West Tennessee State Normal School first opened its doors in 1912 on an 81-acre plot of land once utilized as a cotton plantation. The small, modest school with humble beginnings had just 200 students and 17 faculty members in its first calendar year of operation. Only a few decades removed from the Civil War, students who undoubtedly had fathers, brothers, and uncles who fought on both sides of the “War between the States” selected blue and gray as their official school colors. In their eyes, it was an effort to unify a weary, war-torn community that still wore the scars of bloodshed almost fifty years later.
A school born amid sweeping education reform throughout the South, West Tennessee State Normal School fielded a football team in its first year of operation under the leadership of head coach Clyde H. Wilson. Their first game, held in historic Russwood Park in Memphis, ended in a 0-0 tie against Memphis University School on October 5, 1912. Wilson went on to coach the then-nicknamed “Warriors” football team from 1912 to 1915 compiling a 9-12-1 record. In 1914, legend holds that attendees at a school parade boasted that the football team “fights like tigers” and thus, the nickname was born. The school, which was tuition-free to all residents of Tennessee, possessed a paramount vision of bettering the city and surrounding region much like it does today.
In 1928, now named West Tennessee State Teachers College, a football program composed of blue-collar future educators received its first invitation to become members of the Missouri Valley Conference. The following year, the Tigers were led by head coach Zach Curlin to their best record in program history at 8-0-2. The working-class crew of students finished first in their league in back-to-back seasons. Curlin retired in 1936 and was replaced by Allyn McKeen, who led the Tigers to a perfect 10-0 record in 1938.
After McKeen left for Mississippi State, the Tigers football program fell on difficult days. Like many other postsecondary institutions throughout the country, Memphis State didn’t field a football team from 1943 to 1946 due to many of its students being called away to serve in World War Two. Again as Independents, Ralph Hatley led the Tigers over the next ten years, boasting a 60-43-5 overall record.
Head coach Billy J. Murphy took over for the retiring Hatley and led the Tigers to new heights as a football program. Rejoining the Missouri Valley Conference in 1968, Memphis State was crowned conference champions three times from 1968 to 1971. After posting a highly successful career record of 91-44-1, Murphy handed the reigns to Fred Pancoast in 1972. In 2022, 14 years after his passing, Murphy was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, joining Allyn McKeen as the only other Memphis Football head coach to receive such an honor.
After another difficult stretch in the late 1970s, Tennessee native Rex Dockery looked to be righting the ship when one of the darkest days in Memphis sports history occurred. Following a 6-4-1 season which included wins over Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Louisville, head coach Dockery, offensive coordinator Chris Faros, freshman defensive back Charles Greenhill, and Memphis Football booster Glenn Jones perished in a plane crash in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Dockery had been named the Metro Conference Coach of the Year just a week beforehand.
The Memphis State Tigers only finished with a record above .500 four times in the next twenty years. In the early 2000’s, Tommy West, DeAngelo Williams, and Danny Wimprine pumped excitement back into the Memphis Football program that hadn’t been felt since Dockery died in the early 80s. In 2003, thousands of Memphis fans flocked to New Orleans to see the Tigers win their first bowl game in 32 years. Despite five bowl appearances in nine years, Tommy West was dismissed following a 2-10 season in 2009. In what is perhaps the most famous quote in all of Memphis Football history, West challenged the Memphis administration, saying, “Put something in it or do away with it!”
Starting with Justin Fuente in 2012, the Memphis Football program has elevated to levels never before experienced. Despite winning two conference championships, appearing in nine consecutive bowl games, and boasting 51 victories inside Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium since 2014, the mission of university and football program hasn’t changed much from those humble beginnings on a Civil War veteran’s piece of land in 1912.
Today, the University of Memphis and its athletics programs shine a light of hope and pride in this community as they always have. Located in the heart of SEC country, one can find wealthier, flashier, and more nationally-relevant programs within driving distance. There are few, however, that mean more or have a stronger impact in their local community.
On ‘901 Day’ and the Eve of Season Number 108 at Memphis, the stakes seem bigger than they’ve been in quite some time. Conference realignment rumors look as if they’ll continue to swirl into the football calendar, NIL have’s and have-not’s seemingly continue to widen, and the Tigers are coming off back-to-back middling seasons. While the games will be ultimately decided on the field, Memphis fans can do their part in supporting the football program and university in uncertain days ahead.
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