Tigers looking to win two in a row

Tommy West was coach the last time the Tigers won back-to-back games. 

By Adam Douglas

Sports Editor

Published: Friday, September 23, 2011  

 

David Minkin

Senior wide receiver and running back Billy Foster escapes for a 93-yard touchdown against Austin Peay. The Tigers will need similar big plays to keep up with Southern Methodist University’s high-powered offense on Saturday.

 

On Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, The University of Memphis Tigers football team will seek its first back-to-back wins since 2008, when the Tigers won three in a row under former head coach Tommy West.

But for that to happen, the Tigers must first sustain longer scoring drives on offense and not allow the potent Southern Methodist University offense to gain more than 400 yards against the new-look Tigers defense. SMU comes into the contest ranked 19th overall in the football bowl subdivision in passing yards per game (390.3), 96th in rushing yards per game and 69th in points per game (27.3).

"A lot of people like to talk about their offense, but I want to start with the defense because I think that the defense is very solid and sound and very capable of confusing you and causing some problems," head coach Larry Porter said. "They like to blitz a lot, which always concerns you when you've got a young quarterback."

Though Porter emphasized SMU's defense, its offense – which is reminiscent of SMU head coach June Jones' high-octane offense at the University of Hawaii – makes SMU the team that it is.

"Coach Jones has done a tremendous job in reviving that program," Porter said. "He went away from one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Kyle Padron and went to J.J. McDermott, who's just as good. He has a very strong arm and is a good decision-maker. We're going to have to make sure, from a secondary standpoint, that we close those windows down and force him to make tight throws because they're very active in the passing game."

Though the Tigers defense last played a team from the lower football championship subdivision, Austin Peay, the team looked much improved on that side of the ball. Led by new co-defensive coordinators Mike Dubose and Galen Scott, the Tigers defense held the Governors to 368 yards of total offense while forcing two interceptions and recovering a fumble.

"I want to compliment Coach DuBose and Coach Scott for the way they stepped in and grabbed this defense and took it forward," Porter said. "The knowledge, the energy and the way they took control and got these players to buy into them made a difference. I have to compliment our players as well. They embraced change, and we moved forward."

Kickoff at the Liberty Bowl is scheduled for 11 a.m. The game will be televised by FOX Sports South/FOX Sports Tennessee.