Who pays attention to Tiger football?

By Adam Douglas

Sports Editor

Adam Douglas

 

I, like everyone else that goes to The University of Memphis, got an email on Wednesday on behalf of Tigers football head coach Larry Porter asking for everyone to please come out and help support Tigers football this weekend as they take on East Carolina. But there are three things wrong with that email.

One: Will anyone really pay any attention to that email and actually show up?

Two: With the Tigers having a 1-5 record on the season, why are you just now asking for students and fans to come out to the game?

Three: Since today is the start of basketball, will and should people in this city care anymore about Tigers Football?

Well, if you've been paying attention so far to my rants, then the answer is yes. I do understand that our football team is not the best team ever. I understand that over the last two and a half seasons, including this one, we've only won four games total. But the fact of the matter is that they need our help. True, this is a basketball town and everyone cannot wait until the doors of FedEx Forum open tonight at 5:30, when  the Tigers' basketball season officially begins. But our football team does need this city's support.

The only thing I don't like about this situation is that I think it's too little too late to start asking fans, supporters and students to show up to games now. Plus, it's fall break and the last thing we as students and fans want to do is go to a game where we know what the outcome will be, especially when we're on a break.

And speaking of which, I get tired of hearing how students have never been to a football game and how they don't have any interest in going to one. The only thing that they're interested in going to see is basketball. I also get tired of hearing the bandwagon fans talk bad about our football program, but when they're winning, the team is the best thing since sliced bread. And when my dad, who's an avid fan and has been one for years, doesn't want to go to games anymore, it's got to be a sad football team we're putting out there on the field, because he goes to and supports everything that has the ‘Memphis' name on it.

"I don't want to drive all the way down there, find somewhere to park for 30 minutes and then leave," he said.

So when you have people with the mindset like this, then there must be something wrong with the program. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy basketball just as much as the next fan, mostly because I grew up playing it and who doesn't like a winner. But just because our football team is clearly not a winner, does that give us the right to treat them like a red-headed stepchild?

Sherrod scores hat trick in Tigers’ rout of Mavericks

By Adam Douglas

Sports Editor

Greg Anderson

U of M sophomore midfielder Liam Collins heads a pass to a teammate for a goal during a match against Wisconsin.

 

Sophomore forward Mark Sherrod scored three goals on Tuesday as The University of Memphis men's soccer team (7-3-1, 1-2 in Conference USA) defeated the visiting Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks 5-0 at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex.

"We moved the ball well, but I thought we got a little impatient in the first half," said Richie Grant, head coach of the men's soccer team. "(Mark Sherrod's) all-around game is very good. He's been immense for us this season, and he's going to need to continue to be as we go on into the end of the season."

Andreas Guentner and Tiago Reichert also added goals for Memphis. In addition to assists by Chandler Gagnon, Wilson Linder and Lewis Ellis, Liam Collins recorded three assists on the evening, giving him nine on the year. Tiger great Dayton O'Brien is the last to record double-digits in assists, posting 14 in 2004.

"Mark makes it easy for me to get him the ball," Collins said. "He's always in the right space for me. He just has to be looking for (the ball)."

The Tigers were aggressive from the beginning of the match, taking a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute with an Andreas Guntner goal. Guentner's shot nicked the bottom of the crossbar before going in. Sherrod added the second goal of the evening for Memphis, scoring off a through ball from Wil Linder.

The Tigers entered halftime with a 2-0 lead over the Mavericks. Sherrod started the second half for the Tigers by scoring his second goal of the match. Collins served the ball into the box for Sherrod, who scored on a header. Collins and Sherrod connected just under nine minutes later in the match after Collins stripped a UNO player of the ball. Sherrod took the feed from Collins at the top of the box and drilled a shot to the far post.

Including Tuesday's hat trick, Sherrod has scored 11 goals on the season, the most since Andy Metcalf recorded 12 in 2005. Gordy Gurson scored a hat trick against Alabama A&M last season in the Tigers 8-0 win.

"I give all the credit to Liam," Sherrod said. "Every game it seems like he can always find me. My job is to just get in the box, and Liam just serves it up on a silver platter to me."

 

Women’s basketball picked to win C-USA

Carter named C-USA Preseason Player of the Year

By Adam Dougas

Sports Editor

 

Aaron Turner

 

Coming off of back-to-back 20-win seasons and consecutive post-season berths, The University of Memphis women’s basketball team was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Conference USA crown in a poll of league coaches announced on Thursday.

Coming off of back-to-back 20-win seasons and consecutive post-season berths, The University of Memphis women's basketball team was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Conference USA crown in a poll of league coaches announced on Thursday.  Also, senior guard Brittany Carter was named preseason Player of the Year and senior Jasmine Lee was named to the preseason all-conference team.

 "When you get that vote among your peers, it means something," said Melissa McFerrin, head coach of the women's basketball team. "But it also comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility. Being preseason number one in October is not our goal – our goal is to be number one in March. But we've been building to this point for three and a half years now, so it's not a big surprise, but it is a big responsibility. "

 Carter, who's repeating preseason all-conference honors from last year, is a two time, first team all-conference honoree that averaged 13.8 points per game last year. The senior guard battled a foot injury last season, missing five conference contests, but returned at the C-USA championships to help Memphis to its first semifinals appearance since 1997-98.

