It’s been nearly two weeks since the University of Memphis football team (3-3, 1-1 AAC) dropped a disappointing home game to the Houston Cougars in a sloppy contest riddled with turnovers.
The bye week has given the Tigers time to get in some extra reps during practice to rectify those mistakes moving forward, but head coach Justin Fuente’s squad will most likely be able to handle its upcoming opponent with ease regardless of whatever the turnover situation might be.
The Southern Methodist Mustangs aren’t just the worst team on the Tigers’ schedule — they’re in the conversation for the worst team in all of Division I football.
So far in the 2014 season, the Mustangs hold a 0-6 record, and have been outscored 288-39 in all contests. SMU is the last remaining winless team in the FBS, and has been helpless both offensively and defensively, placing last in the nation in both points scored per game and points allowed per game.
Despite SMU’s struggles, Fuente is confident that the Tigers have remained focused on the task at hand over the team’s bye week.
“I don’t have to tell our kids much, we understand that we have to fight and claw for every inch that we make,” Fuente said. “There’s not a huge difference from anybody in this league. It’s going to be a challenge for us. They throw the ball on just about every down. There are a lot of dangerous things that can happen when you play teams like that.”
The Mustangs attempt to employ an air raid offense, but haven’t found much success while cycling through a revolving door of quarterbacks.
Four players have lined up under center for SMU this season, but none have found much success as the pass-heavy offense currently ranks 97th in the country in passing yards per game.
Junior Garrett Krstich has led the team in pass attempts with 152 this season, but has completed only 56.6 percent of his passes while tossing two touchdown passes and four interceptions. Texas A&M transfer Matt Davis made a late appearance as quarterback for the Mustangs near the end of the team’s loss to Cincinnati last week, and found success on the ground despite struggling through the air.
While the SMU quarterbacks have struggled, the fluid situation at the position forces Fuente and company to prepare for multiple players under center.
“(Davis) is a different kind of quarterback from what they’ve had,” the third-year Memphis coach said. “We’ll have to prepare for both of their quarterbacks. They’ve played several guys back there.”
The tables appear to have turned this season, but the Mustangs have had their way with Memphis in recent history. In the last three seasons, SMU boasts a 3-0 record against the Tigers in games that have mostly been blowouts. The Mustangs won 42-0 in 2011, 44-13 in 2012 and 34-29 a season ago in a game that was not as close as the final score — the Tigers trailed 34-3 early in the third quarter before mounting a furious comeback that fell short.
“We played them last year and they beat us and the year before, so we cannot take them lightly,” U of M senior running back Brandon Hayes said. “Even with them going through coaching and quarterback changes, we can’t take them lightly. If we do, we could go out there and get embarrassed.”
In addition to the quarterback situation, SMU has also had turnover at head coach already this season. After spending six years as head of the program June Jones resigned following a 43-6 loss to North Texas in the Mustangs’ second game of the season. Defensive coordinator Tom Mason was named interim head coach for the duration of the season.
For Memphis, the game is an opportunity to improve the team’s record to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the American Athletic Conference as the Tigers work towards the first bowl game appearance of the Justin Fuente era.
The Tigers and Mustangs will kickoff at 11 a.m. at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas, and ESPN News plans to televise the game nationally.
