The University of Memphis football team now finds itself in the middle of the Conference USA pack after dropping a 32-11 loss to East Carolina Saturday before a crowd of 38,120 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, N.C.
The Tigers (4-3, 2-2 in C-USA) allowed the Pirates (4-3, 3-0 in C-USA) to gain 473 yards of total offense, the most given up by the Memphis defense this season. In its last two games, Memphis has given up a total of 934 yards.
“The way we lost the ball game, we took a step back fundamentally,” Tiger head coach Tommy West said Monday during his weekly press luncheon at the Athletic Office Building.
The blazing offense which Memphis displayed last week against Houston was no longer evident as the squad scored just one touchdown against East Carolina in the game’s final minutes.
“Fundamentally, we did not do our jobs very well,” West said. “Our front seven did not do a good job, and that was the difference.”
The Pirates jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead just three minutes into the first quarter on quarterback David Garrard’s 1-yard keeper. Meanwhile, Memphis was unable to move the ball offensively as its first three series resulted in a net gain of just 13 yards.
ECU led at the half by a score of 16-0 after the Pirates added three Kevin Miller field goals.
Memphis continued to struggle in the second half.
While senior Ryan White kicked a 31-yard field goal to put Memphis on the board in the third quarter, the Tigers lone touchdown came late in the fourth quarter when redshirt freshman quarterback Danny Wimprine tossed a 12-yard TD pass to senior receiver Bunkie Perkins.
Wimprine and the Tigers converted the two-point attempt with a pitch to junior receiver Ryan Johnson. However, it was too little, too late.
“East Carolina is a very solid team,” West said. “They’re fundamentally sound.”
Wimprine completed 16-of-27 passes for 159 yards. ECU’s Garrard completed 20-of-25 passes for 268 yards.
Dante Brown rushed for 70 yards on 19 carries, while Perkins caught seven passes for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Glenn Sumter led the Memphis defense with 14 tackles.
With his field goal in the third quarter, White became Memphis’ second all-time leading scorer behind former standout kicker Joe Allison with 223 points.
This Saturday, the Tigers host Alabama-Birmingham in their homecoming game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.
