2015 Memphis Tigers

[kwc]

from the Commercial Appeal:

 

Tigers' Paxton Lynch named American's Offensive Player of the Week

 

 

By Tom Schad of The Commercial Appeal

Posted: Yesterday 10:54 a.m.

0

Two days after leading No. 18 Memphis to one of the most significant wins in program history, redshirt junior quarterback Paxton Lynch was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week this morning.

 

Lynch completed 39 of 53 passes for 384 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-24 win over then-No. 13 Ole Miss, the Tigers' first victory over a ranked opponent since 1996. It was his fifth straight game with more than 300 passing yards and multiple touchdown passes.

 

With Lynch at the helm, Memphis' offense reeled off 31 unanswered points to turn a double-digit deficit against Ole Miss into a double-digit lead.

"He's very calm. He has no pressure," wide receiver Mose Frazier said of Lynch. "Paxton's done a great job leading this team."

 

Lynch, a Deltona, Florida, native, is one of five active AAC players to have received three or more weekly conference awards. Memphis kicker Jake Elliott leads all AAC players with five career weekly awards.

Edited October 20, 2015 by kwc

[kwc]

from the Commercial Appeal:

 

Memphis surges to highest AP football ranking in school history

 

 

October 17, 2015 — Memphis receiver Anthony Miller (left) celebrates his touchdown catch with teammate Daniel Montiel (right) against Ole Miss during third quarter action at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

 

By Tom Schad of The Commercial Appeal

Posted: Oct. 18, 2015

 

After the University of Memphis beat then-No. 13 Ole Miss, 37-24, on Saturday, many fans had one question: How high would the Tigers climb in the polls?

 

The answer arrived Sunday: historically high.

 

Memphis checked in at No. 18 in this week’s Associated Press’ Top 25, the highest ranking it has ever received in that poll, which has run continuously since 1936. The Tigers had only two previous appearances in the AP rankings, for a single week in 2004 and in the season-ending poll last year. They were No. 25 each time.

 

See the AP rankings here.

 

The Tigers also rose five spots to No. 17 in this week’s Amway Coaches Poll, finishing in a tie with Michigan. They had been ranked in the coaches poll for two consecutive weeks, but the magnitude of Saturday’s win assured that a place in the AP poll — and a wave of national attention — would follow.

 

"I just told the team, almost word for word, if you think there have been distractions before, wait until now," Memphis coach Justin Fuente said in his postgame press conference. "Some of y’all in here my be upset with me, but I’m going to continue try to protect them as best I can, to protect the group. But I know those things are going to come, and we’ve got to do a great job of handling it. There’s always challenges, and those will be ours."

 

The landscape of college football polls has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, but the Tigers have rarely been ranked this high in any major poll. In 1963, they finished 9-0-1 under coach Billy "Spook" Murphy and were No. 14 in the United Press International poll, a previous iteration of the current coaches poll. The AP poll only recognized 10 teams from 1962 to 1967, so Memphis might have appeared in that poll had it recognized 25 teams, as it has done since 1989.

 

Memphis (6-0) is bowl-eligible and one of only 14 unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Saturday’s nationally televised win was the Tigers’ first victory over a ranked opponent since 1996, when they beat quarterback Peyton Manning and then-No. 6 Tennessee. Fans stormed the field at the conclusion of the game as a group of police officers stood at the base of the goal posts, to prevent them from being torn down.

 

American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco told the AP on Sunday that it was "one of the biggest wins we’ve had" in the three-year history of the conference.

 

Three AAC teams appeared in both the AP and coaches polls this week. Houston is No. 21 in the AP poll and No. 22 in the coaches poll. Temple, which had not appeared in either of the two major polls this season, checked in at No. 22 in the AP poll and No. 24 in the coaches poll. Memphis will play the Cougars and Owls on the road in consecutive weeks next month.

Edited October 20, 2015 by kwc

[kwc]

from the Commercial Appeal:

 

Fuente points Tigers toward Tulsa

 

Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal Memphis’ Kam Prewitt (right) celebrates with a fan after the Tigers defeated Ole Miss on Saturday at the Liberty Bowl.

 

By Tom Schad of The Commercial Appeal

Posted: Oct. 18, 2015

 

In the weeks leading up to Saturday's game against Ole Miss, Memphis football coach Justin Fuente reminded reporters about the big game after the big game: A nationally televised Friday night meeting with Tulsa.

