After The University of Memphis' footbal team's third week of spring practice there have been improvements on both sides of the ball. Two-thirds of the way through the Tigers' spring practice schedule, the offense has improved leading up to a scrimmage on Saturday.
Despite the progress the offense had made, the defense humbled the squad and controlled the pace of the scrimmage from the start. Head coach Justin Fuente said both squads had positive moments throughout the scrimmage.
"The defense came out and set the tone," Fuente said in a release. "But I thought the offense continued to battle back. For the first time in a scrimmage, the defense stepped up and I am happy for that. But I am also happy that the offense tried to make some plays. There was no winner or loser."
Spring practice gives the players time to develop chemistry on the field and gives coaches the opportunity to install new packages and formations, as well as target specific practice points with redshirt players and mid-year transfers who have not played in a game yet.
With many familiar faces in spring practice, last year's 3-9 overall record is a fresh memory. What also needs to be remembered is that, despite nine losses, four of those nine were within a touchdown and could have gone either way.
There are several factors that go into losing close games, but one easy statistic to point at is turnover margin. Last season, the Tigers lost the ball 24 times but took it away from their opponents 23 times. Memphis was ranked 68th of 120 Division 1 teams with a -.8 turnover ratio.
Part of this low ranking was the inability to hang onto the ball-the team fumbled the ball 21 times last year and lost 15 of them, both ranking in the bottom five of Division 1 schools.
Aside from the turnovers, the offense also needs to prevent the opposing defenses from stopping plays in the backfield. Memphis was tackled for a loss an average of 6.83 times per game, ranking 100 out of 120. Some of those plays were sacks on quarterback Paxton Lynch, who was sacked 28 times last season, 2.33 times per game. Negative plays killed drives almost as effectively as turnovers.
Continuity among the offensive players has been developing throughout these March practices. Fuente said the scrimmage on Saturday was not indicative of how the offensive unit has practiced as a whole.
"It took the offense a little while to get their feet on the ground and get their execution back," Fuente said. "It is disappointing because they have executed well all spring. For whatever reason, they were not as sharp as they have been. I think part of that is they played a good defense."
Memphis had one of the better defenses in the nation last year, holding opponents to 24.6 points per game. It is a unit that thrived on quarterback pressures and disrupting their timing, with 2.33 sacks per game last season.
Memphis hopes the defense will continue to cause quarterbacks to struggle next season.
The important thing for the offense is to continually improve and grow. Redshirt freshman quarterback Paxton Lynch said there has been growth already.
"We are all getting better, getting the offense down and the fundamentals," Lynch said in a release. "We are not thinking so much about it, all of us are doing what we are supposed to be doing full speed. Me, I have been focusing on making all the plays I can make."
