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- Today on Sports Files I'll
talk football with Tennessee

Head Coach Butch Jones and
roundball with Memphis women's

coach Melissa McFerrin and
star senior guard Ariel Hearn.

[theme music]

Later in the show
Tennessee Vols Head Football

Coach Butch Jones sits down
with me for a candid one on one

interview, fresh off the big
orange's win against Georgia,

but first let's talk some hoops.

The University of Memphis
women's basketball team is

gearing up for a new season on
the hardwood but go into the

campaign
currently in a dry spell.

The Tigers have failed to reach
the post season each of the last

two seasons.

Head Coach Melissa McFerrin is
entering her eighth season at

the helm and there suddenly
seems to be a sense of urgency.

McFerrin is the Tigers
third winningest coach in their

history and has three seasons of
20 or more victories at Memphis

under her belt, but the program
has struggled to stay in the

upper tier of the
American Athletic Conference.

This season the Tigers have
their entire starting five back.

In fact, nearly all their
scoring from a season ago

returns and McFerrin is hopeful
the chemistry and experience

will take the team a long way.

Today the state of the Memphis
women's basketball program with

Head Coach Melissa McFerrin and
star senior guard Ariel Hearn.

And it's next on Sports Files.

[theme music]

Coach, great to have you.

Ariel, you're already laughing.

What's going on?

How are you?

- I'm just happy to be here.

I'm good.

- Yeah, thanks for coming in.

We appreciate it.

Another season, Melissa.

I know you guys are fired up.

All five starters back.

First time for you
here at Memphis.

96.8% of your
scoring from last year.

A bunch of
rebounding, a bunch of this,

a bunch of that.

I would imagine the expectations
are pretty high for you guys.

- The expectations are
very high in our own camp.

We had no seniors last year.

We lost no one to graduation.

We returned every player and
we've added four additional

players to our team.

We're lead by four seniors,
which I would imagine all are

going to be in the
starting lineup.

So, we feel like
this is our time.

We've spent the last two years
getting ready to play in this

new conference.

When Ariel was a
sophomore, we were very,

very young.

In our first years,
started three sophomores and two

freshmen in that year.

But now we feel like we've made
the proper transition to be able

to compete in the
American Athletic Conference.

- Ariel, I would imagine that
having your teammates back,

the starters that
you've played along with,

to have that chemistry is
very pivotal for this team

to have success.

- It's great.

It's great to have
Mooriah Rowser back.

I feel like she's
gonna be 100% this year.

Asianna Fuqua-Bey, I
love her running the floor.

I know she's running up the
floor looking for a lay-up.

Brianna Wright, she's
down there in the post.

I expect to get a lot of
rebounds and get a lot

of points.

- You have been an all AAC
selection the last couple

of years.

You're 12th on the
  Memphis scoring list,

which is amazing.

You got a whole year to go.

With that said, I would
  imagine you're a team player.

The most important thing to you
  is to get this team back in to

the post season.

(Ariel)
  I'm hyped, I'm hyped.

Coach has been talking
  a lot about being a leader

in the post season.

I think that is our
biggest goal this year.

If we reach it, I think that'd
be a great success for us.

As far as me, I'll keep
doing what I've been doing.

Scoring the ball,
assisting, rebounding,

talking, being a leader.

- Tell me about her.

- Ariel has been a player who
from the day she came to us,

she loved to play the game.

And she has grown from that
player who just loved to play

the game who could
  score the basketball,

who brought a lot of
  energy to the floor.

Her freshman year, Ariel didn't
  really think she was going to be

a defender.

Now we've got a player who has
  now really bought into not only

scoring but creating for
  others and truly has become

our best defender.

I think the final piece for
  Ariel is the leadership piece.

And I think she's really
  serious about carrying that

responsibility this
  year for our team.

(Greg)
  Ariel, describe your coach.

What type of coach is Melissa?

- She's a great coach.

She has a lot of knowledge.

