In another sign of the college football season nearing kick off in the Bluff City, University of Memphis football coach Justin Fuente held his first weekly media luncheon Monday, ahead of the Tigers’ season opener against Missouri State at the Liberty Bowl Saturday.
After addressing the suspensions following the Miami Beach Bowl brawl, Fuente said “I’m excited and ready to talk about something that will bring a smile to my face.”
Fuente said he was pleased with the team’ s effort and performance during camp, even though it hit the “wall” in the middle of camp.
“There’s a group of guys that tried to fight through it,” he said. “And there was a group of guys that struggled to fight through it. I think we made great improvements.”
Memphis, who enters the season with the fourth-longest winning streak in the FBS having won its past seven games, will face a new-look Bears team led by first year coach Dave Steckel.
Steckel was previously the defensive coordinator at the University of Missouri and was former Memphis defensive coordinator Barry Odom replaced. The Bears finished 4-8 in 2014, with a 1-7 conference record in the Missouri Valley Conference.
“Steckel is one of the most well-respected defensive coordinators in the country,” Fuente said. “He has been at Missouri for many years, and is one of the big reasons why they played in two straight SEC Championship games.”
The Bears’ regime creates a bit of an unknown for the Tigers as far as game week preparation. However, Fuente said they’ll just have to try their best to figure out what the Bears’ scheme will be, this week.
“Defensively, obviously you can watch the old film for personnel and then try to figure out what scheme they will follow on both sides of the ball,” he said. “Then, you try to make your judgment from that. So there is a little bit of a guessing game obviously. But you can look at personnel, then try your best to patch together what they are going to do on both sides of the ball.”
Despite their poor record, Fuente said they are not taking Missouri State lightly. The team realizes they are playing a much tougher team in their home opener than a season ago, when the Tigers dominated Austin Peay 63-0. However, he said it’s not only about the final score Saturday.
“The evaluation is in how we play,” Fuente said. “Not necessarily what the score is, it’s about how we play. That’s what we’re working toward. We are trying to teach a group of kids how to win. What it takes to win ball games. You’ve got to believe. You’ve got to prepare. You’ve got to outplay your opponent. And that’s the process we are focusing on this week.”
Senior linebacker Wynton McManis said he’s excited to finally play against someone other than the Tigers’ defense Saturday.
“It’s a chance to see your product, all the things you’ve been working for put on display and show everybody what you’ve been working towards,” McManis said.
University of Memphis coach Justin Fuente and the Tigers will be eager to continue last season’s success. The team had a 10-3 record and were co-American Athletic Conference Champions.
