Three plays later, Olinger caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Guidugli with four seconds left. The Bearcats won 36-34. The Tigers were devastated, left with the same postseason plans they had the previous 29 seasons -- a football team with nowhere to go.
"It was tough," West said. "It was a tough, tough loss because of what was at stake, but I think they learned from it. You never know about kids today but I think they learned from it."
Now, West is determined to claim what was lost with four seconds left in the season. He seems to have the personnel to get it done.
West employed a spread offense last season and the Tigers showed improvement in the new system. Their offensive production made a dramatic rise under the direction of red-shirt freshman quarterback Danny Wimprine . The offense increased its total offense, passing yardage, and touchdown production from the previous year. Still, the Tigers ranked near the bottom of Conference USA in rushing offense (104.9, seventh), passing offense (150.8, 10th) and total offense (255.7, 10th).
West, whose forte is defense, is counting on a revved up offense to get the job done. Wimprine is back, and the Memphis receiving corps may be its best in years. The defense, once again, should be solid with the return of the entire defensive front, three veteran linebackers and a talented secondary.
"We’ve got some guys that can make some big plays for us," West said. "If we keep getting those kinds of guys we’ll get better and better. That’s what it’s about."
QUARTERBACKS
Fans in Memphis were elated last season with the emergence of Wimprine (6-1, 216), who earned the starting job by the sixth game of the season. In the opener against Mississippi State, Wimprine came off the bench, replacing Travis Anglin , but suffered a concussion and missed the next two games against Chattanooga and South Florida.
After returning for the Sept. 29 game against Louisville, Wimprine showed steady improvement through the rest of the season. He finished with 1,329 yards and threw 14 touchdowns, completing 52 percent of his passes. He threw only four interceptions.
With Wimprine in control of the quarterback situation, Travis Anglin has made a full time move to wide receiver. Anglin entered the fall as the Tigers’ No. 1 quarterback after missing most of the 2000 season with an ankle injury. After the emergence of Wimprine, the Tigers figured they needed Anglin on the field somewhere, and they knew Wimprine was the man of the future.
With that in mind, the Tigers signed junior college transfer Jeff Hilliard (6-1, 197), who arrived on campus last December. Hilliard threw for 1,840 yards and 20 touchdowns during the 2001 season at Tyler (Texas) Junior College, ranking sixth in the nation in passing among junior college quarterbacks. He led Tyler to an 8-4 record.
Hilliard appears to be the backup for Wimprine with senior Scott Scherer (5-10, 180) and red-shirt freshman Matt Adams (6-1, 200) on down the depth chart. Scherer was a backup last season but didn’t throw a pass and also played on special teams. He started seven games in 2000 when Neil Suber and Anglin were injured and threw for 857 yards and four touchdowns.
Adams is the grandson of former Memphis head coach Fred Pancoast.
RUNNING BACKS
After missing the first 11 days of the preseason in 2001, much-heralded running back Dante Brown arrived and the Tigers quickly got him ready for the season opener against Mississippi State.
Brown (6-2, 215), a transfer from Middle Georgia College, led the Tigers’ rushing with 43 yards on 13 carries, but for the most part the Bulldogs snuffed the running game. In the second game, Brown took the opening handoff against UT-Chattanooga and ran 62 yards before being pulled down deep in the Mocs’ territory. He rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown in the game, showing he was no fluke.
It wasn’t his only big game. Brown rushed for 119 yards and four touchdowns against Louisville and set a school record with four touchdown runs against Houston while rushing for 148 yards. He finished with 902 yards -- the fourth-best rushing season for a Tiger back -- and scored 11 rushing touchdowns, the most by a Tiger since Dave Casinelli scored 14 in 1963. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry.
Brown’s backups will be junior Jeremiah Bonds (5-9, 181), red-shirt freshman Sir Ernest (5-10, 185) -- that’s right, Sir -- and junior Derron Parquett (5-10, 200).
The top fullback is red-shirt freshman Mario Robinson (6-0, 205) with sophomore Torrian Lewis (5-10, 234) as the backup. Senior Darch Epting (6-1, 242) battled back from leg and knee injuries in the spring.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Sure, a couple of receivers are gone, but West likes what’s coming back.
Antoine Hardin (6-2, 179), a junior, led the Tigers in receiving yards with 589 yards, and his 19-yard average per catch led the conference. He caught four touchdown passes.
His 79-yard touchdown catch off a pass from Wimprine against Houston was the longest of the season for the Tigers. He finished with 31 catches.
Gone is Bunkie Perkins, who led the team in catches with 46; Perkins had 579 receiving yards and the team-high six touchdown catches.
Sophomore Darron White (6-0, 190) arrived at Memphis amid much hoopla as a running back, but was soon moved to receiver. The former Covington (Tenn.) High School player has great speed.
Darren Garcia (6-1, 190), a junior, will likely get the chance to replace the departed Perkins at the ‘Z’ receiver spot. Like White, Garcia brings some speed to the offense. Last season he caught six passes for 63 yards.
When it became apparent that Wimprine would be the starting quarterback, Anglin didn’t object to making a move.
