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During the past two seasons, the Tiger football program has achieved goals never attained by any previous Memphis football squads in school history. Two-consecutive bowl appearances, a national ranking in the Associated Press poll, and back-to-back seasons of more than eight wins are but a few of the major highlights of 2003 and 2004. Those accomplishments now have the Tiger faithful anxious for the start of the 2005 campaign and another record-setting season.
However, the Tigers now enter fall trying to find an answer for a question the team has not had to face for the last four years. For the past four seasons, quarterback Danny Wimprine guided a U of M offense that had improved steadily, and one that frequented the top-10 national rankings for total offense and scoring. Wimprine completed his senior season in 2004 as the best signal-caller in school history, amassing more than 10,000 yards passing and throwing for 81 touchdowns. His 81 touchdown passes ranked him second in Conference USA's all-time record book, while his 10,215 yards passing placed him third in league history.
Conference USA has taken on a new look for 2005 as four former football-playing members of the league have departed. Louisville, Cincinnati, TCU and USF have moved on and six new members will be competing for the C-USA title. Joining the former football-playing members of C-USA will be Marshall, UCF, SMU, Rice, Tulsa and UTEP, giving the conference 12 football participants that will play a league championship game for the first time in December. The league will be split into divisions with Memphis joining East Carolina, Marshall, Southern Miss, UAB and UCF in the East Division; and Houston, Rice, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa and UTEP making up the West Division.
The Tiger schedule will again be demanding with non-conference contests against Ole Miss and Tennessee, in addition to the conference schedule which features long-time rivals Southern Miss, UAB and Houston, as well as newcomers Marshall and UTEP. Additionally, the Tigers will face East Carolina and Chattanooga in Memphis and will travel to play Tulsa and UCF.
THE OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
With Wimprine out of the pocket, Coach Tommy West and his staff spent the spring keeping a keen eye on the quarterback position, attempting to find someone who could step up and fill the void left by such a veteran. As drills continued throughout the spring, junior Patrick Byrne, a two-year letterman at kicker, began to emerge as the squad's top prospect. The Brewton, Ala.-native, who had worked with the Tiger offense for three seasons as a reserve quarterback, demonstrated his ability to move the team by winning MVP honors in the annual Blue-Gray Spring Game. Byrne completed 12-of-17 pass attempts for 192 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-4 right-hander was also the 2003 Blue-Gray Game MVP. The holder of the Alabama state record for most career points scored by a kicker with 256, Byrne also excelled as a prep quarterback leading his 2000 squad to the AAAA state championship. He completed 78-of-172 pass attempts for 1,348 yards as a senior and finished his career with 3,160 yards in the air.
Providing strong competition for Byrne during the spring were freshmen quarterbacks Will Hudgens and Billy Barefield. Hudgens, who was redshirted in 2004 while recovering from a torn ACL suffered in high school, has all of the physical tools to become a successful collegiate quarterback. At 6-4 and 223 pounds, Hudgens possesses a strong arm that made him one of the most highly-recruited prep prospects in the Mid-South. He completed 234-of-534 pass attempts for 3,998 yards and 34 touchdowns during his four-year prep career. During the spring, Hudgens threw for nearly 200 yards and completed just under 50 percent of his passes in the various scrimmages.
Barefield graduated early from Evangel Christian in Shreveport, La., and enrolled in school in January of 2005 to get additional work with the Tigers' spread offense. A talented runner, Barefield uses his great foot speed to elude would-be tacklers and led all rushers in the Blue-Gray Game with 55 yards on the ground. He amassed 5,052 yards of total offense as a junior in high school, which ranked as the ninth-highest total in the history of prep football according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. In the spring, Barefield showed promise, completing over 60 percent of his passes in various scrimmages.
RUNNING BACK
With several questions about the offense looming as the Tigers head into fall camp, one constant remains - the Tigers have one of the best running backs in the country in all-American and Heisman Trophy candidate DeAngelo Williams. In addition to Williams, the Tigers may be deeper at running back than at any time in school history.
In January of 2005, coaches, media and fans packed into a conference room on campus and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief when Williams announced so eloquently that he would "forgo his NFL career" in order to remain a Tiger for his senior season. The two-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, Williams led the nation in rushing touchdowns with 22, and returns for 2005 as a legitimate candidate for the Heisman Trophy.