I say that about
her all the time.

She's very intelligent.

Some days she can
get a little crazy.

What's not to
expect in a head coach?

So, I expect that
each and every day.

She pushes us hard.

She pushes us to
be a great team.

And she also pushes me
to be a great player.

- What's the most important
thing you've learned over your

tenure at Memphis?

- What have I learned?

(Greg)
  It can be on the
  court or even off the court.

Maybe something that you've
learned from being a part of

this team.

- What I have learned, one
thing I can say I learned from

Melissa, whenever I'm not having
a good day or whenever I come to

practice, she told me
about this ten step plan.

My last sentence before
I walk in to the gym,

I just clear my mind, clear my
head about everything that's

going on no matter
if it's good or bad.

Basketball is my main focus
for the next couple of hours.

- Without getting in
to too much depth,

ten step plan.

Give me an idea of what that is.

- I would say we're in
charge of our own attitude.

At any moment, we
can be in charge.

That has nothing to do with the
circumstances in our life or in

the situation.

So, regardless of what's
happened throughout the course

of the day, my last ten steps
before I enter the gym floor are

a time that I use to get my
mind right and to be good

for our team.

And I think Ariel really wants
to be a really great player

every day.

And she's bought in to those
things that not every day is a

great day.

Not every day is
cake and ice cream.

But everyday we've got to
go to work and get better.

- We talked about the core,
the starters that are back.

And you said four new additions.

One of those players,
a player from Europe,

first time.

You have a couple of Canadians.

But first time you've reached in
to Europe to bring in a player.

Tell me about her and
how is her English.

- Her English
actually is pretty good.

She is one of those young ladies
from Montenegro who they were

schooled in English.

So, I believe she
speaks four languages.

She is a kid with a
really, really good heart.

She was dying to come to the
states to play basketball and

pursue her dream.

So, she is here
really, really fresh,

really, really motivated.

We have begun to recruit
overseas more because as the

American game has developed,
there aren't enough players

here, particularly big players.

So, many of us go overseas
seeking more players to create

-- to enlarge our prospect pool.

And also, to sign big players.

- This conference is tough.

Everybody knows that.

Ariel, is it a blessing or
a curse to be in the same

conference with Connecticut?

- It's a blessing.

It is a blessing.

I love stepping on the court
no matter who the opponent is.

Connecticut is a great team.

I love stepping on
the floor to them.

I love a challenge.

Connecticut is a challenge.

- Melissa, you..

Anything could happen
in sports, as we know.

But it would take
a Titanic effort,

probably a partial breakdown
for Connecticut to not win.

So, when you go in to the
conference knowing that you

could perform really well
but the chances to win the

conference are very limited
because there is Connecticut,

which is a very special program.

So, how tough of a challenge
is that in trying to sell that

to recruits?

- Well, we sell a lot
playing against the best.

And not only U-Conn in our
league but South Florida is

going to open up as
number 15 in the rankings.

Temple is going to be very good.

Tulane is going to be very good.

So, we talk about U-Conn
but that's not our focus.

And I tell people all the time.

It's not just the American
Athletic Conference

chasing U-Conn.

The entire country
is chasing U-Conn.

So, we're not unique
in that challenge.

- Alright, major rule
changes to the women's game.

You're going four quarters.

What type of a
difference does that make?

I'll get you in a second, Ariel.

But Coach, what does that mean
in preparing for a season with

this major rule change?

- I don't know that it's
going to be a drastic change.

We're still gonna have a
time out every five minutes as

opposed to every four minutes.

So, there's going to be a little
bit of a conditioning factor or

a little bit of a substitution
factor where you might sub at a

four minute media time.

Now it's going to
stretch to five.

Number of time outs are
going to be the same.

We're not going to see
any significant difference.

But I think it is going to be a
mindset for our players to play

that extra minute.

And that will be a
conditioning factor.

- Is Coach right
with what she's saying?

