Penny Hardaway has just one thing on his mind as Memphis basketball gears up for the official start of practice.
Momentum.
Pressure? Hardly.
“No pressure on me,” said Hardaway, who is entering his ninth season as coach following a disappointing 13-19 campaign. “I’m from this city, I’m for this city. I want to win, so that doesn’t bring pressure to me.
“I keep saying ‘momentum,’ because that’s what I believe in. Right now, it’s at an all-time high, and we’re trying to move.”
Hardaway, during an appearance at The Legacy Experience at the National Civil Rights Museum on Sept. 10, said the Tigers football program has given the university − and, subsequently, the city − a much-needed and well-deserved spark at a critical time as the school continues to
try to position itself favorably for the next round of conference realignment.
Football coach Charles Huff has Memphis buzzing after a 2-0 start in his first season with the Tigers, who defeated UNLV in Week 0 and are coming off a convincing victory over Arkansas State. Next up is Boise State on Sept. 12 (5 p.m., USA Network).
“Coach Huff and his staff and the team have done a phenomenal job, so that’s the positivity of what’s going on,” Hardaway said. “I’m really just kind of enjoying that while we’re getting our team ready to go, because that’s momentum.
“And we need as much positive momentum as we can get.”
Hardaway was part of the announced sellout crowd of more than 45,000 on Sept. 5 at the first game inside Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium since the bulk of its $226.5 million renovation was completed. Looking up at the West tower that overlooks the Landers Plaza and taking in the improved audio and upgraded visuals, Hardaway thought back to the first game he attended there when he was a freshman at the school in 1990.
“I enjoyed every minute of it,” he said. “I was just sitting there in awe, taking it all in, because it’s what we deserve. I loved everything about it.”
Hardaway said he’s also using the high the football Tigers are presently on to add to the motivation he feels for his own program. Last season, his team finished 13-19, the program’s worst record in 56 years.
Hardaway has long since made peace with the “what have you done for me lately” nature of sports.
“It doesn’t matter that (I’m) two years removed from (being American Conference) coach of the year and (that) we won conference,” he said. “One bad season after having those incredible runs and beating some incredible teams all goes to the wash. It’s only being glorified that I was 13-19.
“But what that does, it continues to drive me. I’m from the dirt, so I understand how that works. Nobody remembers two years ago. So, you’ve got to win.”
Hardaway’s Tigers open the season Nov. 2 against Iowa State at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com, follow him @munzly on X.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: 'No pressure' on Penny Hardaway. Memphis basketball coach only feeling momentum
