Tommy West knows Arkansas State will have a lot to say aboutthis weekend's game with Memphis and will not take a loss lyingdown.
"They'll come over here and start screaming and hollering assoon as they cross they river," said West, The University ofMemphis football coach, referring to the rivalry game this weekendagainst Arkansas State. When the Tigers and the Indians face off at1 p.m. Saturday, it will mark the 51st time the two teams have met,dating all the way back to 1914.
Memphis (2-1) has won the last eight meetings between the twoprograms and is hoping for a similar result Saturday to run theirrecord to 3-1.
The Indians (2-2) always seem to play Memphis well, losing thelast two meetings by an average of three and a half points.
The Indians will be trying to walk out of Liberty Bowl with avictory in order to redeem themselves from a tough loss lastweekend at the hands of Tulsa 54-7, and also to get revenge for thetwo-point loss the Tigers handed them in Jonesboro in 2000.
As far as the loss to Tulsa, West couldn't explain it.
"I couldn't tell you what happened to them last week and I'msure they're wondering the same thing," he said.
Arkansas State will likely have to depend on their potentrushing game, which ranks 13th in the nation, if they want to haveany real chance of defeating the Tigers.
The Indians like to spread their rushing attack around usingtailbacks Antonio Warren and Shermar Bracey, who have 216 and 170yards rushing this season respectively, and a quarterback who likesto scramble in Elliott Jacobs, who has 191 yards on the ground sofar.
"He's more of a runner than a thrower," said West. "Theirquarterback is like a running back."
The game's two featured quarterbacks, Jacobs for ASU and DannyWimprine for Memphis, have drastically different styles.
Wimprine is a true pocket passer who has thrown for 883 yardsthis season, while Jacobs is a runner who has 495 passed yards thisseason and will tuck the ball and run with success.
Another major concern to the Tigers will undoubtedly be ASU'ssenior defensive back Jonathon Burke, who leads the country ininterceptions at four interceptions already this year.
Wimprine will either have to throw around or keep a close eye onBurke to keep him from making his average.
Wimprine didn't throw a pick until the Tigers third game of theseason, and then he threw three against Southern Miss.
Not only is Wimprine going to have to watch hawks like Burke, heis also going to have to keep an eye out for ASU's two stardefensive linemen, Corey Williams and Jon Bradley.
Williams and Bradley had a combined 17 sacks last year and theyoung Tiger offensive line will have to give their all to keep themfrom getting to Wimprine. So far the Memphis offensive line hasbeen fairly consistent at keeping defenders away from Wimprine byonly giving up two sacks going into this weekend.
If the offensive line can give their junior quarterback sometime to throw the ball, look for him to improve on his 8th in thenation yards-per-completion stat. The Tigers are also ninth in thecountry in passing yards per game, averaging just over 320 yards acontest.
Another Tiger who is performing well this season is sophomoresensation DeAngelo Williams.
Williams is 27th in the nation in rushing and also leads Memphisin receiving yards with 190 on 11 catches.
West knows the game this weekend is a prime opportunity to moveto 3-1, and in order to capitalize, Memphis will have to limit itsturnovers and stop the ASU rushing attack.
