Acclimation Underway

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Three practices into fall camp and you can already see a difference. The first few days of camp are all about learning and adjusting, and no group benefits more from it than the freshmen.

"It is definitely a change. Not many people practice with the tempo that we do so you can see (the newcomers) trying to get acclimated to that," head coach Mike Norvell said.

When you watch a Memphis football practice, led by Norvell, the tempo is the first thing you notice. Players are flying around from start to finish. Everyone has to be prepared to go full throttle for the entire duration. There is an adjustment period.

"I feel like I'm getting acclimated, getting used to the plays and learning from the older guys," freshman defensive back TJ Carter said. "I think I have adjusted well to the tempo. It's a mindset. If I keep my mind under control and have great mental toughness then I'll be ok."

Carter was an extremely versatile high school player at Stratford High School in Nashville, earning all-state honors as a defensive back while also racking up over 2,000 all-purpose yards as a running back and return man. This season he will be working towards a more specific role on just the defensive side of the ball.

"This is a grind. It's not high school anymore. The tempo has been the biggest adjustment for me," freshman offensive lineman Obinna Eze said. "The speed of the game is so much faster. I feel like every day I'm getting in shape, getting faster and thinking quicker. Just take it one day at a time."

Eze, a native of Nigeria, earned all-state honors after his one season of varsity football at Davidson Academy in Nashville in 2016. In his one season, he helped pave the way for the Bears offensive unit that averaged 439.9 total yards of offense and 35.9 points per game.

For the older guys on the roster, the start of camp every year is still partially about getting adjusted even though they've gone through it before.

"Communication-wise we have gotten a lot better. There is still little stuff we have to work on but we were moving full-speed the first day of practice so that's good," senior linebacker Genard Avery said. "It's mainly about communication, encouraging the young guys and showing them how to run the assignments the right way.

Memphis' Aug. 31 season opener against Louisiana-Monroe is the first of seven home games for the 2017 campaign. Season tickets are on sale now, beginning at $130 (or $115 for TSF members at the $100 donor level) for all seven home games. Tickets and season parking passes can be purchased online at http://www.GoTigersGo.com/Footballtickets.

University of Memphis Athletics

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