 

Then, after the Tigers' historic 37-24 win over the Rebels, it didn't take long for him to mention Tulsa again.

 

"All of y'all are going to shake your heads at me," Fuente said, "but I'm going to tell you, in six days, we've got to go on the road and play a conference game against Tulsa, a team that scores points in bunches and will be a really tough matchup for us."

 

Memphis earned one of the most memorable victories in program history Saturday afternoon. Its first win over a ranked opponent since 1996 ended with fans rushing the field, university administrators exchanging hugs and high-fives and tight end Alan Cross directing the band. The Tigers (6-0) are bowl-eligible. On Sunday, they were voted No. 18 in The Associated Press' Top 25 and No. 17 in the Amway Coaches Poll.

 

Now, their challenge is not merely to get ready for Tulsa; it's to put all of the hoopla behind them.

 

"We've just got to keep our heads on straight," Cross said. "Get the young guys to realize that hey, this is an important game coming up because it's a conference game. It's a quick turnaround, so we've got to get ready."

 

Memphis has won 13 consecutive games spanning more than a calendar year, and as they've continued to win, the fanfare has grown. For much of the past month, players have dealt with the weight of expectations and heightened excitement around campus. Their past three games have been on national television.

 

The attention surrounding Memphis football will increase this week and beyond, but it will not be new. That's why quarterback Paxton Lynch, who will be under the strongest spotlight, believes this group can handle it.

 

"I think any team that we have under coach Fuente can handle that," Lynch said. "(Fuente) does a great job of telling those younger guys, and especially the older guys, talking to (them) about all the distractions. We were playing hard when there were no distractions, and when the distractions are here, we've just got to keep doing the same thing. Put our heads down, and keep working."

 

After winning three games in two seasons under Larry Porter, the football program had reached bottom. In the first two seasons under Fuente, there was improvement but no more than four wins in a season. The Tigers began to adopt an underdog mentality.

 

"We like being the underdog, because it makes us feel better," Cross said. "It puts pressure on the other team."

 

But what happens now that Memphis will be favored instead of overlooked?

 

"We're still going to treat it like we are the underdog," Cross continued. "It's conference (games) coming up. Conference games, six games straight. We've got Tulsa and Navy and Temple and Houston and SMU — all those guys are capable of winning every ballgame the rest of the season."

Edited October 20, 2015 by kwc

[kwc]

from the Commercial Appeal:

 

Three keys to Memphis-Tulsa

 

 

October 17, 2015 - Memphis running back Jarvis Cooper (middle) fights for positive yards against the Ole Miss defense during fourth quarter action at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

 

By Tom Schad of The Commercial Appeal

Posted: Yesterday 4:10 p.m.

 

The unbeaten and No. 18 Memphis Tigers visit Tulsa for a 7 p.m. Friday game on ESPN. It's a meeting of two Top 10 offenses. Here are three keys:

 

1. Running in the rain: The forecast for Friday night in Tulsa? Not very good. Rain is expected, and rain may lead both offenses to run the ball a bit more than usual. That should play to Memphis' strengths, and could create problems for the Golden Hurricane, which ranks 118th of 127 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing yards allowed.

 

2. Slowing the Hurricane: Tulsa, much like Bowling Green, runs a Baylor-style offense. That scheme gave Memphis problems the first time around. The Tigers' defense has shown incremental signs of improvement in the weeks since, but Friday will still present a major challenge. Memphis will look to slow Tulsa's up-tempo attack by winning early downs and rushing the passer, thereby disrupting its rhythm.

 

3. Early focus: Memphis' win over Ole Miss was probably the most physically and emotionally draining game it'll play all season. Will that affect the Tigers in the first quarter Friday? Tulsa wants to make this a track meet, and getting out to a quick lead would certainly help it achieve that goal. Memphis needs to avoid contributing to that by playing smart -- limiting penalties and turnovers, as it has for much of the year.

Edited October 23, 2015 by kwc

[BlackHavenSenator]

Mose Frazier has Balled out these last 2 weeks! 

[kwc]

Mose Frazier has Balled out these last 2 weeks! 

 

He's been ballin all year long. Actually, the whole offense has been ballin. Those WRs are all catching balls!

