University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Tennessee-Martin
Tigers Defeat UT Martin, 41-14
Sep 19, 2009 | Football
Sept. 19, 2009
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
By Joshua R. Wilkins Graduate Assistant
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Memphis debuted a new starting quarterback and then debuted a new offensive prowess in a 41-14 win against UT-Martin at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.
"I really feel better about our offense right now," Memphis Coach Tommy West said. "I felt that we looked more like us. We used some tempo tonight. We took what the defense gave us some. We spread them out, and did more of what we do."
Sophomore quarterback Tyler Bass had one of the best debuts for a starting quarterback in Tiger history. Bass was 22-28 passing, 13-16 in the first half, for 293 yards and four touchdowns. He also led the Tigers with 80 rushing yards and added a score on the ground. The passing yards and touchdowns were both school records for a Tiger making his first start.
"Overall, I thought he (Bass) performed well," West said. "I was very pleased with how he performed, and you see now the dimension he gives you. When that quarterback can run, it's hard."
The five touchdowns Bass accounted for tied him for the all-time Memphis record. The last quarterback to account for five touchdowns in a Tiger uniform was Danny Wimprine versus Louisville in 2004.
Senior wideout Duke Calhoun, the Tigers' all-time leader in career catches and receiving yards, added to those totals with a nine-catch, 174-yard performance. Calhoun now has 162 career catches for 2,312 yards as a Tiger.
A 199-yard offensive output in the second quarter, in which Memphis outscored UTM 24-0, allowed the Tigers to take control of the game. Memphis' first score came with 12:52 left in the first half as Bass completed a 19-yard scoring strike to Carlos Singleton for Singleton's 20th career touchdown reception to cap off an 81-yard drive. Matt Reagan's PAT made the score 7-0.
Singleton would catch his 21st career touchdown later in the game, a 21-yarder from Bass in the third quarter.
"I am really pleased that some of our older guys stepped up," West said. "Duke, Carlos, those guys stepped up for us."
Just less than six minutes later, Reagan would put the Tigers up 10-0 with a 20-yard field goal.
The Tiger defense would snuff out a fake punt on the ensuing Skyhawk drive, and take over at the UTM 31-yard line. Three plays later Bass found the end zone from the seven. A Reagan PAT made the score 17-0.
The Memphis defense saw some improvement as well. The unit held UT-Martin to just five first downs in the first half, while the offense extended the Tiger lead. Freshman defensive tackle Dontari Poe led the Tigers with eight tackles, while Alton Starr added seven, including a third-quarter sack in which he forced and recovered a fumble by Skyhawk quarterback Cade Thompson. Mike McDonald also registered a sack for the Tiger defense.
Memphis scored once more in the second quarter as Bass found a wide-open Calhoun, who streaked 85 yards for another U of M score. The touchdown tied Calhoun for fifth on the Tigers' all-time receiving touchdown list with Isaac Bruce. Reagan's PAT made the halftime margin 24-0.
The Tigers gladly took advantage of 13 first-half penalties by the Skyhawks, who would end up with 18 penalties in the game for 157 penalty yards. UT Martin is the first Memphis opponent since UAB last season to total more than 100 penalty yards in a contest.
After Singleton's second touchdown grab, UT Martin would cut the Memphis lead to 31-14 after a 44-yard touchdown pass from Thompson to Eunique Williams, a Memphis native, and a 17-yard touchdown run by Miguel Barnes, a Millington native and former Tiger.
After taking two drives off, Bass re-entered the game to lead a 60-yard scoring drive. Bass found Steven Joachim for an eight-yard touchdown pass with 5:02 left in the third period.
Memphis' final score came on a 33-yard Matt Reagan field goal with 4:35 to play in the fourth.
"Like I told our guys, we needed to play well," West said. "We needed to do some things well, in particular offensively. We needed to go out, and we needed to look like ourselves."
The win improves the Tigers' record to 1-2. They open up Conference USA play next week against Marshall. The game is set for noon at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and will be carried live by CSS, which is available in Memphis on cable channel 6.