It's going to be more a
mental thing for you,

not so much a physical?

- I think it
would be more mental.

I'm going in to four quarters.

I think everybody's
getting used to that.

Two 20 minute halves is..

A lot of people said
it's to be dragging.

So, I know for me going in
to the four quarters is just,

you know, it's time to grind.

Three quarters, whatever.

Tied or not, the fourth
quarter, it's time to go.

- Other rule changes
that affect the game?

- Well, in addition
to the four quarters,

we are also
advancing the basketball.

So, very similar to what you see
in the NBA or the WNBA but not

the men's game.

The men are not doing this.

I'm sure they will follow soon.

I'm not sure but I would think.

So, the last 59.9
seconds of the game,

assuming you do not advance the
basketball by pass or dribble,

before calling the timeout, we
will actually be able to take

the basketball to the 28
foot line in the front court.

That does change
things dramatically.

That means a three point game
or even a four point game on a

short clock, you can make up a
lot of time if you make a couple

shots, get a steal, foul, call,
advance two times or even three

times throughout the
course of the end of the game.

So, I think that part is going
to change the game dramatically.

And it's going to keep the
scores tighter as we go down the

stretch, particularly if you
have a player like Ariel who

does a pretty good job of
putting in that last bucket.

- Ariel, what do you expect from
yourself and from the team this

season your senior year?

What are your goals and
aspirations for this final year?

- First and foremost,
get to post season.

Get to post season with
  my team, be a leader,

a great leader on and
  off the court as far

as communicaton wise.

Keep being an energy person.

Whenever things get
  tough and down for us,

you know, be that person that
  continues to stay positive and

encourage my teammates.

As far as my team, I think
  we're going to be great.

Like Coach said, we got
  four returning starters.

I think we're going to be
  great running the floor wise.

The new Canadian we got is
  going to be great for us.

All of our other people are
going to be great for us.

- Alright.

I'm going to put
you on the spot.

I know one day you may
want to be doing what I do,

be in this seat.

Look in to that camera and tell
a recruiter out there why they

should come to the University of
Memphis and follow Ariel Hearn.

- It's a great environment.

University of Memphis
has a great women's

basketball program.

Excuse me.

Led by a great coach
in Melissa McFerrin.

- Very well done.

We'll be looking forward to you
in this seat one day many years

from now after you're
hopefully professional.

Do you want to play
professional ball?

- Yes sir, I do.

(Greg)
  What are her
  chances you think?

- Ariel has got good chances.

Ariel already has identified as
probably one of the top 15 or 20

guards in the country.

There will be some people
looking at her this year.

If not in person, they
will be watching tape on her.

They're going to make
sure that they know..

Can she play the point?

That's going to be a
question at the next level.

Can she be a true combo?

They're going to want to see her
shooting percentage go up just a

little bit.

They're going to want to
see those leadership skills.

But Ariel without question
has an opportunity to be a pro.

It's just going to depend
on at what level as a pro.

Your fans will get a chance to
see you as part of Fan Fest.

That will be on the 24th, a
couple of Saturdays from now or

a Saturday from
now as this airs.

Also, Heels in
Hoops that same night.

So, it's going to be a busy
  October 24th for you guys.

Tell me about the events.

(Melissa)
  Typical great opening
  day for Memphis basketball.

The Fan Fest, I think they're
  still working out a few of the

details but it's going to be an
  interactive autograph session.

Both men's and women's programs
  at the Forum earlier in the day.

Then we're going to go do
  a little costume change,

so to speak.

Go to Heels in Hoops, which is
  our major fundraiser put on by

our Fast Break Club.

We will begin our social hour at
  6:30 and then the doors open at

7:00 with the
fabulous Steeler band.

- And that's at the University
of Memphis Holiday Inn.

How can people get tickets?

- You can go online.

You can call the..

Go online ticket office.

We are selling Heels in Hoops
single tickets for $100 a piece.

You can buy a table for $1000.