[kwc]

from the Commercial Appeal:

 

How Vance Vice has fostered competition along the Memphis offensive line

 

By Tom Schad of The Commercial Appeal

Posted: 11:20 a.m.

 

 

On the opening drive of Memphis' game against Ole Miss earlier this month, coach Justin Fuente looked out at the collection of offensive players trotting onto the field. Backup left tackle Christopher Roberson was among them. He was starting at left guard.

 

It seemed like a brilliant strategic move for the Tigers to put the large frame of Roberson, who is listed at 6-feet-7 and 330 pounds, in front of Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche. But it was not, in fact, strategic. And Fuente didn't know about it.

 

"Is Roberson starting?" he said he asked aloud on the sidelines.

And that, Fuente explained later, is a testament to just how much faith he has in offensive line coach Vance Vice. Vice saw that Roberson was excelling in practice and rewarded him. He did not need Fuente's permission to do so.

 

"A lot of people would probably lie their way around that story, but I’m just telling you, Vance has got it. He’s in charge of them," Fuente said last week. "He rotates those guys through, and Roberson had been practicing really well and he put him in there.â€

 

The Tigers are unbeaten and ranked 16th in both major polls, and the offensive line has played a significant role in that success. Its contributions are often overlooked, however, because apart from sacks allowed (the Tigers have given up just nine in seven games), they cannot be measured in the box score. Offensive linemen are largely graded by their assignments on each particular play, which makes the evaluation process more complex than other positions.

 

Vice, however, said he's been pleased with the group's improvement thus far.

 

"We're getting better," he said. "I've played several different lineups, mixed guys in and out. A couple games, I've played 10-12 guys. They're developing some chemistry in there. And it's not the biggest, fastest, strongest five -- it's the guys that can work best together. That's happening right now, and it's fun. But we have a great challenge ahead of us this week. Tulane's defensive line is one of the better ones we've faced, and they did get the better of us last year."

 

Eight offensive linemen have started at least one game for Memphis this season. Vice said it's the byproduct of both depth and flexibility. The Tigers have been able to recruit productive linemen over the years and have a nice blend of seniors, like left tackle Taylor Fallin, and freshmen, like center Drew Kyser. They also have several linemen who can play multiple positions, from Roberson to Gabe Kuhn and Micah Simmons, each of whom can play center or guard.

 

“It hasn’t been like that in years before," Fallin said. "I feel like this group, as a whole with everybody, first string to the second string, the skill level’s just way better than what it used to be. And I feel like everybody in our O-Line room can play. Everybody has their own different skill set and can contribute to this team.â€

 

Though talent certainly helps, Fuente said Vice deserves credit for shaping the offensive line's mentality.

 

"He's done a fantastic job with their mindset in four years, developing them into a tough unit. We were not that when we started," Fuente said. "Not to mention developing their skills in run-blocking and technique in pass protection, but their mindset is pretty mentally-tough, and I think a large portion of that is from Coach Vice."

 

Vice stressed that the unit still has a lot of room for improvement. The most recent starting five has featured Fallin, Roberson, Kyser, Kuhn and Trevon Tate, from left to right. But that could change at any time. And that's a good thing, Vice said.

 

"They all understand that they better practice well every day, or they're going to be in a different chair in the meeting room," he said. "That's sort of why I've had different guys in and out this year. Competition makes us all better."

Edited October 29, 2015 by kwc

[kwc]

From the Commercial Appeal:

 

Memphis Tigers move up to No. 15 in Associated Press college football poll

 

 

October 31, 2015 - Memphis receiver Phil Mayhue (front) scramble for a first down after making a 29 yard catch against theTulane defense during first quarter action at The Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

 

By Tom Schad of The Commercial Appeal

Updated: Yesterday 9:25 a.m.

 

The University of Memphis football team climbed one spot to No. 15 in this week's Associated Press Top 25, which was released earlier Sunday afternoon.

The Tigers also checked in at No. 16 in the Amway Coaches Poll for a second consecutive week.

 

Memphis (8-0) won its 15th consecutive game Saturday night, scoring 41 unanswered points to cruise past Tulane, 41-13. The U of M is one of 11 undefeated teams remaining in the Football Bowl Subdivision and one of three American Athletic Conference teams ranked in both major polls. Houston is ranked No. 18 in both polls, while Temple is No. 23.

