Their season doesn't start for four more months, but the University of Memphis football team has been hard at work over the past few weeks using the short amount of practice time the NCAA allots to teams around the country each spring.
The Tigers plan to close out the spring session with the Blue-Gray Spring Game, an inner-squad scrimmage between two drafted teams. This is the first season Memphis has held the game under head coach Justin Fuente.
The event, scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m., will be free and open to the public, and the athletic department hopes to make it an annual community event.
The Tigers ended last week's practices with a scrimmage on Saturday. The defense shined at the start of the scrimmage, but the offense caught up as the scrimmage progressed.
Throughout the spring session, Fuente has liked the way his team has competed and worked to get better on both sides of the ball.
"I was proud of the way the defense came out and started," Fuente said after the scrimmage. "They forced the tempo. They were intense."
The defense forced a litany of turnovers at the beginning of the practice. Senior defensive backs Fritz Etienne and Bakari Hollier each recorded interceptions and junior linebacker Leonard Pegues recovered a fumble.
Last season, Memphis' offensive attack struggled to overcome adversity as a unit. If they had one negative play, the drive seemingly halted each time. However, they showed the resiliency they've developed in the offseason on Saturday.
"Since I have been here, (the offense) hasn't been able to dig themselves out of a hole," the third-year coach said. "They absolutely did that today and made some plays."
Senior running back Brandon Hayes and sophomore receiver Sam Craft shined on the offensive side of the ball. They each scored rushing touchdowns, and Craft hooked up with sophomore quarterback Paxton Lynch for two scores on the day.
Fuente loved seeing his young offense compete the way they did.
"I think there was an overall sense of not panicking and not getting down which I have seen before," Fuente said. "It was Paxton, Sam and Brandon. It was the offensive line. It was them just saying 'Hey, we're okay. There's no reason for us to get down. But there is a reason for us to buckle up and go get something done.' They absolutely did."
The Blue-Gray have received visits from several former players during the spring practices. Former defensive back Robert Steeples, who currently plays professionally for the Minnesota Vikings, paid his former school a visit. He said he likes the direction the program is headed.
"The intensity and enthusiasm of practice is there," he said. "And the physicality of practice is definitely there. Now I think it is just a matter of discipline. It is definitely heading in the right direction, and I'm impressed."
Friday's Blue-Gray Spring Game will be more than just a glorified practice. Tiger Lane will open at 5 p.m., and the Tigers will do their traditional walkthrough at 6 p.m.
Activities in Tiger Lane will include an appearance by TOM III, the live Bengal tiger serving as the U of M's official mascot. There will also be live music, inflatables, an autograph session and a barbecue contest.
