July 30, 2009

Tim McGee signed with the Tigers in February 2008, and was expected to challenge for a role in the defensive line for the 2008 season. He suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery and was sidelined last season. Tim is back on the field again this fall and will help add depth and talent to the defensive front. GoTigersGo.com sat down with Tim this summer to ask a few questions. Over the next few weeks, various football Q&A sessions will be posted.

Q. What do you have going on this summer?
A. Pretty much just school and weights.

Q. What classes are you taking this summer?
A. English and racial ethics.

Q. What are you doing right now when you are not playing football?

A. Pretty much just sleeping and doing push ups and getting stronger. We hang out a little.

Q. Have you had a chance to go home this summer?
A. No. I have spent my summer just trying to focus here.

Q. What do most fans not realize about summer conditioning?
A. It's the hardest part about football .

Q. What are your goals for 2009?
A. For myself, I want to get at least two sacks on every team we play against. The tackles will come, but I want to get two sacks on every team. I'd like to be an All-American. As far as team goals, we want to be a different Memphis football team. In the past, we have been kind of up and down, but we want to be the best Memphis football team.

Q. How has your rehab gone?
A. It has gone well. I am about 90 percent right now on getting my strength back.

Q. What's the toughest part about returning from an injury and having to do so much rehab?
A. Doing it every day, and losing all of the weight.

Q. Is there anything you can tell us that Memphis fans don't know about you?
A. I am a good bit of a jokester.

Q. Have you played any jokes yet?
A. I had a Gatorade squirt bottle and my roommate was laying on the couch and I kept squirting him and ducking, but he couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

Q. Do you have any jokes prepared for the locker room this year?
A. I'd like to get my hands on some itching powder.

Q. Are you a gamer?
A. I play NCAA Football, and I am the best at Madden.

Q. The best, huh? Anybody on the team give you some competition on Madden?
A. Joel McLeod. He only beats me because I miss field goals, though.

The Tigers will report to camp on Aug. 10, and will have their first practice Aug. 11. The Highland Hundred Kick Off Banquet is slated for Aug.14, and FanFest was announced as Aug. 29. The Kick Off Banquet, which is hosted by the Highland Hundred Football booster organization, will be at the Holiday Inn-University of Memphis. Social hour begins at 6 p.m., and the banquet will start at 7 p.m. The cost is $30 per person, and the event is open to all Tiger fans regardless of membership status with the Highland Hundred. Tiger Football FanFest will be held at Echles Field on the U of M campus from 3-5 p.m. Construction on the new FedExPark at the Park Avenue Campus and at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium has forced the change of venue for the annual event. Echles Field is located east of the Larry O. Finch basketball practice facility at the corner of Goodman and Spottswood. Parking will be available in lot 15 on the northeast corner of Southern and Goodman.