 

Prior to this season, the Tigers had never been ranked higher than No. 25 in the AP poll, which has run continuously since 1936. They had twice appeared at No. 25, most recently in the season-ending poll last year.

 

Beginning this week, Memphis will receive consideration in a third major poll, one that may ultimately decide its bowl fate: The College Football Playoff rankings. A 12-member selection committee will meet in Dallas on Monday and Tuesday to set this season's initial rankings, which will then be released every week throughout the month. This week's rankings will be announced Tuesday night at 6.

 

The final College Football Playoff rankings, which will be announced Dec. 6, will determine which four teams compete in the two national semifinal games at the conclusion of the season. The highest-ranked Group of Five team is guaranteed a spot in one of the so-called New Year's Six bowls, most likely the Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve or the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day.

 

 

AP Top 25

 

1. Ohio State, 8-0

2. Baylor, 7-0

3. Clemson, 8-0

4. LSU, 7-0

5. TCU, 8-0

6. Michigan State, 8-0

7. Alabama, 7-1

8. Notre Dame, 7-1

9. Stanford, 7-1

10. Iowa, 8-0

11. Florida, 7-1

12. Oklahoma State, 8-0

13. Utah, 7-1

14. Oklahoma, 7-1

15. Memphis, 8-0

16. Michigan, 6-2

17. Florida State, 7-1

18. Houston, 8-0

19. Ole Miss, 7-2

20. Toledo, 7-0

21. North Carolina, 7-1

22. UCLA, 6-2

23. Temple, 7-1

24. Mississippi State, 6-2

25. Texas A&M, 6-2

 

Red = fellow American Conference teams

Edited November 3, 2015 by kwc

[kwc]

From the Commercial Appeal:

 

Where will the Tigers fit in the playoff picture?

 

 

October 23, 2015 - Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch (middle) against Tulsa during second quarter action in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

 

By Tom Schad of The Commercial Appeal

Posted: Yesterday 6:02 p.m.

 

The College Football Playoff is entering its second year of existence, and this time, for the first time, the University of Memphis will be in the mix.

 

The playoff committee will release its first rankings of the year Tuesday night at 6 on ESPN, and where the Tigers will fall is still anybody’s guess. They checked in at No. 15 in this week’s Associated Press’ Top 25 and No. 16 in the Amway Coaches Poll, but neither has any bearing on the CFP rankings, which ultimately will help decide Memphis’ bowl fate.

 

Before those first rankings are announced, let’s run through a few of the details.

 

THE COMMITTEE: The CFP committee is comprised of current and former athletic directors, administrators, former coaches and even one former U.S. Secretary of State: Condoleezza Rice. Members were selected by another committee called the management committee. There were 13 members before USC athletic director Pat Haden resigned last week.

 

Until Haden’s resignation, each of the Power Five conferences had at least one of its sitting athletic directors on the committee. There are four former coaches and three former NCAA, conference or university administrators. There’s even one journalist: Steve Wieberg, who covered college sports for USA Today for more than 30 years.

 

THE PROCESS: Every week for the next six weeks, the committee will meet at a Dallas hotel on Mondays and Tuesdays to compile the latest rankings. There is a specific procedure that must be followed, a series of listing steps and ranking steps. It’s not simply a matter of each member bringing a Top 25 and averaging them out, poll-style.

 

Here’s how the process works in a nutshell: In the first step, each member lists his or her Top 30 teams alphabetically. Those lists together form the pool, which usually includes 35-40 teams. From there, each member is asked to list a top six in no particular order, then rank a top three from among those six. Those rankings are compiled to get an overall top three. The next three teams with the most votes are rolled over, and three teams that received the most mentions in the first listing step are added to the group. Now every member has six teams to choose from again. They rank three, which are then compiled to form No. 4-6. The others are rolled over. And the process repeats itself to get No. 7-9, 10-12, 13-15 and so on.

 

The human element comes into play after each ranking step, when the field is reviewed and members can argue for changes. During these discussions, any member can ask for a re-vote. Nothing is finalized until the very end of the process. (For a more in-depth explanation of this process, read the Tulsa World’s recap from a mock selection process that was staged for media members earlier this year.)