A finalist for the Doak Walker Award, the Hossman Trophy and the Walter Camp Award in 2004, Williams continued to rack up honors well after the season ended. He was named the Player of the Year by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association and was selected as the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame's Male Amateur Athlete of the Year. He traveled to Columbus, Ohio, and was presented an Award of Distinction by the Touchdown Club of Columbus as one of the top collegiate running backs, and followed that trip with a flight to Los Angeles, Calif., as a finalist for the John Wooden Cup. He has since been named to the Playboy All-America Team, Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook's All-America Team, Street & Smith's All-America Team and Lindy's Football Magazine All-America Team heading into the 2005 season.
Williams finished the 2004 campaign with 1,948 yards rushing on 313 attempts. He was ranked third nationally in rushing, second in scoring and second in all-purpose yards. As a junior, he totaled three 200-yard games, including a school-record 263 yards against USF. He had previously broken the single-game record midway through the year with 262 yards against Houston.
"DeAngelo Williams is a legitimate Heisman candidate heading into the 2005 season," said West. "He certainly proved himself in 2004 as one of the top backs in the country. We are very fortunate to have him back for 2005, and we look for him to continue to build onto all of his records."
Depth at tailback will be provided by sophomore lettermen Joseph Doss and Jamarcus Gaither, as well as newcomers T.J. Pitts and Miguel Barnes. Pitts is the most heralded of the Tigers' 2005 signees. Barnes was the top back in Shelby County last year while starring for Millington High School.
Doss was the Tigers' second-leading ground gainer in 2004 with 183 yards on 54 attempts. He also caught 13 passes for 139 yards and returned four kickoffs for 53 yards. Doss handled most of the rushing duties in the spring as Williams was held out of contact scrimmages. A native Memphian, Doss was singled out by Coach West in the spring for being the "total player" who does everything asked of him on and off the field. Gaither, a two-year letterman, picked up 40 yards on 15 attempts in a reserve roll in 2004. During the Blue-Gray Spring Game, he rushed 12 times for 44 yards.
Pitts prepped at North Hall High School in West's hometown of Gainesville, Ga. He rushed for 2,422 yards and scored 29 touchdowns as a senior. He gained over 4,200 yards in his final two seasons and totaled 24-consecutive 100-yard rushing performances. Barnes gained 1,279 yards as a senior and tallied 21 rushing touchdowns in being named the Region 7-A Offensive Player of the Year.
WIDE RECEIVER
The Tigers lost several veteran wide receivers including Tavares Gideon, Chris Kelley and Darron White. Gideon led the receiving corps with 665 yards on 54 receptions and 11 of the team's 25 receiving touchdowns. White was the third-leading receiver with 359 yards on 26 catches and one touchdown, while Kelley was a steady performer with sure hands who had 302 yards and two touchdown receptions.
But, fortunately for the U of M, the spread offense employs the use of numerous receivers and left the unit with several key lettermen for 2005. Senior Maurice Avery is expected to anchor the 2005 receiving corps after totaling 422 yards on 36 catches last season. His lone touchdown came in the GMAC Bowl against Bowling Green. Avery has caught 87 passes in his Tiger career for 1,177 yards and nine touchdowns. He is currently ranked eighth on the U of M all-time receiver list for receptions.
Other key veteran wideouts include juniors Ryan Scott and Mario Pratcher, who both played in all 12 games last year. Scott totaled 311 yards receiving and two touchdowns, while Pratcher hauled in 15 passes for 185 receiving yards. Pratcher had an outstanding spring and earned co-MVP honors in the Blue-Gray Game after catching five passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
A host of redshirted freshmen excelled in the spring and are expected to begin seeing action on the field this fall. The group includes Memphian Carlton Robinzine, speedy Earnest Williams and sure-handed redshirt freshman Antonio McCoy. In addition, the Tigers added five outstanding receivers with this year's signing class.
Joining the squad this fall are newcomers Brandon Hunt, Carlos Singleton, Alton Starr, Maurice Jones and Michael Grandberry. Hunt, a junior from Northwest Mississippi Community College, caught 24 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns in the Rangers' run-oriented offense. However, he received the Offensive MVP Award for the Mississippi Junior College All-Star Game in 2004 after catching the north squad's only touchdown.
Singleton, a 6-8 receiver from Haywood County High, gives the Tigers their tallest receiver in school history. He was named the Player of the Year by the Jackson Sun.
