Not In Knoxville

No, I am not in Knoxville this evening where I obviously should be tonight. Although who would have thought that I would long to be in the hills of east Tennessee. But alas, the Tigers go into Neyland Stadium tomorrow and I will not be present. Luckily I will have the joy of another day at the VA Hospital here in good ole Memphis, so six of one, half dozen of the other. Not that these Tigers have much of a chance, but the Tigers always seem to step up against the Vols. Except for last time we played them when they beat us pretty bad. But the last few times before that it has been close. I have to mention when we beat them of course, November 9, 1996, when I happened to be in the stands for the greatest Tiger football moment ever. It doesn't help that my entire family is living it up in a cabin in Gatlinburg this weekend and going to the game tomorrow. However, the combination of the Tennessee running game, our running defense, and the Tennessee defense could make for an ugly game. But when you have Jonathan Crompton as your quarterback it could always come unhinged pretty quickly. Below is a story about the last time the Tigers went to Knoxville when we almost and should have beat them. And yes, I was there then. So I will be watching the game from the comfort of my couch on ESPNU tomorrow night. I predict a pretty close repeat of the last matchup, a 38-10 victory for the Vols over the Tigers. I promise an update from Halloween and Race for the Cure soon, or in other words things people may actually care about other than my ramblings on almost meaningless football games. Although I do love college football being on almost every day of the week these days. Buffalo and Bowling Green? Yes these two teams played the other night on ESPN, and yes, I watched.


From the Commercial Appeal


Matt Reagan Boots Vol Loyalty As True Blue Tiger
Former fan back home to get kicks for visitors
By Phil Stukenborg

In 2005, the last time the University of Memphis played Tennessee at Neyland Stadium, Matt Reagan was there.
In the UT student section.
As a high school senior.
Wearing blue and gray.

Reagan, in his final season as the UofM kicker, survived the bold wardrobe choice four years ago. And he nearly left the stadium exchanging handshakes and hugs with the Tiger fans scattered throughout the stands. It took a kicker -- Tennessee's James Wilhoit -- to erase a 16-14 Memphis lead early in the final quarter with two field goals and give the Vols a 20-16 victory. ''I had a friend of mine that year who went to UT and he got me a guest student ticket,'' said Reagan, a Knoxville native who attended Bearden High. ''And, yes, I was wearing a Memphis shirt.''

And the treatment he received? ''They were fine, I guess,'' Reagan said of the Tennessee students sitting around him. ''I think they just tried to ignore me. I didn't get stuff thrown at me.''

Reagan will handle the punting and place-kicking when the Tigers (2-6) play the Vols (4-4) Saturday at Neyland Stadium. Born and raised in Knoxville, Reagan said he grew up a Tennessee fan and attended several games a year with his father, Rick. Occasionally, they would take in a Volunteer spring game. ''I watched them growing up,'' Reagan said. ''And I pulled for them.''

As he became a proficient prep kicker -- he was an all-state selection as a senior, averaging 40.1 yards punting, knocking 85 percent of his kickoffs into the end zone and converting 22 of 23 extra points -- Reagan hoped the Vols would notice. Despite coming from the same school that produced Dustin and Britton Colquitt, both of whom punted for UT, Reagan wasn't on the Vols' list. ''It didn't work out,'' Reagan said. ''But I'm happy to be here.''

As his Tigers career winds down, Reagan, also recruited by Louisville, Northwestern and Duke, finds himself ascending the school's kicking charts. Reagan ranks fourth in UofM history in kick scoring with 245 points, four shy of overtaking Ryan White for third place. His 45 career field goals rank fifth, five short of third place.

Mostly a punter in high school, Reagan didn't add that responsibility at the UofM until this season. Entering Saturday's game, he ranks fourth nationally in punting with a 45.3-yard average. He ranks first in Conference USA in punting and third in field goals per game.

''In high school I used to enjoy punting more than kicking because that's what I did more of,'' Reagan said. ''I thought I was better at it. ''When I got to college, I got into the kicking mode for three years. Getting back to punting felt weird at the beginning, but I like doing both.''

Earlier this season, Reagan set a school record for highest single-game punting average (53.5 on six punts). He also booted a career-long 48-yard field goal against Southern Miss.

While Reagan's numbers are impressive, he's had a few disappointments. At Southern Miss, one of his punts was returned for a touchdown by Tracy Lampley, who caught a low-lining kick on the run and raced 50 yards for a key third-quarter TD. ''Matt's had an OK year,'' Tiger coach Tommy West said. ''He's got to get a little more height on his (punts). I think we've helped Matt. We're doing a little more rugby(-style) punting lately and I think that's helped him. He's done a good job.''

Reagan said while he's pleased to be ranked fourth nationally in punting average, he'd much rather have the Tigers ranked fourth nationally in net punting. Memphis is 14th. ''We've made mistakes on that unit as far as the punt return at Southern Miss,'' Reagan said. ''That bugs me every time I think about it.''

Reagan, who followed Stephen Gostkowski of the New England Patriots as the UofM's place-kicker, said he'll be playing on the field at Neyland Stadium for the first time since his high school participated in a preseason jamboree.