 

THE CRITERIA: Members are asked to weigh win-loss record, conference titles won, strength of schedule, head-to-head results and results against common opponents, among whatever other factors they believe are important. Members also have access to game video and an agreement with a sports analytics company, which allows members to compare teams from any statistical angle. There is no specific checklist, however, and each criterion is only as important as the committee deems it to be.

 

THE NEW YEAR’S SIX: The main purpose of the committee is to determine which four teams appear in the two national semifinal games. But the rankings also help set the four remaining “New Year’s Six†matchups. The “New Year’s Six†refers to -- you guessed it -- six prominent bowl games on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

 

This season, the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl will serve as national semifinals. The Rose Bowl is contractually obligated to feature the highest-ranked non-playoff teams from the Big Ten and Pac-12, while the Sugar Bowl will be a matchup between the Southeastern Conference and the Big 12. The Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl will feature at-large teams, as determined by the committee rankings.

 

THE MEMPHIS QUESTION: As an unbeaten Group of Five team with a signature win under its belt, Memphis will pose an interesting dilemma for the committee.

 

Last year, the committee did not have to grapple with the idea of a team outside the Power Five that had convincingly beaten a top ranked team, like Memphis did this year with its 37-24 win over then-No. 13 Ole Miss. It did not have a team like Memphis, which by some strength-of-schedule metrics has had a more difficult schedule to date than Baylor and other perennial contenders.

 

How will the committee rank the Tigers this week? And how would it rank them at the end of the season, when they could have as many as four wins over Top 25 teams? The answer to the first question will go a long way toward answering the second.

 

THE G5 COMPETITION: The highest-ranked team from the Group of Five will receive an automatic berth in a New Year’s Six bowl. With its win over Ole Miss, Memphis is in the driver’s seat and likely would secure that spot if it wins out. However, there are four teams capable of changing that -- and three of them remain on the Tigers’ schedule.

 

Houston (8-0) has a relatively weak schedule but trounced Vanderbilt last week, 34-0. Navy and Temple have only one loss apiece, each to Notre Dame. Memphis will face all three in the next three weeks, including two on the road. The toughest challenger outside the AAC: Toledo of the Mid-American Athletic Conference. The Rockets are 7-0 with wins over then-No. 18 Arkansas and Iowa State. If they finish unbeaten, they could very well edge a two-loss AAC champion.

 

THE PROJECTIONS: Media projections for Memphis vary significantly, though many have it in a New Year’s Six bowl. Mark Schlabach and Brett McMurphy of ESPN each project that Memphis will play in the Peach Bowl. Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports even has Memphis facing Clemson in one of the two national semifinals, explaining that it has faced a tougher schedule than Baylor thus far. Jerry Palm of CBS Sports, meanwhile, has Memphis in the St. Petersburg Bowl against Louisiana Tech.

Edited November 3, 2015 by kwc

[kwc]

Navy (6-1, 4-0 Conf) @ Memphis (8-0, 4-0 Conf), Saturday, November 7, 2015.

 

TV: ESPN2

 

ESPN's Pick Center - Stats and betting odds.

 

The firdt of 3 gigantic games for the Tigers. This is test #1 at home.

Edited November 3, 2015 by kwc

[kwc]

It's been a while since I've been in here. The 2015 Memphis Tigers has lost it's past two games. They lost to Navy 45-20. They lost to #24 ranked, Houston 35-34. That one was harder to swallow then the Navy game. They are 8-2 on the season with two games left. Temple, who is ranked in the AP top 25 at # 22 is next. Then they play SMU who is 1-9 as I type.  The Tigers are ranked #21 as I type.

[BlackHavenSenator]

The Tigers WET Dreamed us... Took us as close to climax as possible, then..........

 

Now Mizzou is in need of a Head Coach...

 

The run was Fun while it lasted... Coach and QB likely gone like Gunsmoke at season's end... Miami Bowl vs another Non Power 5 school here we come........... SMDH

 

Hopefully the Big 12 saw enough to pull us up even without Coach Fuente... I hope that they get left out the College Football Playoffs again I'm sure if that happens they'll be looking for 2 more teams to get that Conference Title game. Plus after we Fire Pastner OR he saves his job with a Sweet 16 Appearance the possible Annual Memphis vs. KU BBall games will look tempting.

 

That's all I got.