Homecomings should all be so sweet. Returning to the Memphis Tiger sideline he knew so well as a player 17 years ago, Larry Porter earned his first victory as a head coach Saturday night, beating Middle Tennessee 24-17 in front of 27,965 fans at the Liberty Bowl. Turns out there will be more to discuss about the Tigers’ home opener than a vastly improved tailgating atmosphere.
- Larry Kuzniewski
- Tiger coach Larry Porter
Simply allowing fewer than seven touchdowns would have been considered an improvement on the Tigers’ first two games. Holding the Blue Raiders — favored to win the Sun Belt Conference — to a total of 287 yards and 17 points can be called what it is: progress. “This was a total team effort,” said a smiling Porter after drying off the Gatorade from his white vest. “I couldn’t be more proud of our team. It’s not about me; it’s about those young men.”
Senior tailback Greg Ray was the offensive star, carrying the ball 25 times for 121 yards, including a pair of 9-yard touchdown jaunts. Freshman quarterback Ryan Williams was steady, if unspectacular, in his first full game under center, completing 15 of 28 passes for 129 yards and a 22-yard scoring strike to Jermaine McKenzie in the second quarter. The Tigers did not turn the ball over against Middle Tennessee, while the defense intercepted three Logan Kilgore passes (two of them by freshman cornerback Todd Washington).