Starr, Grandberry and Jones are speed receivers who will provide depth to a very talented corps. Jones, who prepped at White Station High School in Memphis, caught 53 passes for 1,042 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2003 leading the Spartans to the state playoffs. He amassed 101 receptions for 1,710 yards and 23 touchdowns during his final two seasons of high school.
THE OFFENSIVE LINE
Not all of Memphis'losses on offense stop at the quarterback and receiver positions, as graduation also took a toll on the offensive line. The Tigers lost four of its five starters in the offensive line, including All-C-USA selections Gene Frederic (C) and Jeremy Rone (RT), as well as starters Jason Johnson (LT) and Jason Matthews (RG). Junior Blake Butler is the lone returning starter from last year's line, and was moved from left guard to center in the spring.
With Butler and veteran letterman Stephen Schuh anchoring the line at the center position, the Tigers will see the return of three-year starter Andrew Handy, who is expected to start at left guard this fall. Handy sat out the 2004 season while he continued to rehabilitate his ankle, which was injured during the 2003 campaign. Supporting Handy at the left guard slot will be redshirt freshman Philip Beliles and newcomer Paul Edwards. Beliles had an outstanding prep career at CBHS in Memphis, while Edwards was a standout offensive lineman at McKenzie (Tenn.) High School.
Redshirt sophomore Andy Smith, who lettered in 2004, has moved into a starting role at right guard. Smith played in nine games last season and gives the Tigers an experienced player to fill the right guard position. Smith will be pushed for playing time by seasoned players Jared McGowan and Bobby Garafolo. McGowan came to the Tigers in 2003 as a transfer from Kentucky, while Garafolo was a junior college transfer in 2003.
Former prep All-American Willie Henderson is expected to replace Jason Johnson at left tackle. A two-year letterman for the Tigers, Henderson is prepared to live up to his stellar prep credentials as a first-time starter for Memphis. At 6-7 and 335 pounds, he is the largest member of the offensive line. Henderson has several skilled players to offer support in two-year letterman Greg Billingslea, redshirt freshman Brandon Pearce and true freshman Eric Evans.
The right tackle position vacated by Jeremy Rone has fallen into the capable hands of redshirt sophomore letterman Abraham Holloway. A native of Prentiss, Miss., Holloway lettered for the first time in 2004 and gained valuable experience. Michael Denning, a transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College, signed with the Tigers in June and is expected to give Holloway a battle in fall camp. Denning has three years of eligibility at the U of M after playing just one season at NWMCC. True freshman Ken Turner is expected to begin his career as an offensive lineman this fall while working at right tackle.
TIGHT END
Rounding out the offensive returnees is tight end John Doucette, who started eight games last season. An honors candidate, Doucette is a strong body who lends himself as a blocker for Williams and is a versatile pass receiver. Depth at tight end will be provided by redshirt freshman Brett Russell, who had 46 receptions for 948 yards during his final two seasons at Christian Brothers High School, and newcomer Stacy Jones.
Jones prepped at Columbus (Miss.) High School where he worked at fullback, tight end and defensive end. He was named to the Jackson Clarion Ledger's Top Prospect List for 2005.
THE DEFENSE
The Tiger defense, which struggled with youthfulness and inexperience during the 2004 season, returns seven veteran starters for the 2005 season, including All-C-USA honorees Wesley Smith at free safety and Marcus West at defensive tackle. Memphis also returns all three starting linebackers, as well as cornerbacks O.C. Collins and Dustin Lopez. Joining these veteran players are 21 letterwinners from previous campaigns.
THE DEFENSIVE LINE
One of the biggest losses for the defensive unit was noseguard Albert Means, who was named an All-C-USA selection in 2004. The U of M defensive front will also be without the services of starting defensive tackle David McNair, who registered 49 total stops and five pass breakups. But, the Tigers played numerous young linemen last season and now return tested veterans.
West, who has received preseason honors from several publications, registered 52 tackles last season and led the defense in tackles for loss with 10 and in quarterback sacks with six. He was an honorable mention pick to All-America teams by NationalChamps.net and Street & Smith's football magazine in the summer of 2005. A native of Columbus, Miss., West will be looked to for leadership in the line this fall.
Senior Tyus Jackson is expected to back up West at left tackle. He played in all 12 games last season and totaled 13 tackles and a sack for a loss of 12 yards.
Seniors Rubio Phillips and Van Houston are expected to help fill the void at the right tackle slot vacated by McNair. Phillips was credited with 12 tackles in 2004, while Houston logged eight stops in a reserve role.