The tables are
going very quickly.

We're anticipating
between 350 and 400 people.

So, I heard, Ariel,
it's a Halloween theme.

So, what are you guys
going to do about the theme?

You going to dress accordingly?

- Yes, we are.

We have a little dance routine,
something I don't want

to reveal yet.

But it's going to be a
great night with our boosters.

- The players always open
up the event with a dance.

So, the players open up the
event with their own little

dance to put
everybody in the mood.

It is a Halloween theme.

So, the dance will also
be a Halloween theme.

And you're not going
to want to miss it.

- How nice is it
to once in a while,

you get away from basketball.

You're out there.

You're competitive.

You're sweatin'.

And then you get up and you get
nice and dressed and proper like

a woman does and looking good
and having your fans out there

to see you in that sense?

- It's great with our boosters.

They love us.

They say all the time we make
their day but I think truly they

make our day.

Heels in Hoops is a great night
spent with them and our coaches.

Like you said, it's a time to
relax and just be yourself off

the basketball court.

And that night we see a lot of
personalities from within our

players and our boosters.

- You see a lot of
heels about this high,

too, from the players.

- Do you worry, oh my
gosh, they're in heels.

All I need is a
twisted ankle, God forbid.

- No, we'll be fine.

- Cost of attendance.

New, obviously, Memphis and
American is part of that.

You know the power five and
the money they have to be able

to do that.

Now you have other
conferences following suit.

As I said, the
AAC is part of it.

Memphis is part of it.

How important is that?

- I think it's critical.

We have players on our team in
the past who truly just from --

I'm not talking about
an elaborate lifestyle.

I'm talking about a regular
student lifestyle that maybe

didn't have the funds for that.

Now certainly not
all of our players.

But I think we all would
agree that for the time and the

commitment that our
players make to our university,

we would like to help them
out a little bit financially.

We've also done a
few other things.

With the additional funds
that they're going to receive,

we've done a lot of financial
planning because I've told our

players that this truly is
life changing money if you're

responsible with it.

This is hard fought money.

It's university money.

It's donor money.

It's not free so we want to make
sure that we're good stewards of

the money that's
been given to us.

- Well said.

Memphis Fan Fest on
the 24th during the day.

Heels in Hoops in the evening
at the University of Memphis

Holiday Inn.

Melissa, it's always a pleasure.

Ariel, great job today.

Looking forward to watching you
in your senior season out there.

- Thank you.

- That's Ariel Hearn.

That's Melissa McFerrin with the
University of Memphis Women's

Basketball team.

We thank them for joining us.

Coming up next is Overtime.

[theme music]

Now, some pigskin.

The Tennessee Vols are enjoying
a bye week after rallying from a

24-3 deficit last Saturday
to post a 38-31 victory over

Georgia at Neyland Stadium.

It was a complete 180 from
earlier results this season when

UT blew double-digit
leads in losses to Oklahoma,

Florida and Arkansas.

Head Coach Butch Jones had been
under fire before his team came

through with their win over the
Bulldogs and was in pretty good

spirits when he sat down to chat
with me earlier in the week at

the Touchdown Club of Memphis.

Butch, great to
have you in Memphis,

as always.

- Oh, it's always great
to be back in Memphis.

- How gratifying, how satisfying
was that victory over Georgia?

- Well, it was a great victory
for us for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, our players.

We've been through a lot and
think it really showed the

resiliency, the resolve, the
character of our football team

by which we were able to come
back against a quality opponent

and find a way to win a football
game and to finish the game off.

- Was it hard or relatively easy
to keep the spirits up for these

players, for this team, for this
program after the tough luck

losses you've had?

- Well, we've been
in some tough games.

And four fo them have come down
to the final possession or final

quarter and three
final possessions.

So, it's been a great year
in terms of developing

how to finish.

But really, we have great
character in our football

program, great
competitive character.

And really all this has done
is it's galvanized our football

team and our football family.

