NCAA Football NEWS
Memphis Tigers 2008 Football Preview
Published by MFSKEN on August 10, 2008
The University of Memphis football program has enjoyed some success over the past eight years with head coach Tommy West at the helm. This year’s version of the Tigers figures to be just as explosive offensively as they were last season, if not more so.
This week I’m going to break down the Tigers offense and let you know who the key players are that will comprise one of college football’s most exciting offenses.
Memphis returns seven starters and 21 lettermen this season with a strong offensive the line and a receiver corps that rivals some of the best in the nation. There are reasons to be optimistic at running back as well but as is the case with any successful offense, the key will be quarterback play.
Memphis utilizes a no huddle, spread offense with many calls coming from the booth. Originally designed by former offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner, as the defensive unit aligns, the coaches’ look for holes in coverage and call the plays via hand signals to the offense.
It allows the quarterback an extra set of eyes from above to recognize what challenges the defensive call presents. It also restricts a defensive team from being able to substitute for fear there will be a quick snap by the offense.
The Tigers have named Arkelon Hall, a junior college transfer, as the starter. Hall, 6-2 and 220 pounds, threw for 56 touchdowns and nearly 5,000 yards in two seasons as the starter at Fresno Ediston. Ranked the No. 8 quarterback prospect in the nation by ESPN.com, Hall signed with Washington State in 2005 and was redshirted. He was injured in 2006 and in 2007 transferred to College of Sequoias, where he passed for 2,398 yards and 13 touchdowns
There is competition for the backup role, with senior Will Hudgens and freshman Tyler Bass vying for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
Hudgens spent his summer concentrating on baseball and didn’t leave his summer job until July 28, leaving very little time to prepare for the coming season. Hudgens is the only quarterback on the Tigers roster to have taken a snap in FBS play.
Hudgens was announced as one of 26 players noted on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list. Hudgens started both the Marshall and Middle Tennessee games last season and finished the year with 52 completions for 587 yards and five touchdowns. He threw for a career-high 346 yards in the win over Marshall.
Bass played at Stockbridge High School in Atlanta where he was a two year starter. He threw for 2,400 yards and 28 touchdowns in his final two seasons. He also ran for 606 yards and 11 touchdowns on 81 carries as a senior. Bass originally signed with Maryland this past February but was granted a release. He enrolled at the University of Memphis in June and will be eligible for the 2008 season.
Center Philip Beliles and right tackle Brandon Pearce return as anchors of an experienced offensive line, giving the Tigers a solid foundation for what should be an improved running game.
Beliles, a 6-5 senior, was one of three Conference USA centers who were listed on the 2008 Remington Trophy spring watch list. He started all 13 games in 2007, played in 92% of all offensive plays and did not miss a snap during games against Arkansas State, East Carolina, Southern Miss, UAB and SMU.
Pearce, 6-6 and 290 pounds, started all 13 games for the Tigers in 2007. The senior was part of a Tiger offensive line that led C-USA in fewest sacks allowed with 14, which also ranked 10th nationally. Pearce helped pave the way for a Tiger offense that ranked 13th nationally in passing offense. Pearce played in 96% of the Tigers offensive plays in 2007 and was honored recently by being named to the preseason Conference USA team.
Memphis enjoys a very talented and deep wide receiver corps, led by Duke Calhoun who was named to the preseason Conference USA Team. Calhoun missed the spring to rehab following minor knee surgery to mend a partial tear of his anterior cruciate ligament. Early reports from camp indicate that he is healthier and stronger and ready to go.
Calhoun, 6-4 and 200 pounds, ranks seventh in career receiving yards with 1,571. He currently holds the record for most 100-yard receiving games with seven and has caught a pass in 24 consecutive games.
Also returning is senior Earnest Williams, who ranks 16th all-time in receptions with 76. Williams averaged 11.2 yards per catch and had five TD receptions in 2007.
Carlos Singleton opens the season ranked 16th all-time at in career receiving yards with 1,067. At 6-8, Singleton is the go-to-guy in goal line situations. He ranks fifth all-time in touchdown catches with 14.
Steven Black, a 6-3 senior, is an accomplished member of the Tiger receivers. He caught 42 passes last season for 477 yards and one TD.
Maurice Jones, 6-4 and 215 pounds, is another in a long line of tall wide receivers for the Tigers. Jones had 37 receptions for 639 yards and 2 TDs last season.
Brett Russell, a 6-3 senior, returns at tight end. Russell had 22 receptions for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns last season.
Junior running back T.J. Pitts spent the spring recovering from a broken ankle he suffered late last spring. Pitts finished 2007 second on the team in rushing with 481 yards.
Charlie Jones transferred to Memphis from Miami (FL) in August and will be eligible this season. Jones graduated from Miami this past May but will have one year of eligibility remaining. Jones started the first three games of his junior season and was the second leading rusher for the Hurricanes in 2005 with 123 carries for 507 yards, scoring five TDs.
Redshirt junior Curtis Steele gives the Tigers the potential for the kind of big plays they’ve been missing in the running game the past two seasons.
The 6-0, 185-pound Steele was redshirted last season to give him time to learn the offensive scheme and to give the Tigers an additional running threat this season. Steele was listed as the number one back during the spring and earned the Tigers Top Newcomer Award for his efforts.
Offensive Coordinator Clay Helton had this to say about Steele. “The running game last year was basically chain-moving. Curtis can be a guy that can create explosion plays. He brings the capability of having 20-yard runs and changing the field (position). Is he a power runner? No, but if you give him a hole to run through, he gets in there extremely fast and he can make the last man miss, he can make the safety miss.”
Expect to see Memphis put a lot of points on the board this season. Despite the fact the Tigers will have a new QB, Memphis has a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball. The offensive line is very good and the receivers will create match-up problems against every secondary they face. If Memphis can generate a consistent running game, they’ll surpass last season’s offensive output.
Check back in next week as I review the Tigers defense.
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2008 Memphis Tigers Football Picks & Predictions on Sun, 17th Aug 2008 19:16
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