Although QB Will Hudgens has begun to look more comfortable running the spread offense tossing deep passes (and not fastballs) since returning to football (he played baseball from early spring to late July), I don’t think there’s a question about the U of M’s starting quarterback.

Coach Tommy West named junior college transfer Arkelon Hall the starter heading into the preseason camp and Hall appears to be making strides. He is beginning to get his timing down with the receivers and in Monday’s scrimmage at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium he looked as sharp as he’s looked since putting on a Tiger uniform last spring.

In his first two series Monday, Hall completed 9-of-12 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns. He made every conceivable throw during the stretch — screens, slants, deep balls — and was perfect on a 43-yard TD pass to Maurice Jones.

Of his incompletions during the stretch, one was a dropped pass and another was a ball he was forced to throw away. His only bad throw of the 12 was the dreaded overthrow in the end zone.

** Considered a strength of the offensive coming into this fall, the Tiger offensive line has been underacheiving.
Beginning the third week of practice before the Aug. 30 opener at Ole Miss, Tiger coach Tommy West is looking for more from the veteran group.
“I think, right now, our offensive line doesn’t have a personality,” West said. “They have got to develop an energy, a toughness and an enthusiasm about them as a group. Right now you’ve got Philip (Beliles) and Brandon (Pearce) trying to lead the thing right now and that’s about it.”
Injuries to linemen Terrence Echols (leg) and Malcom Rawls (concussion) have limited the line, but West refuses to use their absences as an excuse for what’s missing from the group.

** Ask West who is bringing consistent effort and the doesn’t hesitate.
“Clinton McDonald,” West said. “Clint’s playing every down right now. I really like him.”
McDonald, a senior defensive lineman from Jacksonville, Ark., was the only junior in West’s first seven seasons at the U of M to be selected as a team captain. He has started 37 straight games.
West also said defensive backs Deante’ Lamar, a 5-9 junior from Atlanta, and Alton Starr, a 6-foot junior from Decatur, Ga., along with defensive linemen Corey Mills and Jada Brown have impressed him with their efforts as well.
“All those guys are playing every snap,” West said.

** While West inserted junior college transfer Arkelon Hall, who practiced in the spring, as his starter entering preseason camp earlier this month, senior Will Hudgens has begun to show off his arm strength, and accuracy, in practice scrimmage sessions. His 27-yard touchdown pass to Steven Black, in the left corner of the end zone Saturday at Christian Brothers High School was among the best balls thrown so far in the camp.

So far, the University of Memphis practices during preseason camp have escaped the worst of the heat. The Tigers have been working out in the morning (beginning at 5:45 a.m.) and at 5 p.m. during two-a-days. The afternoon workouts have been conducted in relatively pleasant conditions.

And that’s why Tiger coach Tommy West had a difficult time with Wednesday’s afternoon session.

“I think we’ve got some guys that have some tweaks about them and they’re not practicing,” West said. “And to leave this practice today because of heat? You’ve got to be kidding me. It’s 85 degrees.

“I’m a little bit disappointed in some (of the players’) mental toughness (when) we’ve got (offensive lineman) Brandon Pearce going with both (the first- and second-team offensive lines). I’ve done a poor job with that, but I can get that (corrected). . . . right now I don’t feel like we’ve got everyone pulling their load.”

With the news Auburn freshman defensive back DeRon Furr intends to transfer to Memphis — once the necessary releases and scholarship papers are signed — the Tigers continue to add to an impressive post-signing day collection of talent.

In fact, it may be the best post-signing day haul in the program’s history.

Consider the players the Tigers have added since February:
* Miami running back Charlie Jones, who will be eligible in the fall.
* Maryland freshman quarterback Tyler Bass, who will be eligible in the fall.
* Mississippi State sophomore linebacker Jamon Hughes, who must sit out this season per NCAA transfer rules.
* Minnesota junior defensive tackle Tim McGee, who will be eligible in the fall.

Add to that collection LSU transfer linebacker Derrick Odom, who came to the U of M in Janaury and the list becomes more notable. Odom was one of the top linebacker prospects in the nation coming out of Callaway High School in 2006. He’ll be eligible to play in 2009.

Tiger coach Tommy West received expected, but welcome, news on the running back front Tuesday.

University of Miami transfer Charlie Jones was given the green light by the NCAA to play for the Tigers this fall. Jones is the first player the Tigers have had who is taking advantage of a 2006 NCAA rule in which the NCAA grants a waiver to student-athletes who have graduated and enrolled at a school in a graduate program not offered by their previous school.

Jones is the no-nonsense veteran the backfield needs with junior T.J. Pitts, the team’s returning rushing leader, sidelined until likely next month. Jones runs with power and speed and is a complement to the quicker, lighter Curtis Steele, who is running with the No. 1 offense.

The Tigers conducted their first full-pads scrimmage of the preseason Monday and the outcome, like most of these endeavors, was mixed.

Defensively, there was intensity and a number of punishing blows. Defensive back Alton Starr struck receiver Duke Calhoun so violently on a quick slant that Starr had the breath knocked out of him. Calhoun was okay.

Offensively, the disappointing thing for Tiger coach Tommy West had to be the play of his offensive line and quarterbacks. The offensive line, a veteran group, is expected to help a team with a first-year QB (Arkelon Hall) and first-year running backs (Curtis Steele, Charlie Jones and Gregory Ray) have time to develop and acclimate themselves to the spread offense. But West was critical of the line and the play of the U of M quarterbacks.

The University of Memphis closes its 15-session spring practice with Saturday’s Blue Gray Scrimmage. (And, yes, it’s a scrimmage, not a game).

Tiger coach Tommy West said after Friday’s workout at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium that a rash of injuries might limit the length of the scrimmage.

Receiver Duke Calhoun (knee), running back T.J. Pitts (ankle) and linebacker Tommy Phelps (chest) were among the higher-profile players who didn’t participate in spring practice because of injuries. Linebacker Josh Weaver (shoulder) and offensive lineman Dominik Riley (knee) were injured during the spring. None of the five will play in the scrimmage.

“We’re still banged up a little bit,” West said. “If it gets too bad, we just won’t be here very long.”

As for those who will play and what to watch for:

***The Quarterbacks: Arkelon Hall, the junior college transfer, and Matt Malouf, the sophomore-to-be, have been competing from the start the competition will resume in August. Hall owns a quick release and throws from various arm angles, mostly sidearm. Malouf is emerging as an accurate thrower and, as most know from watching him a year ago, is an adept runner.

***The Running Backs: Pick up a roster sheet that U of M sports information staff will provide. There’s no Joe Doss (he completed his eligibility) and there’s no T.J. Pitts (see injury list above). That leaves junior college transfer Curtis Steele, who sat out last season as a redshirt; Jeremy Longstreet, a converted linebacker; and Mike Davis, a freshman from Franklin, Tenn. Steele is the speediest of the trio, Longstreet has made strides since making the switch last month and Davis has the potential to be a powerful back.

***The Defense: Even with Weaver and Phelps out, this unit has been the story of the spring behind first-year coordinator Tim Walton. It’s been an aggressive, attacking unit not afraid to play press-man coverage.