And finally, they are rewarded
for all their hard work

and diligence.

- So, is the
secret getting behind?

Is that what you need to do?

(Butch)
  Well, I don't like that either.

- No, you don't.

- But you know what?

It's just a consistency in
performance each and every time

we step out on the football
field whether it's in practice

or obviously in
competition on game days.

But we're learning and
we're getting better.

I see us making progress.

The bye week's coming
at an appropriate time.

We're really
banged up right now.

You look at our offensive line.

We've had individuals
that have really grinded

their way through.

And then we're playing Georgia,
a very talented defense,

and the right side of our
line comprised of true freshmen,

both at the right guard and
right tackle position with

Chance Hall and Jack Jones.

And then obviously all
the freshmen on defense.

But the kids are doing a great
job and our older players are

really stepping up now.

- Injury is part of the game.

But you really have had to
deal with a lot of not just

those injuries.

It seemed like even
before the season,

you would lose players.

You had to dismiss
a player recently.

I know it's part of the game
but that has to really add to

your frustration of trying to
put together a game plan each

and every week.

- Well, you're exactly right.

I mean, we're still in the
infant stages of building our

football program and you
build that being nine strong.

We talk about
power of the position.

And every position
grew being strong.

And right now we're working to
build that competitive depth and

we're limited in some
positions in terms of depth.

So, anytime you have an
injury, that sets you back.

When you lose your team
leader, Curt Maggitt,

it's an opportunity for
someone else to step up.

And I see Brian Randolph
stepping up in that role.

But, you know, those are
positions that we can't lose

key performers.

But that's like you said,
the game of football and it's

another
individual's opportunity.

- We saw your quarterback put
it all together against Georgia.

Accounted for all
five touchdowns.

Some would argue,
hey Coach Jones,

Butch, unleash this guy.

We saw his ability.

We know his ability.

How excited are you to see
him put it all together?

- Well, Greg, you know, I see a
great competitive spirit in him.

And he really willed
our football team to win.

And that's what we need from him
and that's what we need from the

quarterback position.

And everyone believes in him.

And we had players step up
and make plays around him,

too.

You know, the best
play, Jalen Hurd,

all night was a third nine where
he has to go pick up a corner

blitz, which allows Josh to stay
in the pocket and Alex Ellis

down the middle for a big
critical third down conversion.

And that's what we talk about,
playing complementary football

in all three phases.

What do you think it is when you
go back and you look at tape and

discuss what's going on with
your team and your assistant

coaches, your staff, about not
being able to finish earlier in

the season?

And obviously, you got the
moneky off the back on Saturday.

- Well, I think a lot of people
just look at the end of the

games in terms of finishing.

But in the world of
football, you know,

you can finish in
the first quarter.

You can finish in the second
quarter or the third quarter.

And sometimes a football game
will come down to two to three

plays that make a difference.

Really there's been about eight
to ten plays that could have

made the difference.

And I think it's just having
that consistency in performance,

that focus that sometimes a
young football team will lose.

And maintaining that focus
for four quarters or over time.

But I think I would challenge
anybody in the country that's

played the
schedule that we played.

And like I said, three of
them will come down in the final

drive and four of
them, the final quarter.

Arguably the Arkansas
game, the final drive as well,

which will be four games.

And that's why we have to
be able to keep things in

perspective, too, in the
progress and that we're making.

You know, the players see it and
I think that's what allowed them

to go in and compete like they
did against Georgia as they see

the progress that they're
making each and every day.

- And Butch, you do a
great job of keeping things

into perspective.

You've never wavered.

The positive
attitude is always there,

even with those tough losses.

When you hear
negative things said,

when you have people throw
rumors out there about your

character, how do you respond?

- Well, people who
know me know me.

And they know
what I'm all about.

And most importantly, it's our
players and everyone associated

with that.

And you know, we're going to do
things the right way and it's

very unfortunate.

The world of Twitter and
blogs and all of that,

that goes on.

