University of Memphis Athletics
Tiger Football Reports to Camp on Monday
Aug 05, 2007 | Football
Aug. 5, 2007
MEMPHIS, TENN. - The official start of the 2007 football season is Monday for the University of Memphis Tigers. That is the day the squad will report to campus in anticipation of the first practice on Tuesday morning.
Players are set to check in throughout the day and will have a team meeting in the late afternoon. Following dinner, each player is required to report to physicals. This year's group includes 15 starters from last season, as well as 18 newcomers who will be experiencing their very first practice with the Tigers. The fall newcomers include junior college standouts LeRico Mathis, Curtis Steele and Brent Todd, as well as local prep all-stars Darius Davis, Curtis Echols, Lester Lawson, Tommy Walker and Keenan Bratcher. Added to the mix are out-of-state high school standouts Michael Antonescu and Dallas Walker from Ridgeland, Miss., Cam Baker of Osceola, Ark., Mike Davis, Jermaine Richardson and Robbie Hardie from Georgia as well as Terrence Thomas and Lionel Henderson from Alabama. Joel McCleod and Ronald Leary hail from Florida and Louisiana, respectively.
In addition to the impressive group of junior college and high school talent that the coaching staff signed for the 2007 season, this will be the first competitive fall for offensive lineman Malcom Rawls, defensive backs Tony Bell and Dontae Reed and kicker Joey Mack. Rawls transferred to Memphis from Tennessee and joined the Tigers this past spring. Mack came to Memphis after playing at Snow College and Southern Utah. Reed, who transferred from Ole Miss, and Bell, who joined Memphis from Auburn, were both able to work out with the Tigers last fall while having to sit out of competition.
As has been the case the last two seasons, the Tigers are hoping to have the services of several Tigers who were sidelined last fall and during the spring session. Running backs Joseph Doss and Miguel Barnes, wide receivers Carlton Robinzine, Earnest Williams and Dave Thomas, defensive linemen Corey Mills and Ryan Williams, quarterback Will Hudgens and linebacker Quinton McCrary are all expected to return to the field and add depth this fall.
The squad will begin practice bright and early Tuesday morning at 5:45 a.m., at the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex. The Tigers will have five single practices before their first two-a-day session a week from Monday.
Fans will have their first chance to see the newcomers on Friday, August 10, at the Highland Hundred Kickoff Banquet. The event, which is open to the public, will be held at the Holiday Inn on campus at 6 p.m. The cost is $20 per person. For more information, contact Sherri Schwartz in the Tiger football office at 678-5119.
