2003 Tiger Preview
MEMPHIS
WEST CONTINUES TO BUILD FOOTBALL PROGRAM New pieces to construction puzzle include well-known defensive coordinator... When the 2002 college football season concluded, head coach Tommy West knew that he had to make some tough decisions in order to continue to build the Tiger football program. The decisions included making changes in his staff, adding new staff members, putting the defense into the capable hands of a well known defensive coordinator and adding another outstanding recruiting class designed to fill some very specific needs. “Last season I had to become far too involved in the day-to-day operation of the defense,” West said. “I knew that I wanted our defense to be more aggressive and to do so, I would need to make a change in the leadership of that unit. As the season came to a close, I found out that Joe Lee Dunn was available and I knew that his philosophy of defense and mine ran along the same lines.” Dunn, who had served as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator in the late 1980s under Chuck Stobart, had served as the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State University for seven years and had raised the Bulldogs’ level of defensive performance into the national spotlight. He had also accomplished the same feat at Ole Miss and Arkansas before joining Jackie Sherrill’s staff at MSU. “I was absolutely elated that Joe Lee decided to accept my offer and join our staff,” West continued. “He was one of the best signees I had for 2003.” With Dunn safely listed among the roster of Tiger assistant coaches, West and his staff set out to sign players for the 2003 season. Not just athletes that might develop into players or those who would some day fill roles, but key players recruited to fill specific needs for the 2003 season. “There were certain key positions that had to be filled in order for us to continue to build for the future,” stated the former Clemson head coach, now the mentor of the Tigers. “Last season we were hurt by the lack of experience at quarterback. When Danny (Wimprine) was injured, we
did not have a veteran quarterback to replace him. That became a priority in our recruiting effort. And when we were able to sign the number one junior college quarterback in the nation, it allowed us to move other athletes into other positions that would help us immediately.” As recruiting continued, the Tigers landed one blue-chip player after another and by the end of the February signing period, the U of M had inked a second strong class. “After locking up a quarterback, I felt that our next biggest goal was to sign a punter and believe me, we needed a punter in the worst kind of way. I knew when we received a commitment from Brandon Roberson that we had filled our needs,” West said. “It was a key element, another building block in creating a strong football team.” During spring practice several key junior college players took their place with the Tigers’ youthful squad. Quarterback Bobby Robison, wide receiver Chris Kelley, and linemen Bobby Garafolo and Jason Matthews practiced with the Tigers in the spring and proved to be strong additions to the squad, as was LSU transfer Derron Parquet. As the team prepares for the 2003 season under Tommy West, it appears that his construction project is rapidly taking shape. THE QUARTERBACKS The Tigers will enter the 2003 season with a record setting junior quar-
2003
terback in Danny Wimprine, the nation’s number one junior college quarterback in Bobby Robison and a redshirted freshman signal-caller, Patrick Byrne, who was named the Paul Gingold MVP of the annual Blue-Gray Spring game. Wimprine, who has lettered for two years, completely rewrote the Tiger record book sections on passing and total offense in 2002. The big right-hander entered his name in the Memphis football record section 50 times last season and should hold virtually every passing record by mid-season 2003. The New Orleans native set U of M records for most pass attempts in a game (53), most pass completions in a game (32), most touchdown passes Danny Wimprine broke in a game virtually every Memphis passing record in 2002. (five), most pass attempts in a season (435), most
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