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Welcome back to the Tigers Football Insider, where we bring you the latest news and analysis from The Daily Memphian’s Frank Bonner II, Geoff Calkins and John Martin each week.
The Tigers are going to hear a plethora of cowbells when they travel to Mississippi State for the opening kickoff, so Memphis used Wednesday’s practice as a simulator.
The coaching staff filled practice with nonstop cowbell noises as preparation for the game on Sept. 3. It’s a Mississippi State tradition that can cause chaos to the opposing teams that aren’t ready for the atmosphere. The Tigers are making sure they’ll be prepared for the madness.
Offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey said simulating the noise at practice is a great situation to put players in.
“If forces their communication to be perfect,” Cramsey said. “There’s not a lot of talking going on in communication. We’re doing all of our hand signals back and forth from the quarterback to the receivers. Forces the quarterbacks to be loud when we make our calls when we make our audibles (and) our adjustments. Forces your o-line calls to be loud when they’re talking to each other.”
Quarterback Seth Henigan said the Tigers won’t know what the atmosphere is really like until they reach Starkville, but he didn’t have any issues communicating and running his plays during practice on Wednesday. He has a little familiarity with the noise because his grandfather used to ring cowbells at his games.
The cowbells can be annoying to fanbases outside of Mississippi State but defensive coordinator Matt Barnes said fan traditions are what helps make college football what it is.
“I’m just such a fan of college football,” Barnes said. “It’s just one of those traditions that remain and it is what it is. It ain’t going away. So to me, I say we embrace it and turn it into a positive. It is cool. It’s just the pageantry of college football. Just like anything else we’ll embrace it and make the most of it.”
Memphis defended its home field in a 31-29 victory over the Bulldogs last season and Mississippi State will be looking for payback in Starkville. The Tigers are doing all they can to prepare for what they already know will be a hostile environment.
More from your Insider:
Tigers leaning toward Brandon Thomas to start at running back and receiver Eddie Lewis is a potential starter. Florida transfer Chris Howard has slight edge over David Kemp at kicker.
The University of Memphis player is the only true sophomore on the watchlist that includes 30 college quarterbacks.
Greg Rubin is on a mission to prove he’s one of the best cornerbacks in the country after having a solid freshman season last year.
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