University of Memphis Athletics
The Bright Side With Jeff Brightwell - Memphis vs Tulsa Preview
Sep 29, 2010 | Football
Sept. 29, 2010
MEMPHIS, TENN. -
The Bright Side
By: Jeff Brightwell, Learfield Sports
The Tigers are in search of their first conference win of the season this Saturday when they host Tulsa at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m. Memphis is coming off a gut-wrenching 16-13 loss at UTEP where the Miners connected for a field goal as time expired.
The Memphis defense has made strides over the last two weeks, giving up just two touchdowns in the last six quarters of football.
"Our defense has played exceptionally well the last two weeks," said coach Larry Porter. "I believe they will continue to play well."
The Tigers have limited opponents to less than 17 points a game the last two weeks and Tulsa Coach Todd Graham is well aware of the improvement.
"(Jamon) Hughes is third in the conference in tackles, and Frank Trotter is very active up front," said Graham at his weekly press conference. "They are big, physical, active guys. Hughes is a big-time playmaker. He's a very powerful guy."
Tulsa comes to Memphis also looking for their first conference win after falling in week one at ECU on a last second touchdown in a 51-49 shoot-out. Like a lot of Conference USA teams, the Golden Hurricane has no trouble putting points on the board. They feature one of the league's most effective quarterbacks in G.J. Kinne, who has already thrown for over 1,200 yards and leads the league in passing.
The Tulsa offense will present some challenges for the Tiger defense according to Porter. "They give you a lot of unbalanced (looks); they move guys all over the field; they give you a number of different formations."
Tulsa opened things up last week, racing past Central Arkansas, 41-14. However, Graham knows that getting a win on the road in conference will pose a challenge this weekend in Memphis.
"They're improved from last year, and it's obvious that there is a lot of passion and energy," said Graham about the Tigers. "It's always tough to play on the road in this conference, but we have to figure out how to go down there and get a win."
The "Bright Side" for the Tigers is that they are coming back home with an improved defense. Porter indicated Monday that after the close loss Saturday in El Paso, the players have something to prove.
"They truly expected to win this game (UTEP). In terms of their attitude and the way they're approaching doing things, they have the right to be upset," said Porter, "It's good to see that kind of growth where it truly means something to them.
See below for interviews with defensive lineman Frank Trotter and tight end Deven Onarheim.
Jeff Brightwell is considered the "voice of Tiger baseball and women's basketball," and serves as the broadcast team captain handling the majority of the production and engineering duties for Tiger football games. A 1996 graduate of the University of Memphis, Brightwell came to Memphis in 2003 after spending six years in Missouri. He has done play-by-play for Southeast Missouri State, Central Methodist College, Truman State, Moberly Community College and the Memphis RiverKings. For the last seven years, the native Memphian has broadcast both home and away contests for Memphis baseball and women's basketball on WUMR FM. He also hosts a weekly Tiger Update web show that is streamed through All-Access on the athletic department website.
