Memphis Football has us SKEERED?

#76
#76
OrangeSoddyDaisy said:
Never heard that rendition.
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That’s Memphis’ side. Numerous Memphis fans have discussed with me ho Tommy West threw the game by benching Williams.

It’s obvious that TW would rather lose to the Vols as a HC than to cause the Vols to lose at anytime. He will always be a VFL in my book.

That’s when Memphis knew they had to make a change.
 
#80
#80
Iam4utalways said:
That’s Memphis’ side. Numerous Memphis fans have discussed with me ho Tommy West threw the game by benching Williams.

It’s obvious that TW would rather lose to the Vols as a HC than to cause the Vols to lose at anytime. He will always be a VFL in my book.

That’s when Memphis knew they had to make a change.
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No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, and no......

Several reasons that didn't happen.

1. Memphis was a disappointing 4-4 heading into the game and knew losing to UT meant they would have to win out against Southern Miss & Marshall to make a bowl.

2. DeAngelo was a very strong preseason Heisman candidate. He'd pretty much fallen out of any practical consideration for the Heisman but showing out against UT would have guaranteed DeAngelo a trip to New York.

3. DeAngelo's draft stock. He was trending as a probable top 10 pick. Not being able to play against UT severely hurt his draft stock. Scouts really wanted to see him in that game.

4. Tommy West coached through 2009. 2005 was not when Memphis knew they needed to make a change.

5. Finally Tommy West's exit interview was IMHO epic. He got emotional not out of selfpity but out of concern for the program and then went scorched earth on UofM's administration. I'm paraphrasing but something to the effect "You can't expect to get big time results operating like a small time program. I'm not gonna self doubt about what went wrong and what we could have been done better. Like the last three predecessors before me I'll leave you with - Until the UofM administration becomes willing to commit the resources to the football program like they do for the basketball program they will not be able to achieve the results they desire.

DeAngelo was chasing all time NCAA records, prestigious hardware, and lots of NFL dollars. Tommy West actually gave Tiger High all he had. He didn't bench DeAngelo to throw the game.
 
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#81
#81
MemphisVol77 said:
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, and no......

Several reasons that didn't happen.

1. Memphis was a disappointing 4-4 heading into the game and knew losing to UT meant they would have to win out against Southern Miss & Marshall to make a bowl.

2. DeAngelo was a very strong preseason Heisman candidate. He'd pretty much fallen out of any practical consideration for the Heisman but showing out against UT would have guaranteed DeAngelo a trip to New York.

3. DeAngelo's draft stock. He was trending as a probable top 10 pick. Not being able to play against UT severely hurt his draft stock. Scouts really wanted to see him in that game.

4. Tommy West coached through 2009. 2005 was not when Memphis knew they needed to make a change.

5. Finally Tommy West's exit interview was IMHO epic. He got emotional not out of selfpity but out of concern for the program and then went scorched earth on UofM's administration. I'm paraphrasing but something to the effect "You can't expect to get big time results operating like a small time program. I'm not gonna self doubt about what went wrong and what we could have been done better. Like the last three predecessors before me I'll leave you with - Until the UofM administration becomes willing to commit the resources to the football program like they do for the basketball program they will not be able to achieve the results they desire.

DeAngelo was chasing all time NCAA records, prestigious hardware, and lots of NFL dollars. Tommy West actually gave Tiger High all he had. He didn't bench DeAngelo to throw the game.
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You and I obviously don’t run in the same circles. Some of the Memphis fans I knew back then were 100% sure West did throw the game and were pissed about it and was ready for a change since they believed he would allow the Vols to win in a year they might could have beat us.

They know they have an inferior program with no way of winning a NC under the past or current system, but to allow the Vols to win, when there was a chance, unacceptable.

If you get a chance to run with the tennis crowd around Memphis, do it . They know how to have a good time.
 
#82
#82
Schedule wise 2023 at the earliest.

I wouldn't mind rotating one OOC a year between MTSU (Titan Stadium) and Memphis (home and home). Would be good for recruiting.