Redshirt freshman Ryan Williams made huge strides in the spring and enters fall camp as a possible starter at noseguard.
Providing depth in the defensive front will be senior letterman LaVale Washington, juniors Haracio Colen and Brandon Farrar, sophomores Arron Bentley and Lane Garcia, as well as redshirt freshmen Cortez McCraney and Brandon Douglas. Joining this talented group for the 2005 season are true freshmen Clinton McDonald of Jacksonville, Ark., and Greg Terrell of Birmingham, Ala.
Washington has played on a regular basis over the past three years and was credited with 13 tackles in 2004. He enters his senior season with 60 career tackles and a wealth of experience.
Farrar and Colen each lettered in 2004 in reserve and special teams roles, while Bentley and Garcia have worked in numerous positions along the Memphis defensive front.
Two young linemen who are expected to play important roles for the Tigers this fall are McCraney and Douglas. McCraney, a former high school basketball player, has the frame to become an outstanding defensive tackle, while Douglas will battle for an interior position slot.
Terrell, who was named the Birmingham Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, logged over 80 tackles and 18 quarterback sacks as a senior. He received the Wenonah High School Defensive Player of the Year Award and also excelled in track as a 400-meter runner.
McDonald was picked to the Arkansas Democrat 5A Top Prospect List for 2004 after a stellar career at Jacksonville High. He was also chosen as the 5A Outstanding Lineman.
LINEBACKER
The Tigers return all three starting linebackers from the 2004 season, including seniors Tim Goodwell and Carlton Baker and junior Quinton McCrary. The trio was credited with 284 total tackles last season and also accounted for five sacks.
Goodwell led all Memphis tacklers with 106 stops. He was also credited with eight tackles for lost yardage, three quarterback sacks and three fumble recoveries. He returned one fumble 10 yards for a touchdown against Arkansas State.
Baker, a junior college transfer in 2004, ranked second in team tackles with 96 and chipped in four tackles for lost yardage. McCrary had 82 tackles with eight tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks for a team-leading 44 yards. McCrary ranked fourth in tackles for the Tigers and also had a fumble recovery against Louisville, a game that was televised nationally by ESPN.
The threesome will be pressed for playing time by senior Cato Mott, juniors Michael Spurlock, Mike Snyder and Carson Hunter, and sophomores Greg Hinds and Heath Grant. All five are veteran lettermen for the defensive unit and offer experienced depth at linebacker. Both Hinds and Grant lettered as true freshmen in 2004, and Hinds was named to the C-USA All-Freshman team in 2004. Redshirt freshman TiQuintin Morrell has recovered from a leg injury suffered in high school and will be joined by true freshmen Greg Jackson and Jeremy Rockette and junior college transfer Donald Thornton at linebacker.
Jackson was named the Defensive MVP at Marietta (Ga.) High School and set a school record with 15 quarterback sacks in 2004. An all-around athlete, he also lettered as a long jumper in track.
Rockette was a first-team Associated Press All-State selection in 2004 and was named to the Commercial Appeal's Top 12 Most Wanted Players list. He registered 76 tackles and 12.5 quarterback sacks for Olive Branch (Miss.) High.
Thornton, a junior college transfer from Northeast Mississippi Community College, registered 56 tackles and eight quarterback sacks. The one-year junior college standout was picked to play in the North-South All-Star Game and could provide immediate help at linebacker for the Tigers.
THE SECONDARY
The secondary will be led by two-time All-Conference USA performer Wesley Smith, as well as cornerbacks Dustin Lopez and O.C. Collins. This trio will be helped out tremendously by experienced lettermen Sam Brewer, Derek Clenin, Rod Smith, Jermaine Chambers, Jake Kasser, Javar Pollard, Olen Whitely and Jamaal Rufus. Additionally, newcomers will include redshirt freshman Brandon Patterson and newly-arrived junior college transfer Brandon McDonald, as well as four signees LaKeitharun Ford, Deante' Lamar, Chris Huffman and Bernard Key.
The cat safety slots are filled by junior Derek Clenin and sophomore Jake Kasser, both of whom came to the Tigers as walk-on candidates from Memphis area high schools. Kasser, a former Germantown (Tenn.) High School standout, tallied 15 tackles and one quarterback sack in 2004 working as a cat safety and as a member of the Tiger special teams unit. Clenin, who prepped at MUS, had seven stops and one tackle for lost yardage last season. Kasser is supported by the veteran Brewer, who amassed 26 tackles in the fall of 2004. Clenin will have Rod Smith and Pollard to provide depth. Smith, who chipped in 15 tackles as a true freshman, was one of the most impressive backs in spring drills. He could become a star in the Memphis secondary with his defensive skills.
