Being a University of Memphis Tiger fan has become pretty easy.  Two minutes different in the National Championship game, and there would be that many more fans of the basketball team.

But now we are on to my favorite U of Memphis sport: football.  Just like every season, this one could be very interesting.

I attended the football Fan Fest this past weekend at the South campus, and I have to admit that I was very impressed with the players.  Tommy West has done an excellent job recruiting players that seem to mesh well with the new direction the football team has created since the DeAngelo Williams Era (better known as Memphis Football, AD: after DeAngelo).

This weekend will be the first game of the season, one that is usually a hard-fought game.  The Tigers will travel to Oxford to go toe to toe with Houston Nutt’s “Wild Rebels.”

I reference “Wild Rebel” because this is the new variation of the “Wild Hog” offense Nutt ran while at Arkansas.  I have to admit that this does scare me.  This is one scheme that Memphis will have to defend successfully to win in Oxford.

One of the keys to victory (yes, this was a reference to the pregame jumbotron at the Vaught, one that I watched many times while getting my undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi) is for Memphis to contain Dexter McCluster.  McCluster is a stud that can play any position.  Memphis will need to key on him and hopefully keep his all-purpose yards under 150.

Another key will be for the revamped defense to limit the opportunities Jevan Snead has to make big time plays.  Snead is highly touted as a future star, so the past struggling defense will need to step up the attack to keep him off balance.

Look for Greg Terrell and Winston Bowens to be adding many different looks on defense.  Having Michael Grandberry and Brandon Patterson in the defensive backfield will hopefully mess up the timing for Snead. 

The most important key to success is for Arkelon Hall to connect with the larger and more experienced receiving corps that Memphis brings to the table.  Ole Miss' corners should have trouble all evening trying to cover Carlos Singleton ("Freak"—6'8", 220 lbs.) and Duke Calhoun (6'4", 200 lbs.), allowing for outside linebackers to attempt to cover Steven Black, Maurice Jones, and Earnest Williams.

Three of the five mentioned receivers are 6'3" or taller, which is a big task for any defensive back to cover. 

I expect minimal production from the Memphis backfield on offense because Ole Miss has seemed to own Memphis’ running game (they always kept DeAngelo under wraps).

This Saturday, expect to see another single-digit winning margin, with the hopes Memphis is able to pull a new defense together and get the expected production from Hall and the receivers.

Too bad this game was not picked up for local TV coverage.  Everyone outside of Oxford will need to catch the game on AM radio.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?