Senior Tripp Higgins (6-3, 198) has ample experience and should be ready for his best season at Memphis. He has 23 catches for 237 yards in his career. Sophomore Tavarious Davis (6-0, 180) was injured on his first day of practice before the 2000 season and red-shirted. Coming off knee surgery last season, Davis caught three passes for 25 yards.
Senior Andrew Hardin (5-9, 189), brother of defensive back Anthony Hardin and receiver Antoine Hardin, has played three seasons and lettered as a receiver and running back. Von Webb returns after sitting out last season and working on his studies. Derrick Harmon, who has lettered on special teams, will give receiving a try in 2002.
Senior Jeff Cameron (6-5, 243) will likely start again at tight end. Cameron was used mostly as a blocker, but caught 10 passes for 71 yards. When the Tigers went to a two-tight formation, sophomore Jason Johnson (6-4, 254) was on the field. Johnson played in all 11 games.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Three of five starters return to the offensive line, which should be strong at the tackles. The biggest hole to fill will be the one left by Artis Hicks, who started the first two games at left tackle and the rest of the season at left guard. Hicks was chosen to the All-C-USA first team.
Senior Wade Smith (6-4, 270) started all 11 games last season at right tackle, while senior Doug Whitaker (6-5, 290) started the last four games at left tackle. Senior Donald Marshall (6-6, 280) started five games at left tackle and also started the first two games at left guard.
Whitaker is a transfer from UT-Martin who sat out the 2000 season. He worked as a defensive tackle during his red-shirt season but moved to offense last October.
Marshall signed with the Tigers four days after the start of fall practice. A junior-college transfer, Marshall moved to tackle early in the season. He was slowed by an ankle injury late and missed several games.
At center, senior Jimond Pugh (6-3, 300) started all 11 games in 2001 after earning a starting job during the 2000 season.
With those four players, the Tigers have plenty of experience on the line.
Although the guards have less starts between them, they don’t lack experience or talent. Senior Joey Gerda (6-6, 307) moved into a starting role during the season, started five games, then went down with an ankle injury. He was listed as the starter at right guard during the preseason.
At left guard, senior Eric Anderson (6-3, 281) was the started at the beginning of spring practices, but he will have to battle for the job in the fall.
Sophomore Andrew Handy (6-2, 285) was the No. 2 left guard in the spring, and No. 3 Trey Eyre (6-3, 278), a senior, started the first five games of the 2001 season at right guard.
KICKERS
Ryan White, a four-year starter at place-kicker, has finally departed, leaving a big void in the kicking game. White was 8-of-14 on field-goal attempts last season, missing four from the 40- to 49-yard line. His long field goal was 45 yards and he had one blocked.
White received All-America honors during his career, which ended on somewhat of a sub-par season by his standards.
James Gaither , the punter last season, was the No. 1 place-kicker during spring practices with backup Ryan Ivey , also a punter, as the No. 2 kicker. Regardless, West signed two kickers, junior Danny Haynes (5-10, 185) of Florence, Ala., and freshman Patrick Byrne (6-1, 185) of Brewton, Ala., and they will contend for the starting job.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The Tigers are loaded with experience and talent on the front line. Unlike last year, when they began the season with three first-time starters on the front, the Tigers have returning starters and experienced backups.
"I think that will be our strength," West said of the line.
Junior defensive tackle Albert Means , the Memphis native and transfer from Alabama, should be more of a factor this year. Means (6-4, 335) began the 2001 season as a backup but at mid-season had moved into the starting lineup and started seven games. Means finished the season as the team’s seventh-leading tackler with 54, including four tackles for loss and two sacks.
"Albert’s got to continue to improve his conditioning level," West said.
Junior Eric Taylor (6-3, 283) started the first two games at tackle, then gave way to Means. Taylor, however, returned to the starting lineup for the last four games, two of which he started alongside Means.
Senior Boris Penchion (6-4, 268) will also be in the tackle rotation and entered the spring listed No. 2 behind Means. Penchion is in graduate school; he started one game last season and finished with 26 tackles and two sacks.
Kenyun Glover (6-3, 272), a sophomore, was the backup to Taylor in the spring.
Senior Tony Brown (6-3, 274) started all 11 games at one defensive end and was the team’s fourth-leading tackler with 68. Brown had 10 tackles for loss and led the team with seven sacks and had four pass break-ups and 17 hurries. He may be the best of the bunch on the line.
"Tony Brown is a guy that’s played really good for us," West said. "He has a chance to have a big year."
Mowbay Rowand cold also work his way into the starting lineup, although he began the spring listed No. 2 behind Brown. Rowand (6-4, 248), a senior and converted linebacker, started nine times before injuring his ankle in the Tennessee game. Another Memphis native, Rowand had 30 tackles last season.
Junior Treveco Lucas (6-2, 244) started the last two games at defensive end and was penciled in as the starter during spring practices. He will certainly have a battle to retain that job in the preseason.
LINEBACKERS
Leading the defense are Coot Terry and Greg Harper , but outside linebacker Derrick Ballard moved to safety in the spring. The three shared starting time during their freshman seasons and have an abundance of playing time together.
