Memphis vs. Mississippi State Post Game Notes

Sep 04, 2010 | Football

Sept. 4, 2010

MEMPHIS POSTGAME NOTES

Game One – vs. Mississippi State – September 4, 2010 – Starkville, Miss.

TEAM GAME NOTES

• Captains for today’s game were safety Marcus Ball, kicker Paulo Henriques, offensive guard Dominik Riley and cornerback Darius Davis.

• Several Tigers made their first starts in today’s game, with the majority being on offense. Players seeing their first starts were QB Cannon Smith, RB Gregory Ray, WR Marcus Rucker, WR Curtis Johnson, TE Brooks Johnson, KR Billy Foster, DL D’Angelo McCray, DL Daniel Thomas, CB Mohammed Seisay and punter Tom Hornsey.

• The Tigers have 40 freshmen (true and redshirt) on the current roster and 10 saw action in today’s game. The true freshmen to see action today were Ryan Williams, Jerrell Rhodes, Todd Washington, Tom Hornsey, Justin Henderson and Johnnie Farms.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

• Sophomore Cannon Smith started his first career game for the Tigers at QB, and his first pass as a Tiger was a three-yard completion to redshirt freshman tight end Brooks Johnson. It was Johnson’s first career catch. Smith was replaced by Ryan Williams after completing just four of seven pass attempts for 30 yards. His long pass was 20 yards to Curtis Johnson. Smith returned to the game with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter. Smith finished the game with 111 yards passing on 10 of 15 attempts with one touchdown.

• True freshman Ryan Williams came in at quarterback with just over six minutes left in the first quarter. Williams completed his first collegiate pass for an 18-yard gain to Tannar Rehrer. Rehrer transferred to Memphis this summer from Mesa CC. Williams’ second attempt was a 23-yard completion to Jermaine McKenzie, but the play was called back on a holding penalty.

• In his first career game with the Tigers, receiver Jermaine McKenzie led the Tigers in receiving with five receptions for 45 yards. Marcus Rucker also had 45 yards receiving on three catches with a touchdown.

• Williams started the second half at quarterback. He finished the game with 85 yards passing on 10 of 17 attempts with two interceptions.

• Marcus Rucker put the Tigers on the scoreboard with a 27 yard reception from Cannon Smith with 1:39 left in the fourth quarter. It is Rucker’s third career touchdown reception and the first career touchdown thrown by Smith.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

• Junior linebacker Terrence Thomas saw his first game action today, and picked off Chris Relf’s pass at the 50-yard line in the first quarter. Thomas logged a 10-yard return on the interception. Memphis ended their drive with a missed 49-yard field goal attempt by Paulo Henriques.

• Former MSU Bulldog linebacker Jamon Hughes is a senior with the Tigers and logged his first career sack in the second quarter. Hughes dropped Chris Relf for a loss of eight yards on 1st and 10 from the UM40. The Bulldogs punted three plays later. Hughes led the team with nine tackles, including six unassisted stops.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• Tom Hornsey’s first punt today was for 56 yards. Hornsey is a former Australian Rules Football player who is playing in his first US football game. Hornsey finished the game with nine punts for 438 yards for an average of 48.7 yards per punt. He booted five punts over 50 yards today and had five inside the 20.

• Tom Hornsey’s 438 yards punting ranks fourth all-time in the Memphis single game record book. It is the most since James Gaither had 450 yards punting against Southern Miss in 2001. Hugh Owens owns the single game record with 492 yards punting against Texas A&M in 1979.

• Junior Billy Foster logged his first 100-yard return game in his first collegiate game with the Tigers today. Foster totaled 160 yards on seven returns. He recorded four returns over 20 yards, including a long return of 32 yards in the first quarter. The 160 kick return yards ranks tied for fifth all-time in the Memphis single game record books. Marcus Hightower’s 169 yards against Houston in 2009 is the school record.