It has been a while since coach Tommy West walked out of the University of Memphis’ locker room with a smile on his face.
That might explain why West didn’t quite know what to say after Saturday’s game was over.
The Tiger’s 38-10 victory over Army was the Tiger’s (3-8, 2-6 in Conference USA) first win in over two months.
It ended a six-game losing streak, the longest in 16 years, in front of 20,906 fans at the Liberty Bowl.
“We looked like our old selves in the first half and came out and looked really good in the second,” West said.
The old selves was the team that at one point trailed 10-3 in the second quarter.
Memphis scored a touchdown with :33 seconds remaining in the second quarter to tie the game at 10 for the half, though.
Memphis opened the seconf half in the same scoring mood scoring 35 unanswered points.
Aside from the win being the team’s first in months, the victory was also the last time West’s seniors will play at the Liberty Bowl as Tigers.
West said he was proud of the veterans.
“I was tickled to death for our seniors,” West said. “I’m glad they got the chance to go out this way at home.”
The Tigers’s defense was much of the reason for the victory. It held the Army rushing attack to 44 total yards, the first game Memphis’ defense held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing all season.
The defense also limited Army to 167 yards of total offense and was dominant throughout game.
Defensive co-captain Tony Brown said it was time that his team stepped up.
“It was definitely time for a victory,” the defensive end said. “We knew we didn’t have anything to play for except ourselves and the program. We wanted to show them that they can’t take us lightly.”
Conversely, Memphis rushed for 218 yards, which was the highest ground production since the first game of the season against Murray State.
DeAngelo Williams had 110 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns. Starter Dante Brown carried for 76 yards on 22 carries and one touchdown.
Memphis quarterback Danny Wimprine, who passed for 216 yards and two touchdowns, said the atmosphere after the game was more jovial than it had been quite a while.
“The locker room’s a little more upbeat than it has been in a long time,” Wimprine said. “It’s just good to see all the smiling faces in there again.”
Memphis play the best in C-USA when it travels to TCU to take on the conference leading Horned Frogs (8-2, 5-2 in C-USA) this Saturday at 1p.m.
TCU was ranked #22 by the Associated Press before losing to East Carolina this weekend.
Wimprine respects the TCU team, but said he and the Tigers are ready for the challenge.
“Obviously they’re a good team and a great addition to the conference,” Wimprine said about TCU who was added to C-USA last season. “But, we don’t have anything to lose.”