With Lopez and Collins working at the corners, the Tigers have two speedy veterans. Collins was the squad's fifth-leading tackler in 2004 with 80 total hits. He also logged two pass interceptions which were returned for a total of 23 yards, as well as five tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks.
Lopez chipped in 37 stops and a team-leading four pass interceptions which he brought back for 72 yards. Lopez led the defensive unit in pass breakups last season with 11. He became a full-time starter seven games into the 2004 campaign.
Other candidates for the corner slots include Rufus, Chambers, Whitely and McDonald. Rufus, who worked as a member of the special teams as well as a corner in 2004, was one of the most highly-recruited players in Memphis two years ago. Chambers, a former walk-on candidate, made 10 tackles last season and is a standout on Tiger special teams, as is Whitely.
McDonald came to the Tigers as a junior college transfer in the spring of 2005, but was slowed in spring drills because of a knee injury. He lettered for two years at Jones County Community College, where he was credited with 25 tackles and a team-leading eight pass interceptions in 2004.
All-Conference USA honoree Wesley Smith will handle the free safety duties, but is expected to share some playing time with redshirt freshman Patterson, who was impressive in spring drills.
Smith registered 89 tackles in 2004 and was ranked third on the team in total hits. He has now totaled 187 career tackles and still has two years of eligibility remaining with the Tigers. NationalChamps.net and Street & Smith tabbed him as an honorable mention pick on their All-America teams heading into 2005.
Patterson, who was an exceptional prep quarterback at Germantown High School, made great strides in the spring and is expected to provide depth behind Smith in the fall.
Five new defensive backs will join the defensive unit in the fall and all could see action in their first season. Junior college transfer LaKeitharun Ford had 20 tackles last year for Mississippi Delta Community College. He was named first-team MACJC and was named to the NJCAA All-Region Team.
Deante' Lamar, Chris Huffman and Bernard Key all were prep standouts and have the speed to play a corner position for the Tigers.
Lamar, an honor student, was an All-DeKalb County selection as a kick returner for the 2004 season. Huffman tallied 69 tackles and six pass interceptions en route to being named to the Alabama Sports Writers All-State Team last season. Key was the Defensive MVP at Sidney Lanier High in Montgomery, Ala., after totaling 75 tackles and three interceptions in 2004.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Despite losing punter Brandon Roberson and holder Ryan Ivey, the Tigers' kicking unit does benefit from the return of Lou Groza Award semifinalist Stephen Gostkowski. Gostkowski has had a very productive three years for the Tigers, and will complete his senior year in 2005 as one of the top Tiger kickers in school history. He currently holds school records in points scored (268), PATs made (124), PATs attempted (130), and he is just three field goals shy of tying Joe Allison, who totaled 51 field goals from 1990-93. Allison was the first recipient of the Lou Groza Award in 1992. Gostkowski kicked 88 consecutive PATs before recording his only miss on a kick that was backed up by penalty against Southern Miss last season.
Gostkowski will be joined on the field goal and PAT units by junior snapper Rusty Clayton, who has started the last 25- straight games.
Kicker/quarterback Patrick Byrne was expected to fill the role of holder, while also booting kickoffs. However, with Byrne penciled in as the starting quarterback, it could leave the staff searching for a new individual to handle both positions. Byrne handled all of Memphis' kickoffs in 2004, averaging 62.1 yards on 84 kicks and 38 touchbacks.
One spot the Tigers desperately needed to fill was punter, and they did so with junior college transfer Michael Gibson. In 2004, West utilized three different punters in traditional punter Brandon Roberson, and quarterbacks Danny Wimprine and Bobby Robison, both of whom set up the rugby-style punts.
Gibson, the lone punter for 2005, averaged 44.6 yards per punt in 2004 at Itawamba Community College. The former Auburn letterman was an honorable mention pick on the NJCAA All-American Football Team in 2004.
If the Tigers can find the right quarterback to distribute the ball to DeAngelo Williams and toss passes to veteran receivers, then 2005 could find the Tigers battling for the Conference USA championship and participating in a third-consecutive bowl game.
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