Memphis
Memphis

Memphis Team Report

Updated: April 26, 2012 02:50 EST

Larry Porter tried and failed to bring the Memphis program back to respectability, winning three total games in two seasons before getting fired.

Now it's Justin Fuente's turn. Fuente faces the unenviable task of trying to turn around a team that has logged only five victories in the past three seasons combined.

Make no mistake, it's going to take a Herculean task to turn around this team in short order.

Fuente only inherited about 50 scholarship players, which means the incoming signing class will have to get ready to play in a hurry if the Tigers are going to possess any semblance of depth this coming season.

Heading into its final year in Conference USA before jumping to the Big East, Memphis also is guaranteed of having a third different quarterback start the season opener in as many years, but does bring back 11 offensive players and eight defenders who saw time as starters in 2011.

One thing is certain: no matter where this Memphis team is headed, they will get there in a hurry.

Fuente spent spring ball emphasizing a quick tempo -- not just with regard to the pace of play on the offense, but in how the team moved from drill to drill and meeting to meeting.

"Practice is over, now we take football out of it and we go to the weightroom, do some running and hit the books. The next several months will be very important to this team (to see) how committed they are to getting bigger, faster and stronger," Fuente told the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

--Memphis coach Justin Fuente made his bones in the profession as offensive coordinator at TCU, but made an intriguing choice to be his offensive play-caller. Fuente appointed Darrell Dickey, who served as the offensive coordinator at Memphis from 1987-89 and was the former head coach at North Texas.

Barry Odom, who previously was the safeties coach at Missouri, is Fuente's defensive coordinator.

--The Tigers definitely will miss DL Dontari Poe, who bypassed his final season of eligibility to turn pro and enter the NFL draft. Memphis has no legitimate candidate to replace Poe's disruptive presence up front, but the decision apparently was a wise one for Poe. He wowed scouts and team executives at the NFL combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds and benching 225 pounds for 44 repetitions. Such a performance has the 6-4, 346-pound Poe earmarked as a possible first-round pick.

SPRING MOVERS

QB Jacob Karam -- Karam took advantage of the NCAA graduate rule, transferring to Memphis to play his final year of eligibility after obtaining his degree at Texas Tech. At the very least, he's challenging Taylor Reed for the starting job. Karam appeared to come out of spring ball with a slim lead over Reed in the battle for playing time, completing 7 of 16 passes for 159 yards in the Blue-Gray intrasquad game. Though Reed completed more passes, Karam threw for 101 more yards including two touchdown passes-one of which went for 70 yards.

TE Alan Cross -- Fuente loves to use the tight ends in his offensive scheme, and the redshirt freshman Cross appears to be the front-runner at that position. Cross capped a solid spring by snaring a touchdown pass in the red zone in the spring game.

DB Bobby McCain -- The rising sophomore has emerged as the vocal leader of the defensive backfield. That's significant, considering that the secondary spent all of spring practice making a slew of big plays.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's one thing to say you are going to go, go, go, go and it's another thing to do it. They are starting to catch on. They are starting to understand the urgency with which we move everywhere. That's going to be a battle for a while, but we are just going to keep plugging away." -- Memphis coach Justin Fuente

2012 OUTLOOK: Reforging this Memphis program as a contender will not happen overnight. It's going to take time. Spring practice was the first step, as the coaches went through the highly tedious process of installing new offensive and defensive schemes. The Tigers desperately need some positive momentum before jumping into the Big East, where the degree of difficulty on the football field will intensify in dramatic fashion.

The non-conference schedule lacks any major heavyweights but also is no picnic. Defending Sun Belt Conference champion Arkansas State and ACC representative Duke are both on the agenda.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The competition between Taylor Reed and Jacob Karam at QB is expected to continue into preseason practice this summer. They're adjusting to a scheme that works out of a variety of formations ranging from shotgun and pistol alignments to more traditional pro-style attacks that put the QB directly under the center. Jerell Rhodes has the inside track at RB but battled a slew of injuries in 2011 and has no proven depth behind him. Marcus Rucker and Kevin Wright headline the depth chart at receiver, a group that will get an additional boost if Alabama transfer Keiwone Malone can return to the good graces of the coaching staff after being suspended for a portion of spring practice.

The major key on offensive is line play and has had problems with pass protection and run blocking, with the second-weakest rushing attack in the entire Football Bowl Subdivision last season.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The three linebacker positions are up for grabs. Kenyata Johnson is the elder statesman of the group, with sophomores Charles Harris and Reggis Ball also in the mix and junior-college transfer Bronterrious Jakes also looking to contend for a starting job.

The secondary was dreadful last season but showed major signs of improvement this spring. CB Bobby McCain got some rough on-the-job training in 2011 but has emerged as a leader on and off the field. He and Bakari Holler should anchor the back end of the defense.

The defensive line looked rather strong in spring practice despite losing future NFL draft choice Dontari Poe and all-conference DE Frank Trotter, who exhausted his eligibility last season. Corey Jones and Terry Redden appear to be the front-runners there.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Memphis is all set at the specialist positions where placekicker Pablo Henriques and punter Tom Hornsey both return. The coverage unit, however, has to improve. Memphis ranked among the bottom of the national statistical rankings in both net punting and kickoff coverage, while also wielding one of the most impotent kickoff return games in the country.

TOP NEWCOMERS

DB Dion Witty -- Witty was a huge get for the Tigers. Memphis stole him away after he made former verbal commitment to Purdue. Witty also was pursued by Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

RB Jai Steib -- The junior-college transfer should immediately contend for reps when he arrives for preseason workouts this summer. Steib averaged a robust 5.5 yards per carry last season for College of the Desert in Palm Desert, Calif.

TE Kerwin Harrison -- Fuente loves to use the tight ends in his offense, and Harrison is one of the best in the 2012 class. ESPN ranked him as the No. 20 TE prospect available in the entire nation. Harrison also could factor at an offensive line position.

ROSTER REPORT:

--WR Keiwone Malone, a transfer from Alabama, was suspended for a good portion of spring practice but returned to the field April 2 and participated fully. However, coach Fuente said Malone was not in fully good standing yet.

--QB Andy Summerlin, who started the 2011 opener against Mississippi State, transferred to Samford in February.

--DL Johnnie Farms has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules.

--QB Will Gilchrist moved to receiver.

--S Fritz Etienne, a junior-college signee, tore his ACL during spring drills and won't be back on the field until after the 2012 season has begun.