Then we could rotate our cupcake game between ETSU/Chattanooga/Charlotte/W. Carolina. That would leave us with a P5 opponent and perhaps another medium tier team like Troy/App State/Colorado State.
 
#83
#83
Iam4utalways said:
That’s Memphis’ side. Numerous Memphis fans have discussed with me ho Tommy West threw the game by benching Williams.

It’s obvious that TW would rather lose to the Vols as a HC than to cause the Vols to lose at anytime. He will always be a VFL in my book.

That’s when Memphis knew they had to make a change.
Click to expand...

Tommy West did not throw the game.

I never heard Deangelo Williams refused to start until this thread. I was at the game and there were prolonged conversations about threats to DW that were to be carried out during the game. Not only that UT planned to try to hurt him but death threats as well, at least that's what the rumors were. I don't know if any of that was true but I do recall everyone feeling uneasy about it. To this day, it doesn't make since why he didn't play.
 
#84
#84
Given our recent history, I’m not sure there are any teams right now that scared to play us. I fully expect this to change in the very near future though.
 
#85
#85
sjt18 said:
You said they had been better than UT. If UT were playing their schedule then that would not be the appearance at all. They are not at UT's level. Agreeing to a home and home would not really elevate them... it would just render UT second tier. You don't agree to home and home series with inferior programs unless you want to be viewed as their equal.
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It is irrelevant to consider "if UT were playing their schedule". Playing Memphis would not render us second tier nor imply equality. Your reasoning means we consider BYU and Nebraska our equal, top tier, like us. In a way I have to agree, with Nebraska going 4-8 the past 2 years and BYU 4-9 and 7-6, but I don't think this was the point you were trying to make.
 
#87
#87
OrangeSoddyDaisy said:
It is irrelevant to consider "if UT were playing their schedule". Playing Memphis would not render us second tier nor imply equality. Your reasoning means we consider BYU and Nebraska our equal, top tier, like us. In a way I have to agree, with Nebraska going 4-8 the past 2 years and BYU 4-9 and 7-6, but I don't think this was the point you were trying to make.
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Stop. And really READ this time. Playing them is FINE. Giving them a home and home and showing respect they do not deserve is NOT fine unless you are specifically doing it for recruiting. Even then, I would find a different opponent to play in Memphis.

As best I can tell, UT is not giving a return trip to BYU. As it should be. Nebraska is a P5, historic program and would deserve that respect.
 
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#88
#88
OrangeSoddyDaisy said:
Tommy West did not throw the game.

I never heard Deangelo Williams refused to start until this thread. I was at the game and there were prolonged conversations about threats to DW that were to be carried out during the game. Not only that UT planned to try to hurt him but death threats as well, at least that's what the rumors were. I don't know if any of that was true but I do recall everyone feeling uneasy about it. To this day, it doesn't make since why he didn't play.
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Folks in Memphis are notorious for exaggerating and making up stuff. It’s the rassler mentality that is part of their DNA. In a post game press conf TW was asked about DW and his answer mentioned DW not wanting to start but being willing to play.

As for death threats, either they happened or they didn’t. That was back in the day that coaches didn’t just blurt out death threat accusations.
 
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#89
#89
sjt18 said:
Stop. And really READ this time. Playing them is FINE. Giving them a home and home and showing respect they do not deserve is NOT fine unless you are specifically doing it for recruiting. Even then, I would find a different opponent to play in Memphis.

As best I can tell, UT is not giving a return trip to BYU. As it should be. Nebraska is a P5, historic program and would deserve that respect.
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Tennessee, BYU football schedule home-and-home series
 
#90
#90
"He felt like after the warm-ups that he'd be better coming off the bench," said head coach Tommy West. "If that's the case then I felt like he shouldn't play. I knew this was going to be a game where we'd have to play like men, so it wasn't the place for a guy that was gimped up. I really expected him to play."

Google found this for me.
 