Harper (6-1, 223), a junior, may be the best of the bunch. He started 10 of the 11 games last season at strong-side linebacker and was the team’s third-leading tackler with 73. He led the team with 13 tackles for loss and had four sacks and also recovered two fumbles and forced a fumble.
Terry (6-0, 222), a junior, started the first five games at weak-side linebacker and was replaced by Ballard for six of the last seven games. Terry finished with 48 tackles, eighth on the team, with four tackles for loss and two sacks.
"Harper and Terry have played for two years," West said. "We started those guys as freshmen."
Red-shirt freshman Sheldon Taylor (6-2, 220) will be a backup at weak-side linebacker. Sophomore Robert Douglas (6-3, 215) and junior Will Hyden (6-1, 213) will also be in the mix at linebacker.
With the graduation of middle linebacker Demorrio Shank, who started all 11 games, there will be some stiff competition for that starting job. Shank was second on the team in tackles with 74, had eight tackles for loss and two sacks.
Leading candidates for the job are junior Shaka Hill (6-3, 244) and sophomore Vincent Brown (6-1, 245). Hill should get the starting nod after posting 35 tackles last season and playing in all 11 games; Brown played only one game and had one tackle.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
During the off-season, the Tigers’ secondary took a blow when free safety Glen Sumter and cornerback Marcus Smith both opted to enter the NFL draft. Both started all 11 games last season. Sumter was chosen to the All-C-USA first team, while Smith was one of the league’s best cover corners.
However, two of the four starters return to the secondary -- safety Jason Brown (5-10, 187), a junior, and cornerback Anthony Harden (5-10, 172), a senior.
In the spring, Harden was slotted as the field corner ahead of sophomores Cameron Essex (5-11, 170) and sophomore Henry Washington (5-9, 166).
Brown was slotted as the boundary corner in the spring ahead of sophomores Tristan Thomas (6-1, 175) and Bo Arnold (5-10, 180). Essex and Thomas worked at corner last season; Essex started three games after Harden was injured.
Ballard (6-2, 205) is the likely starter at free safety. Ballard started six games at linebacker. He was the team’s fifth-leading tackler last season with 60, but played in only nine games. He had eight tackles for loss and two sacks.
At rover safety, senior Elijah Bell (6-1, 197) was slotted as the starter in the spring ahead of sophomores Lionel Pieh (5-10, 175) and Sean Garris (5-11, 186).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Antoine Harden returns as the kick returner after leading the team last season. Harden averaged 21.3 yards on 25 returns. Ryan Johnson, who averaged 22.4 yards on seven returns, decided to test the NFL draft.
Anthony Harden and White can also return punts and will contend for the starting job.
Johnson also led the team in punt returns last season, averaging 10.4 yards on 36 return. He was the only Tiger to return a punt during the 2001 season.
Gene Frederic was the deep snapper last season as a true freshman and often had trouble with low snaps. The Tigers spent extra time in the spring correcting that problem.
RECRUITING CLASS
One recruiting service rated Memphis’ 2002 class as one of the top 50 in the nation, while another placed it as the best in Conference USA. Regardless, West landed plenty of good players.
Included in the class are 13 offensive players, 11 defensive players, and two kickers.
Patrick Byrne (6-1, 185) of T.R. Miller High School in Brewton, Ala., was a punter, place-kicker and punter in high school. Byrne was chosen to all-state teams by The Birmingham News and the Mobile Register as a punter and was the starting kicker for four years. He threw for 1,348 yards and nine touchdowns last season, leading Miller High to a 12-2 record.
One of the top defenders is a local product, tackle Willie Henderson (6-7, 275) of Ridgeway High School. Henderson was considered one of the top linemen in the state. He was chosen to the Prep Star Magazine’s Super 30 All-Southeast Region team for 2001 and was on SuperPrep Football Magazine's 2001 All-America team and All-Region team. SuperPrep rated Henderson as the No. 21 offensive lineman in the nation and he was the No. 11 defensive line prospect in the nation by Rivals.com.
Offensively, one of the top signees is running back DeAngelo Williams (5-10, 190) of Wynne (Ark.) High School. Williams, the No. 25 running back in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine, rushed for a single-season record 2,204 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 10.4 yards per carry while leading Wynne to the state championship. In four playoff games, Williams rushed for 939 yards, including 194 yards on 24 carries in the state championship game against Stuttgart. He was also recruited by Ole Miss, Arkansas and Iowa.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
Despite the huge disappointment at the end of the 2001 season, the Tigers are optimistic entering the second season under West.
The Tigers think they have a winner in Wimprine, and they have a tough runner with Brown. It’s a new group of receivers, but the talent is there, and the offensive line should be solid enough.
Look for the Tigers’ offense to be improved this year, but then again, there’s almost nowhere to go but up. They were ninth in C-USA last year, averaging 326.7 total yards per game.
Defensively, the Tigers took a step backward last season after the great defense of 2000. West is known as a defensive specialist, and he should get the defense back in the upper tier of C-USA this season. They ranked sixth in the league in total defense last year, allowing 382.9 yards per game; the passing defense was seventh in the league (229.6), while the rushing defense was sixth, allowing 153.3 yards per game.
