http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nca...s/2683299/

MEMPHIS – In the final year of the old Conference USA, before Memphis got left behind by most of its traditional rivals, the Tigers won more football games than TCU, South Florida and Cincinnati and beat Ole Miss head-to-head in Oxford.

It wasn't really that long ago, but two rounds of realignment and two coaching changes have made it seem like an eternity since DeAngelo Williams was running for six yards per carry and the Tigers were drawing crowds of 40,000 to the Liberty Bowl....

Great article and very informative. The other American teams will be surprised by us. We might not win 6 games, but the foundation has been laid and we will be competitive.

First 3 games are key...I'm holding out hope they can win all 3 of those....which would not only be good for them, but for the entire conference.

(08-22-2013 10:56 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  First 3 games are key...I'm holding out hope they can win all 3 of those....which would not only be good for them, but for the entire conference.

If we win those games, then we will make some noise.

(08-22-2013 10:59 AM)tnzazz Wrote:  

(08-22-2013 10:56 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  First 3 games are key...I'm holding out hope they can win all 3 of those....which would not only be good for them, but for the entire conference.

If we win those games, then we will make some noise.

Nice article. And as stated in the article Fuente has some ground to make up. We're still young and still understaffed. *BUT* -- if this program gets on it's feet I can see the support taking off. Heck, for the first time in years football seems to be getting some attention in the city. A good sign. Just have to wait and see. This quote pretty much spell out what we can be --- if >>

"This is a school in a top-50 TV market with a passionate local fan base, major corporate support in Memphis-based FedEx, a nationally relevant basketball program and generally a solid athletics program overall."

If Fuente achieves success here, then he will become a hot coaching name.

Not many coaches have been successful at Memphis and gone on to bigger/better things.

PART of that has been poor-ish institutional support, which has turned around somewhat. Still, Fuente deserves credit for making something out of not much last year. If he can continue this year with a 4 win season (against a much tougher schedule) it will be a sign of very good things to come.

(08-22-2013 10:48 AM)tnzazz Wrote:  Great article and very informative. The other American teams will be surprised by us. We might not win 6 games, but the foundation has been laid and we will be competitive.

Win your OOC games and we'll be happy.

Your trend is up. That's what matters.

We are headed in the right direction. I love the intensity and drive of this coaching staff. Tiger football is on the way back. We have had success in the past and will return there. Someone posted once that Tiger football had the 9th best winning percentage during the 1960's. I don't know if that's accurate but looking at our W-L records during that era it is believable. We were knocking the water out of some sec team's mouths during this time too. We had some good football teams in the 70's, The early 80's started nicely but the tragic death of Coach Rex Dockery set the program back 10 years. Tommy West had a good thing going but he seemed to throw in the towel during the latter years. I would rather forget the Porter era. Dreadful coaching.

Nos pugnare sic tigris! (That there's Latin, boys)

(08-22-2013 01:23 PM)eltigre Wrote:  We are headed in the right direction. I love the intensity and drive of this coaching staff. Tiger football is on the way back. We have had success in the past and will return there. Someone posted once that Tiger football had the 9th best winning percentage during the 1960's. I don't know if that's accurate but looking at our W-L records during that era it is believable. We were knocking the water out of some sec team's mouths during this time too. We had some good football teams in the 70's, The early 80's started nicely but the tragic death of Coach Rex Dockery set the program back 10 years. Tommy West had a good thing going but he seemed to throw in the towel during the latter years. I would rather forget the Porter era. Dreadful coaching.

Tommy was never the same after the heart attack.

(08-22-2013 08:35 PM)MemphisTigerFreak Wrote:  

(08-22-2013 01:23 PM)eltigre Wrote:  We are headed in the right direction. I love the intensity and drive of this coaching staff. Tiger football is on the way back. We have had success in the past and will return there. Someone posted once that Tiger football had the 9th best winning percentage during the 1960's. I don't know if that's accurate but looking at our W-L records during that era it is believable. We were knocking the water out of some sec team's mouths during this time too. We had some good football teams in the 70's, The early 80's started nicely but the tragic death of Coach Rex Dockery set the program back 10 years. Tommy West had a good thing going but he seemed to throw in the towel during the latter years. I would rather forget the Porter era. Dreadful coaching.

Tommy was never the same after the heart attack.

His heart just wasn't in it anymore...

(08-22-2013 01:23 PM)eltigre Wrote:  We are headed in the right direction. I love the intensity and drive of this coaching staff. Tiger football is on the way back. We have had success in the past and will return there. Someone posted once that Tiger football had the 9th best winning percentage during the 1960's. I don't know if that's accurate but looking at our W-L records during that era it is believable. We were knocking the water out of some sec team's mouths during this time too. We had some good football teams in the 70's, The early 80's started nicely but the tragic death of Coach Rex Dockery set the program back 10 years. Tommy West had a good thing going but he seemed to throw in the towel during the latter years. I would rather forget the Porter era. Dreadful coaching.

Nice post. I'm beginning to feel it's just a matter of time with this football team. We seem to have that perfect storm going -- the right coach, a growing interest, and the right support. But I really think we were 'the other way' too far to show immediate results. I'm thinking two or three years. I mean while there's a different coach, the players really aren't the different -- right? Maybe the Duke game will tell us more.

(08-22-2013 10:48 AM)tnzazz Wrote:  Great article and very informative. The other American teams will be surprised by us. We might not win 6 games, but the foundation has been laid and we will be competitive.

I agree, we'll be better but it might not be reflected in the wins considering the upgrade in schedule. I think Fuente is right, it'll take a few years to completely right this ship. But is expect people will see a Memphis team that progressively gets better and better and a team that will surprise an opponent every now and then.

Good luck this year, Tigers.

Hopefully the momentum from your finish last year carries over and, more importantly, you've finally found your man at HC.