#91
#91
Iam4utalways said:
"He felt like after the warm-ups that he'd be better coming off the bench," said head coach Tommy West. "If that's the case then I felt like he shouldn't play. I knew this was going to be a game where we'd have to play like men, so it wasn't the place for a guy that was gimped up. I really expected him to play."

Google found this for me.
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Never saw that. Google can be something else sometimes!

That said, I remember well what I alluded to and have thought about it many times since.
 
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#93
#93
OrangeSoddyDaisy said:
Looks like we're right up there with Utah, Utah State, Toledo, Liberty, UMass, SDSU, and Idaho State. Just read the AAC, the conference Memphis is in, decided not to invite BYU to be a member.

Looks like UT doesn't measure home and home opponents like some of us?
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When UT plays home and home it gives Vol fans purpose to visit new places that otherwise they wouldn’t.

Why else would anyone go to Utah? I kid. They have plenty of cool stuff to do and see.
 
#94
#94
OrangeSoddyDaisy said:
Looks like we're right up there with Utah, Utah State, Toledo, Liberty, UMass, SDSU, and Idaho State. Just read the AAC, the conference Memphis is in, decided not to invite BYU to be a member.

Looks like UT doesn't measure home and home opponents like some of us?
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That game gives me an excuse to go to a stadium with one of the prettiest backdrops for a stadium in the world so I'd say I'm pretty good with it

image
 
#96
#96
onevol74 said:
This tells me that the confidence in Knoxville of rebuilding in the next 4 years is questionable at best.

If I were Alabama, the Mississippi schools, Memphis, or Missouri I would plaster this all over my recruiting boards to let the kids in West Tennessee know that UT is no longer a significant program.
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Alabama doesn't need to do that. Their record speaks for itself. And if the others want to attain that level of success, they won't either.This is why you are not in charge of anyone's recruiting board. Recruits who are serious about their game don't want to see that. Maybe the 5 stars that we will call 2 stars in 4 years will like it. But is that who you want?

As to Tennessee being no longer significant? That is not breaking news. If they want to be significant again, they need to win 8 games decisively this year. Not six to make a bowl game. 8. Then, we can stop having questionable confidence.
 
#97
#97
TNnative said:
Alabama doesn't need to do that. Their record speaks for itself. And if the others want to attain that level of success, they won't either.This is why you are not in charge of anyone's recruiting board. Recruits who are serious about their game don't want to see that. Maybe the 5 stars that we will call 2 stars in 4 years will like it. But is that who you want?

As to Tennessee being no longer significant? That is not breaking news. If they want to be significant again, they need to win 8 games decisively this year. Not six to make a bowl game. 8. Then, we can stop having questionable confidence.
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Can we win 8 games decisively this year?
 
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#99
#99
OrangeSoddyDaisy said:
Tommy West did not throw the game.

I never heard Deangelo Williams refused to start until this thread. I was at the game and there were prolonged conversations about threats to DW that were to be carried out during the game. Not only that UT planned to try to hurt him but death threats as well, at least that's what the rumors were. I don't know if any of that was true but I do recall everyone feeling uneasy about it. To this day, it doesn't make since why he didn't play.
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I was kinda pi$$ed he did not play. I went to that game for two reasons. One, I had never seen Memphis play and wanted to because it was an instate school. Two, there was a lot of hype about DW being the best RB in the South. I wanted to see how he did against an SEC caliper team.

I remember seeing him in warm ups and if I'm not mistaken, they received the ball first. But, he was no where to be found on offense that day. I felt jilted because I wanted to personally see him play.
 
#100
#100
volgrad500 said:
I've been saying it for years- we are stupid for not playing Memphis every year. Increase exposure in West TN, basically add an extra homegame even when it is there, and get a decent OOC win. There is NO downside.
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We already have inroads into West Tennessee/Memphis without having to play those guys. Banks, Carvin, Gray with more kids to come this year. Pruitt has already had good success due to his connections there, not sure how playing them helps us here....cost benefit not in our favor and playing them only helps Tiger High.
 
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