And that's part of
keeping the distractions

from your football team.

But I don't get
caught up in all of that.

I have a job to do.

And you know, I work
for a great fan base.

I work for a great institution.

And I most importantly work for
our players each and every day,

to work to put them into
positions to be successful along

with our coaching staff
and build a great culture.

And we have that.

- What do you think you
can get accomplished?

What can this team do
the rest of this season?

- Well, this bye week is
coming at the right time,

first and foremost.

We have to get healthy.

And then we have to go
back to the fundamentals.

We have to improve our tackling,
our takeaway on defense,

leveraging the football
and then offensively,

the same thing.

Just the overall execution and
continue to grow and develop.

Each and every day is going to
be a challenge obviously with

Alabama being the first
game off the bye week.

But the bye week is coming
at the appropriate time.

- Who has been the
biggest surprise for you?

- In terms of player wise?

- Yes.

- You know what?

I would say just the
freshmen class in general.

They've done a very, very good
job and they've had to play in

some critical moments.

The maturity.

And I think they've been
aided by the maturity and the

leadership of our senior
class and our older players.

But been very, very pleased
with our entire freshmen class.

- Butch, I'm sure you saw the
news today about Will Grier,

who's gone for the
rest of the year.

You play them.

Obviously you had them down.

They ended up
coming back and winning.

When you see that you played
a team that had a player that

probably shouldn't
have been playing,

what do you think?

- Well, I haven't really
given it much thought.

Actually I just found out
when I got off the plane.

So, you know, I know this is.

Florida is a very
talented football team.

They're one of the better
defenses that we've played

all year.

I thought we had a
great game plan.

Unfortunately we weren't
able to finish the game

and get the victory.

But I really haven't
given that much thought.

- Tennessee has an amazing
fan base here in Memphis.

Great recruits as well.

How important is
this city for you?

- Well, it's critical.

You know, it's a part of
the great state of Tennessee.

Have tremendous respect for all
the high school coaches in this

area and all the great
high school football players.

And that's why any opportunity
I get a chance to come back to

Memphis, I'm over here.

- You guys are a
coaching fraternity,

all you coaches.

You know probably
just about everyone.

If not, you'll
meet them one day.

When you see a story, the
struggles of what's happened to

him, again, being
in that coaching fraternity,

that must be rough for all you
guys to see a fellow coach have

the struggles that he's having.

- Well, you're exactly right.

It is a fraternity.

And pretty much
everyone knows everyone.

And if not, you build
those relationships

with different events.

But it's very unfortunate
and wish him well in all that.

But this is a tough profession.

And it's a very
close knit profession.

And, you know, half of
your profession loses,

you know.

And unfortunately you're
gauged by wins and losses.

That's our profession.

That's the
profession that we chose.

But it's also a very rewarding
profession when you have the

opportunity to shape lives like
we have the opportunity to do.

- Always great to
have you in Memphis.

Always good to
talk to you, Butch.

- Oh, it's great to talk to you.

- Thank you so much.

That's Butch Jones.

The Volunteers return to
action next Saturday at Alabama.

The Memphis Tigers and Ole Miss
Rebels went at it earlier today

at Liberty Bowl Stadium in one
of the biggest regular season

games in University of
Memphis pigskin history.

Of course we taped this program
earlier in the week so we

obviously have no
idea as to the result.

The Tigers were hosting a ranked
team at the Liberty Bowl for the

first time as a ranked team.

Memphis was number 22
in the coaches poll.

A couple of other quick notes.

Steve Spurrier announced that he
was stepping down immediately as

the South Carolina Head Coach.

Florida Quarterback Will Grier
was suspended for a year for the

use of performance enhancing
drugs and Ole Miss star left

tackle Laramey Tunsil will be
eligible to play next weekend

versus Texas A and M after
missing seven games as an NCAA

penalty for several
rules violations.

And that's going
to do it for now.

Have a great week and
we'll see you next time.

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