A couple of interesting notes before Memphis plays its regular-season finale at home against SMU:

*** With depth at running back (DeMyron Martin and James Mapps) and a prolific passing attack led by quarterback Justin Willis and receiver Emmanuel Sanders, it is difficult to fathom why this team isn’t ranked higher in several Conference USA offensive categories (SMU is sixth in total offense, seventh in pass offense and ninth in scoring).

*** Both coaches — Memphis’s Tommy West and SMU’s Phil Bennett — have sons playing on their respective teams; Turner West is a special teams player/receiver and Sam Bennett is a deep snapper.

*** If the Tiger defense, which has played well the past two games, can keep SMU under 24 points, the prospects for a seventh victory appear favorable; SMU, under coach Phil Bennett, has gone 2-43 in games in which it is held to fewer than 24 points.

*** A representative of the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl will attend the game; New Orleans remains the top postseason option for the bowl-bound Tigers.

*** SMU has turned the ball over a conference-high 29 times.

*** No team in C-USA has fewer sacks (11) than Memphis, which has allowed the fewest (12).

*** Memphis quarterback Martin Hankins should earn one of the loudest ovations when the 15 seniors are recognized; Hankins, a transfer from 1-AA Southeastern Louisiana, will finish his career ranked second to Danny Wimprine in every major passing category: pass attempts, pass completions, yards and touchdowns.

*** And a final Hankins note: his 5,153 passing yards make him only the second Tiger quarterback in school history to surpass 5,000 yards . . . and he accomplished the feat in only 21 games.

Senior Day is always special. It is nice to acknowledge young men who have given themselves to the school for as many as five years. There is a group of redshirt seniors who will have gone to four bowl games in their years as a Tiger. That’s right, Memphis players in four bowl games. They are Arron Bentley; Jamarcus Gaither (who was injured earlier in the season); Abraham Holloway; Taz Knockum (Isn’t that one of the greatest football names ever?); and Andy Smith. These four guys were a part of twice as many bowls as the University was prior to their arrival. I want to congratulate and say thank you to those guys.

The Tigers are losing very little off of this year’s team for 2008. I’ve got a feeling the roll will continue into next year.
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