"I'm humbled," Carter said. "I didn't expect it. I just want to work hard for my team because if I am the best player in the conference or become that person, then ultimately it helps us out as a team to get to where we want to be."

 Carter becomes the first Tiger to earn preseason Player of the Year honors from Conference USA since Tamika Whitmore prior to Memphis' 1998 and 1999 seasons. Only Carter, Whitmore and LaTonya Johnson have been named to multiple preseason All-Conference USA squads.

 Senior post Jasmine Lee earned a preseason all-conference nod after leading Memphis last season in rebounding (8.2 rebounds per game) and finishing second in points per game (12.4). Lee also added 21 steals on the season and shot 49.5 percent from the field.

 "Jasmine spent last year trying to get consistent, to bring an eight or nine or ten in effort level all the time," McFerrin said. "Last year, early on, we had some games where she was not at that level, and this year we need her to show up every day and be the same player in games that we see on the practice court."

 Fans will get their first full look at the team at Memphis Madness on Friday. Doors open at FedEx Forum at 5:30 p.m., and fans can watch the team practice until about 7:15 p.m.

 

Three Tigers named to preseason All-C-USA

By Adam Douglas

Sports Editor

   

David Minkin

Sophomores Tarik Black, left, and Joe Jackson, middle, were named to the Conference USA Preseason All- Conference Second Team on Monday.

University of Memphis sophomores Will Barton, Tarik Black and Joe Jackson were named to 2011-12 preseason All-Conference USA teams, as announced by the league office on Monday. Barton was a preseason All-C-USA first team pick, while Black and Jackson were second team selections.

Last season, Barton led the Tigers in scoring with 12.3 pints per game and was second on the team in rebounding with 4.9 per game. The 6-foot-6 guard also handed out 99 assists and was second on the squad in steals with 54. He shot 42.8 percent from the floor and 69.9 percent from the free throw line. The Baltimore, Md., native was named to the All-Conference USA third team and the Conference USA All-Freshman Team in 2010-11.

Black, who joined Barton on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team last year, averaged 9.1 and 5 rebounds in his first collegiate season. The Memphis native was the Tigers' third-leading scorer and top rebounder. The 6-foot-8 forward also posted 56 blocked shots and 27 steals, while shooting 52.8 percent from the floor. A co-captain for the Tigers in 2010-11, Black finished the year ranked among C-USA freshmen leaders in scoring (7th), rebounding (4th), field goal percentage (6th) and blocked shots (1st).

Last season, Jackson was the Tigers' second-leading scorer at 9.9 points per game, and was also second on the team with 109 assists. The 6-foot guard collected 35 steals, shot 43.1 percent from the field and hit 72.6 percent of his free throws. The Memphis native saved his best play for the 2011 postseason, averaging 16.5 points and 3 assists in three Conference USA Tournament games and one NCAA Tournament contest. For his outstanding play, Jackson was named the C-USA Tournament MVP.

Tigers fall to Rice Owls 28-6 in road matchup

By Adam Douglas

 Sports Editor

 

 

 

 

After beginning the half with 107 yards of total offense, compared to their opponent's 245 yards, The University of Memphis Tigers football team (1-5, 0-2 in Conference USA) ended the game on somewhat a positive note – they moved the ball to the tune of 307 yards.

But, they were scoreless in the process.

Rice University (2-3, 1-1 in C-USA) finished the game with just 350 total yards of offense, but still managed to defeat the Tigers 28-6 in Houston.

"First and foremost, I take my hat off to Coach (David) Bailiff and his team," said Memphis head coach Larry Porter. "All in all, we didn't play a balanced game in terms of offense, defense and special teams. We have to have more from every phase of our team."

Two Tiger quarterbacks led the Memphis attack, with freshman Taylor Reed going 15 of 30 in passing for 100 yards, and sophomore transfer Andy Summerlin, who entered the game for Reed at the end of the third quarter, finished the game and completed 9 of 13 passes for 137 yards and no touchdown. Though the offense was at one point 0-7 in third down conversions during the game, Porter said that the offense will be different once some subtle changes come about.

"The thing that we've got to do is glue our offensive line together," he said at his weekly press luncheon.  "We've been very inconsistent with injuries, and it showed on Saturday. You have to start there because when you can't run and you can't throw, it doesn't matter who your quarterback is."

The Tigers are still having problems on offense, but the defense is picking up the slack by creating turnovers. The Tigers forced three Rice turnovers, one of which was senior linebacker Akeem Davis' third interception in three games. But it went to spoils as the offense managed just two field goals on the turnovers.

"On a day in which you get three turnovers, that certainly gives you a good opportunity of putting points on the board and also victory," Porter said. "Obviously offensively, we couldn't get anything established throughout the day, which put us in a bad position."

Senior wide receiver Tannar Rehrer continued to be reliable target in the game, finishing with a career-high 11 receptions for 89 yards, tying him with Duke Calhoun for third-most receptions in school history.

