Tennessee State coach says some fans gave up on Tigers

Photo: TSU Athletic Director Teresa Phillips

By MIKE ORGAN, The Tennessean

James Webster is most proud of his Tennessee State players for not giving up on themselves and hanging on to win Saturday's game against Jackson State.

The Tigers coach is perplexed, however, by those who did give up on his team before the game ever started.

Webster said he heard from fans that threw in the towel on the Tigers after their season-opening, 49-23 loss to Alabama A&M. It was the first thing he brought up after Saturday's 16-13 win at the Memphis Liberty Bowl.

"I think there were some people who gave up on us for the season after we lost by whatever we did to Alabama A&M,'' Webster said. "That is something I don't understand."

One person who didn't give up was TSU athletics director Teresa L. Phillips, one of the first to greet the Tigers Saturday night as they came out of the locker room after rallying to win.

"Our president (Melvin Johnson) didn't give up on us and our AD didn't give up on us,'' Webster said. "And that's all I worry about because they're my boss and they're leaders. They were very supportive of us and encouraged us, and that's what matters to me."

Mentally tough

Webster said his players proved their tenacity Saturday, not becoming frustrated despite scoring only two touchdowns, and hanging tough until the final play. That's when Eric Benson kicked a 35-yard field goal in the rain for TSU's only lead.

"There was no question about it, mental toughness was the main thing we improved on from the first game to the second,'' Webster said.

"If we would have had the same mental toughness in the Alabama A&M game that we had in this game, I think we would have won the Alabama A&M game. We showed it when we were behind the entire game (against JSU) but continued to play hard."

It won't get easier for TSU this week when the Tigers travel to Austin Peay, even though the Governors were picked to finish last in the OVC in their first year back in the league. They beat Indiana State Saturday 32-17 and are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2002.

Hall's status: Starting cornerback Marquez Hall, a transfer from Vanderbilt, suffered a high ankle sprain in the fourth quarter against JSU. He is day-to-day.