Memphis held a full-scale team scrimmage on Wednesday, totaling over 100 plays in what was the first real look at where the Tigers currently stand just two weeks before their season opener against Austin Peay.
Coach Justin Fuente, who enters his third season with Memphis, did not seem too thrilled about the team’s performance.
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That does not look like someone that was happy or satisfied. (Or he just really hates his gum.)
“Oh, I think, you know, some good and some bad. Some good on both sides of the ball, and some bad on both sides of the ball,” said Fuente, with exhaustion in his voice. “The defense played pretty well out of the gate and flipped it around and didn’t play as well, and conversely the offense didn’t play as well to start and played a little better as it went along.”
Memphis hasn’t been to a bowl game since 2008, and has posted a 12-48 record since—including seven wins in the two years with Fuente.
The Tigers, however, have improved dramatically under his tenure, becoming much more competitive against quality opponents while creating a distinct defensive identity.
This sense of frustration could just be a diversion, or it’s because Fuente expects a lot more from his team in its third year with his system. Memphis is, of course, projected to do relatively well in The American this season, and I even have the Tigers participating in postseason activities.
Two weeks is a lot of time to fix any defects, so don’t be looking for Memphis to be on upset alert when the Governors visit Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium on August 30.
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