever a defense gives us."
- Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543
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