Tigers trounced at ASU, 47-3

By Adam Douglas 

Sports Editor

 

Jerald Holiday

Freshman defensive back Bakari Hollier catches an interception against an Arkansas State receiver.

The University of Memphis Tigers football team headed to Jonesboro, Ark. with hopes of turning things around against Arkansas State on Saturday. They had a new starter at quarterback with true freshman Taylor Reed, and another freshman, Artaves Gibson, showed promise in his first collegiate game.

Freshman wide receiver Keiwone Malone, a transfer from Alabama and former Mitchell High standout, was ruled eligible to play by the NCAA one day before the game.

But the Tigers put up another disappointing effort as their defense allowed 30 points and 336 total yards of offense in the first half en route to a 47-3 loss against ASU.

"It's obvious that we weren't prepared tonight," head coach Larry Porter said. "I truly believe that we've got a locker room full of guys that are better than that."

Though Porter believes the players are better than that, the truth remains to be seen. The Tigers gained just three yards of offense in the third quarter after posting 137 in the first half, finishing with an abysmal 169 total yards of offense for the game. Former Briarcrest High head football coach Hugh Freeze, who is now the head coach at ASU, took his starters out of the game after the first series of the third quarter. Memphis was unable to score against the second and third teams of ASU in the final 20 minutes of the game.

"It's up to us as coaches to get them prepared and we didn't do a good job tonight," Porter said. "It's us as coaches, so we got to stop blaming it on personnel."

Whether the blame is on coaches or a lack of talent, some players still have faith that the season can still be turned around starting with the Tigers next home game against Austin Peay State University.

"I think we just got to step up and compete," senior linebacker Akeem Davis said. "Everybody's down and sad in the locker room. But we're still very optimistic about the season because we still have 10 opportunities to prove ourselves and be competitive in conference play and win Conference USA."

Before a crowd of 29,872, the second largest in ASU history, the Tigers allowed yet another opponent to score over 40 points and amass 600 or more yards on offense for the second straight week. Despite all of this, Tiger players know that there's still a lot to be said about the rest of the season.

"I was very surprised about the outcome of the game," senior wide receiver Tanner Rehrer said. "I would still tell Tigers fans to stick behind us because we have talent – I see it at practice every day."

Davis shared Rehrer's outlook.

"Just like in life, you get shocked," he said. "It's life and adversity. Adversity slapped us in the face Saturday, and what we're going to do is give it our all and go strong in practice this week, and then give everything we have to Austin Peay."