The University of Memphis football program is one that has received plenty of criticism over the past half-decade.
It went from a program that played in five bowl games in six years from 2003 to 2008, to a team that only won 12 games over the next five seasons.
The 2014 Memphis football squad silenced those critics though. A team picked to finish seventh in the American Athletic Conference in the preseason poll put together one of the greatest seasons in school history as well as securing the school’s first ever AP Top 25 finishing the season at no.25.
The Tigers won a share of the AAC Championship along with Cincinnati and UCF, after going 7-1 throughout conference play. This was the Tigers first conference title since 1971.
Memphis then went on to play BYU in the Miami Beach Bowl, its first bowl game since losing to USF in the Magic Jack St. Petersburg Bowl in 2008. Though it took a last minute touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Paxton Lynch on fourth down, a 54-yard field goal by kicker Jake Elliot in the first overtime, and another touchdown pass from Lynch in double overtime, the Tigers took down the Cougars 55-48 for its first bowl victory since 2005. Lynch tied an NCAA bowl record accounting for seven total touchdowns in the game.
Senior linebacker Charles Harris, a Memphis native, explained how special this was to him and his teammates.
“It feels amazing being from the city of Memphis and being able to represent this team,” he said in a press conference. “Coming into this program, a few other players and I wanted to change the perception on the school, the program and the city in general and to finally go out our senior season on a game like this, it means the world to us. It’s amazing.”
Not only did the Tigers finish the year 10-3 overall, which is the program’s first 10-win season since 1938, but it put together one of the best “turnarounds” in college football. Just a season before, the Tigers went 3-9 on the year and hadn’t won more then four games in one season since 2008. Also only National Champions Ohio State (13), Boise State (9) and TCU (8) will start the 2015 season with longer winning steaks than the Tigers (7). Third year coach Justin Fuente was named AAC Coach of the Year for his efforts.
Harris explained how much of a process it was to get to this point and trusting in coach Fuente’s system lead them there.
“The process was long and hard, Harris said in a press conference,” Harris said. “Everyone appreciates coach (Larry) Porter (Memphis Head Coach from 2009-2011) for what he did for us, and giving us a chance to play collegiate football. Coach Fuente and his staff came in and did a great job teaching us how to be a team first and teaching us how to play together, and play selfless. Through all those things and the things he put us through and us just staying the course trying to complete the mission, believing, in the maps he drew, whether it was workouts or on the field, we did a great job and finished the season and are happy to be on top.”
Lynch proved many critics wrong this year. After an up-and-down freshman campaign, in which he threw more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (9), he put together a much improved sophomore season. Lynch finished the 2014 season with 3,031 passing yards, a 62.7 completion percentage, 22 touchdown passes and only 9 interceptions. He also rushed for 321 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Tigers offense reaped the benefits of Lynch’s growth as they averaged 36.5 points per game, good enough for 22nd in the nation.
Lynch believes this season’s success will result will give the team plenty to work off of moving into next season.
“I feel like we ended on a good note like we wanted to,” Lynch said. “We knew we had one big game left and we wanted to end on a high note, which we did, so it just carries over to next season with the momentum.”
The Tigers senior laden defense was a major piece of the puzzle this year. The defense ranked ninth in the nation in points against, according to ESPN, holding opponents to only 19.5 points per game.
Senior linebacker Tank Jakes led the way with 69 solo tackles and 23 assisted tackles for a total of 92 tackles. He also racked up 15.5 tackles for loss, including 6 sacks and a safety, as well as four forced fumbles and one interception on the year. Jakes was named AAC co-Defensive Player of the Year along with UCF cornerback Jacoby Glenn.
Despite winning only seven games in his first two years as head coach, Fuente explained how he never waivered from his system and the hard work finally paid off.
“We had a philosophy and a framework in which we wanted to operate in, but you just don’t know how long it was going to take,” Fuente said. “It just takes a lot of hard work. Not by me, but by the kids. It takes a lot of belief, self -confidence, toughness, and selflessness.”
