Tigers brace for brighter spotlight
After Saturday’s 37-24 win over then-No. 13 Ole Miss, Memphis football coach Justin Fuente’s phone began to buzz. And buzz. And buzz. It was an almost endless stream of text messages, words of congratulations from fellow coaches, players and friends.
Fuente said he responded to every message, but it was a little overwhelming.
“I actually this morning just called my wife and said, ‘Babe, if you need me, just call the front desk, call Sherri (Schwartz, assistant to the head coach). But I’m turning this thing off.’ I just turned it off and put it in a drawer,” Fuente said.
This is the kind of spotlight that the 18th-ranked Tigers now face. Fuente said he addressed that fact at a team meeting Sunday. He spoke about the hype honestly. He told players that he had called coaches to ask them about handling it, receiving advice from TCU coach Gary Patterson and former Texas coach Mack Brown, who is part of the ESPN broadcast team for Friday’s game against Tulsa. Then Fuente relayed an analogy to reporters that he said he would illustrate to the team later Monday.
“We try to paint the picture of this,” Fuente said. “After the last several wins, I’ve walked into the locker room and the kids have been dancing. Singing and dancing and having a great time. Not one time have I walked in that locker room at halftime and seen them singing and dancing. And that’s where we’re at right now. We’re at halftime. We’re at halftime of the season. We have a lot of work to do.” LYNCH HONORED BY LEAGUE
Two days after leading Memphis to one of the most significant wins in program history, redshirt junior quarterback Paxton Lynch was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
Lynch completed 39 of 53 passes for 384 yards and three touchdowns against Ole Miss in the Tigers’ first victory over a ranked opponent since 1996. It was his fifth straight game with more than 300 passing yards and multiple touchdown passes. This is his third weekly conference award of his career.
Memphis was also named the AutoNation National Team of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America. As a result, AutoNation will donate $1,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in the university’s name. TATE’S CASE DISMISSED
Right tackle Trevon Tate’s case was dismissed in Shelby County General Sessions court Thursday. Tate was arrested last month for outstanding warrants in Houston.
“My understanding of Trevon Tate’s situation is that everything has been handled and he’s done with all of it,” Fuente said Monday.