Memphis-UT Martin Postgame Notes

Sep 19, 2009 | Football

Sept. 19, 2009

MEMPHIS POSTGAME NOTES

Game Three - vs. UT Martin - September 19, 2009 - Memphis, Tenn.

MISCELLANEOUS TEAM NOTES

·          Captains for Memphis were seniors Alton Starr, Brian Hall, T.J. Pitts and Josh Weaver.

·          The last time Memphis scored 40 or more points in a game was against Tulane last season in a 45-6 victory at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

TEAM RECORD AND SERIES NOTES

·          With the win over UT Martin today, Coach Tommy West is now 9-0  against FCS programs since he took over as head coach in 2001.

·          Memphis now has a 34-19-9 record over Ohio Valley Conference opponents.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

·          Sophomore Tyler Bass made his first collegiate start at quarterback today.  Bass was playing in his fourth career game, having played versus East Carolina and Southern Miss last season, and late in the fourth quarter against Middle Tennessee last weekend.  Bass had a career-high in rushing tonight with 80 yards on 16 carries, and also in passing, having completed 22 of 28 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns.  Bass was 13-of-16 for 204 yards and two touchdowns in the first half today.

·          Senior receiver Duke Calhoun extended his receiving streak to 40 games with his nine yard reception in the first quarter.  Calhoun continues to rank third nationally in active receiving streak, behind Central Michigan's Bryan Anderson (43 games) and Buffalo's Naaman Roosevelt (41 games).  Calhoun finished the day with nine receptions for a career high 174 yards.  It was Calhoun's eighth career game of 100 or more yards receiving, extending his Memphis record.

·          Cam Baker registered an 11-yard reception in the first quarter for a career high and the first catch of the season for Baker.

·          Steven Joachim had a pair of career-long 15-yard receptions, in the first and the second quarter.  He has registered a reception of 13 or more yards in all three games this season.  Joachim finished the day with a career high three receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown.

·          Carlos Singleton hauled in a 19-yard touchdown pass with 12:52 remaining in the second quarter for his 20^th career TD reception.  He now holds the school record for all-time receiving TDs.  He came into the game tied with Tavares Gideon with 19.  Singleton made his career total 21 when he hauled in the 21-yard offering from Tyler Bass in the third quarter following Memphis' fumble recovery.  This is the fifth career game of multiple TD receptions for Singleton, and the first since he registered two against Southern Miss last year.

·          The 19-yard TD pass to Carlos Singleton marked Tyler Bass' second career touchdown pass, and his first of the season.  It was also Memphis' first receiving TD of the season.  Bass had 74 of the 81 yards on the drive (51 passing on 5-of-6 attempts; 23 rushing on three carries)

·          Nickel back D.A. Griffin completed his first pass of the season when he connected with Duke Calhoun for a 14-yard completion in the second quarter.

·          Tyler Bass rush seven yards for a touchdown with 4:10 remaining in the second quarter for his second career rushing TD for the Tigers.

·          Duke Calhoun logged an 85-yard touchdown reception from Tyler Bass, marking career highs for the senior receiver and the sophomore quarterback.  The last time Memphis had a pass play of 80 yards or more was in 2007 against Arkansas State when receiver Dave Thomas reached Steven Black on a 80-yard completion.  Today's 85-yard pass play was the fourth longest in school history, and the longest since Danny Wimprine was credited with a 92-yard completion to Tavarious Davis against Ole Miss in 2003.   Calhoun now has 15 career touchdown receptions, which ties him for fifth all-time with Isaac Bruce for career TD receptions.

·          Tyler Bass' 204 yards passing in the first half is the most in a half for a Tiger QB since Arkelon Hall had 216 yards in the second half against Marshall last year.  Bass passed for 161 yards in the second quarter, with two passing TDs and 1 rushing TD.

·          Duke Calhoun had 108 yards receiving in the first half, which is the most in a half since Carlos Singleton logged    103 yards in the second half against Marshall in 2008.

·          Tyler Bass completed an eight-yard touchdown pass to Steven Joachim with 5:02 remaining in the third quarter for Joachim's first career touchdown reception.  It was Bass' fourth TD pass today, which ranks tied for second with five other individuals for most TD passes in a single game. Bass also rushed for a TD, making him responsible for five scores today which ties the school record set by Danny Wimprine (3 times; last in 2004) and James Earl Wright. 

·          Tyler Bass had the best first career start of any Tiger quarterback over the last 20 years as far as yardage, touchdown passes and completion percentage is concerned.

·          With the one touchdown reception by Duke Calhoun and the two by Carlos Singleton, the duo moved into a tie for first place with UTEP's Jeff Moturi and Kris Adams for the most prolific active scoring threat in the nation by way of the air attack. Calhoun's 15 career TDs and Singleton's 21 give the duo a combined 36 touchdown receptions. At the conclusion of the Tigers' game, UTEP's contest with New Mexico was still in the first quarter.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

·          Junior transfer Justin Thompson and true freshman Dontari Poe made their first starts in the defensive line.

·          Mike McDonald and Josh Weaver teamed up for a sack of minus nine yards in the first quarter.  It was McDonald's first sack and Weaver's first of the year.

·          Memphis took a 24-0 lead into the locker room at the half, marking the first shutout in a half since Tulane last season.

·          Alton Starr had his second straight game with a forced fumble when he popped Cade Thompson for a sack of minus seven yards.   It is his second career fumble forced and his first career sack.  Starr recovered the fumble at the Memphis 34 for his second career fumble recovery; his first of the season.  The Tigers scored three plays later off a 21-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Bass to Carlos Singleton.

·          Sophomore Dasmine Cathey had his first career sack in the fourth quarter, tackling Derek Carr for a loss of eight yards.

·          True freshman Dontari Poe led the team with a career high eight tackles, including five solo stops.

·          Senior D.A. Griffin had two pass breakups for the second time this season. The nickel back also had two against Ole Miss. Griffin finished with six tackles in the game.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

·          Matt Reagan is now third all-time in most career PATs attempted at Memphis with 105.  He passed Ryan White who finished with 101.  Reagan is one PAT from tying White for third in career PATs made.

·          Matt Reagan successfully kicked his first two field goals of the year, a 20 yard attempt in the second and a 33 yarder in the fourth quarter. Reagan is now 2-of-3 in field goal attempts this season.

·          Reagan finished with 11 points kicking, marking the most for the senior since accumulating 13 points against SMU in 2007. The last time Reagan had 10 points kicking in a game came against Marshall last year.