Freshman wide receiver Kevin Wright also finished with a career high in receiving yards with four catches for 82 yards. But despite their efforts, the offense just couldn't find their stride.

"We didn't have any rhythm or continuity at first,'' Rehrer said. "I don't know why. We've got to be consistent. It can't be one week here, one week there."

Anticipation looms for eager Tigers

By Adam Douglas

 

Sports Reporter

 

Aaron Turner

University of Memphis men’s basketball head coach Josh Pastner talks to the media about the Tigers’ upcoming season and of Memphis Madness.

 

In just one week, The University of Memphis Tigers men's basketball team will once again open its doors for Memphis Madness at FedEx Forum. But this year, there will be no Yo Gotti, the Memphis-born rapper, who opened the show last season for the Tigers. Instead, it will be Mississippi-bred rapper Rick Ross – or "Ricky Rozay" as head coach Josh Pastner put it – helping officially start the 2011- 2012 season for the No. 9 Tigers.

And of all the people ready for the season, Pastner seems to be the most eager.

"Most people know (Rick Ross) as Rick Ross, but I know him as ‘The Boss,'" he said. "For those recruits out there that don't know, I've got to plug myself for being a cool coach and for getting the boss-man here."

With the Tigers starting the season ranked in the Top-25 for a second straight year, Pastner and his players said that they like the idea of playing with a target on their backs once again.

"I tell my players that those rankings are nothing, that it just comes from recruiting," Pastner said. "Of course, last year we were ranked and you all saw how it panned out with this team, but I think we just weren't ready. This year I think we're more than capable, and I wish that we could start out being No. 1."

The Tigers will have plenty of chances to prove themselves this season, as they play one of the toughest schedules in the country. But with some of the best talent on in college basketball on the court, meeting the high expectations placed on Tiger basketball every season is a welcome challenge, some players said.

 "We aren't really worried about what other people think or say," said sophomore guard Will Barton. "No one's expectations of us are higher than the ones we put on ourselves."

Those expectations should be taken lightly because of maturity and leadership. And one of the most important things to look for this year will be the play of senior forward Wesley Witherspoon. Coming off a disappointing junior year in which he was often injured and suspended, Witherspoon knows how important his last season at Memphis will be for the Tigers and himself.

"This is my last one, and it's supposed to be the best one," Witherspoon said. "Coach expects me to be Wesley Witherspoon – Wesley's going to stay healthy and as long as I'm healthy, I'll be able to play basketball.  I'm an active basketball player, and that's what got me here."

 

Tigers announce 2012 schedule

By Adam Douglas

Sports Editor

   

Joe Murphy

 

Entering his 8th season at the helm of the Tiger baseball team, head coach Daron Schoenrock has a tough non-conference schedule prepared for his young team.

The University of Memphis baseball team will have a tough non-conference schedule ahead of them in 2012 thanks to games against eight clubs that advanced to the 2011 NCAA Tournament. They will also feature 30 home games, including a clash with the University of Tennessee at FedEx Park, eighth-year head coach Daron Schoenrock announced Wednesday.

"Every schedule is unique in college baseball, in the fact that you start planning a schedule far more in advance," Schoenrock said. "A lot of these opponents we started working on in 2008 or 2010."

The Tigers' 2012 schedule features 25 matchups against nine teams that clipped 30 wins last season and six games against 40-win programs in Conference USA foes Rice and East Carolina. Memphis will play 18 games against 2012 NCAA Tournament qualifiers, eight of which will be played at home. The Tigers will play 29 games at FedEx Park and one game, against Ole Miss, at AutoZone Park on April 24.

"When you put a schedule together, you don't have a grasp on what your team will be like that season, but this schedule is conducive to getting some young guys ready to play at home," Schoenrock said. "We are going to have new players in the mix behind the plate, at second base and in center field, as those positions were left void due to those players being drafted to play professionally."

For the third straight season, Memphis will open at FedEx Park. The Tigers open with a three-game set against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, a midweek contest against Austin Peay and a three-game series against Kennesaw State. A home-and-home series with Tennessee showcases the Tigers and Volunteers on the diamond for the first time since the 1995 season. The Tigers begin a five-game road trip in Knoxville, Tenn., on April 4 against the Volunteers. Memphis will host Tennessee for the first time since 1993, when the two teams battle on May 9 at FedEx Park. 

"I like the fact that we play at home a lot early in the season, because it gets us ready for the grind of the season," Schoenrock said. "And with Tennessee, there was a change in coaching staffs. I had this game in the works with the previous coaching staff, and when the new staff came in, we solidified it – it's huge for our local Memphis fan base to play and have a home-and-home series with them."

The Tigers return 18 letter-winners from the 2011 squad that posted Memphis' fourth 30-win season since 1995. Five position players who earned 40-plus starts return and two-thirds of the weekend starting rotation will take the mound in 2012. Schoenrock believes that though this team is relatively young, its expectations are high.  

"I always expect us to compete for a C-USA title," Schoenrock said. "Four out of my seven years here we've finished either third or fourth in conference, and that's a big accomplishment for the level of competition in this conference."