Feb. 21, 2008

MEMPHIS, TENN. - University of Memphis football coach Tommy West announced today that he has recommended to the Tennessee Board of Regents the hiring of former Southern Miss assistant coach Lytrel Pollard to serve as the Tigers' cornerbacks coach.

Pollard spent the last nine seasons on Jeff Bower's staff at USM serving as the defensive backs coach as well as the special teams coordinator. A former standout Golden Eagle linebacker, Pollard had previously worked with linebackers for six years before taking over the defensive backs.

"Lytrel is an outstanding addition to our staff," said West. "He brings knowledge of our conference and experience working with one of the top defenses year in and year out in our league. I have always been impressed with their aggressive style of defense."

"Lytrel was born and raised in south Mississippi and has good recruiting contacts in that area," added West.

In 2007, Pollard guided the USM defensive backs which logged 17 interceptions and was led by Conference USA standout Brandon Sumrall. Sumrall totaled six picks for 101 yards and made one return for a touchdown last season and was named to the All-C-USA first team. He also tied for 18th nationally in interceptions and tallied eight pass breakups. In addition, defensive backs C.J. Bailey and Chico Hunter were named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team.

Consistent defensive leaders in Conference USA, USM ranked second in C-USA in total defense and pass defense while leading the league in red zone defense. Pollard also guided the special teams unit, which was highlighted by punter Britt Barefoot who ranked second in C-USA and 25th nationally in punting. The Golden Eagles as a team ranked second in the league in net punting and was also second in kickoff coverage.

Pollard coached the 2005 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and All-American Kevis Coley, who posted 150 tackles (81 solos, 69 assists), the sixth-best performance in school history. Coley's total tackles ranked No. 8 nationally, while his solos stood No. 7 nationally. Even more than that, Pollard also helped Wayne Hardy make the move from fullback to linebacker, and as a result, Hardy finished fifth on the team in tackles.

In addition, Pollard led a strong special teams unit in 2005, as All-American and All-Conference USA performer Darren McCaleb, who was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, set the school single-season record with 23 field goals, most points in a season (107), while tying the school's game record with four field goals against East Carolina. In addition, All-American punter Luke Johnson was the No. 1 punter in Conference USA and was ranked No. 7 nationally in yards per punt (44.9). The school's most prolific return man, John Eubanks had another strong year, and currently plays in the NFL with the Washington Redskins.

A native of Bay Springs, Miss., Pollard played at Stringer High School and completed an outstanding Golden Eagle playing career in 1997 by helping lead the team to a 9-3 record, a C-USA championship and a Liberty Bowl title. He led the team in tackles with 114, a total that was good for fifth place in the conference. He was in double figures in tackles eight times in 11 games as a senior and had a season-best 13 stops in the season opener at Florida.

He finished his Golden Eagle career with 274 tackles, nearly reaching the top 10 on the career tackles list at Southern Miss, and he was named permanent captain his senior season.

Pollard earned his undergraduate degree from Southern Miss in coaching and sport administration in the spring of 1998, and his master's in the fall of 1999.