The Importance of Beginnings

emphis' biggest game could come first. An upset win against Mississippi State would give the U of M a chance to start its season 4-2 and provide Rip Scherer's program with ammunition to fight the encroachment of the NFL Oilers. A win at Starkville Saturday would give Scherer his first road win against an SEC school and his first season-opening win since he stepped up to Division-I football in 1995. A win would provide further proof, after Tennessee and two solid recruiting classes, that Scherer has improved the Memphis program.

"I understand where you're coming from," Scherer says about the importance of Mississippi State, "but I don't want our kids to think that the season is over if we don't win that game."

Scherer admits that his staff has been talking about MSU since February, when they began preparing for the '97 season. He says his players picked up on it during the summer and have carried it through preseason drills.

"I feel good about how our players are preparing mentally for this game," he says. "All summer our kids have talked about Mississippi State, and I think that is one of the advantages of playing a good program in your opener. I think the kids know that if we are not at our very best we don't have a chance in this game."

Scherer is 0-2 against both head coach Jackie Sherrill and his defensive coordinator, Joe Lee Dunn, who was at Arkansas during Scherer's first Memphis season. Scherer is certain he doesn't want his team caught up in the Joe Lee Dunn mythology.

"I think one of the big things Joe Lee has done -- to his credit -- is to create an aura about his defense that the blitz becomes your major focus. And yet when you look at it, they are a conservative blitz team," Scherer says. "You spend a great deal of your time preparing for something that they don't, in reality, do a whole lot."

It was Dunn, hired by former Tiger coach Chuck Stobart, who first installed the gambling, pressure defense which became a hallmark of Tiger football and was carried on later by Tim Rose, who succeeded Dunn as defensive coordinator at the U of M. Two of Dunn's assistants, linebacker coach Keith Butler and defensive line coach Wayne Weedon, are still at Memphis.

When Scherer first arrived in Memphis, he had to address questions of defensive "style." Scherer and his defensive coordinator Jim Pletcher have opted for a more basic defense, but have generally managed to maintain the team's success at stopping opponents.

Opening in Starkville poses an additional problem for Memphis -- it will be the first game Mississippi State has played since the drowning death of senior running back Keefer McGee. Sherrill, who once castrated a bull to motivate his team, won't have to say much this time.

"Coach Sherrill has been doing this a lot longer that I have," Scherer says. "He'll have them ready to play for four quarters. My biggest concern is not them, but us. If you start trying to focus on the other team's mindset and what's going on with them, I think you're falling into a more serious trap."

Scherer says he isn't worried about what some see as an emotional edge for MSU. "In reality the emotion lasts all through pre-game, in the locker room, through the opening kickoff, and maybe the first play or first series," he says. "It's a football game after that."

How important is this trip to Starkville? Look at the Memphis schedule. The five games after Mississippi State should be easier than the five conference games that close the season. A victory Saturday could generate momentum for home wins against UAB, Minnesota, and Arkansas State.

That's a 4-2 start. Think Scherer would be happy with that?