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Memphis Tigers

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Memphis Tigers

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Memphis, behind first year head coach Ryan Silverfield, finished third in American last year and had an overall record of 8-3, including a victory over Florida Atlantic in the Montgomery Bowl.

Although they bring back a lot of players from that surprising team, they don’t have any quarterbacks on the roster that have played more than a handful of downs for the Tigers.

Finding a replacement for school passing leader Brady White will be a challenge, but Silverfield has a couple of experienced transfers who could help fill his shoes at quarterback and continue the upward trajectory that former coaches Justin Fuente and Mike Norvell began.

Memphis Tigers Standings

The Memphis Tigers have been a top-performing team in recent years, with a solid record of wins and losses. Their current stats and standings place them among the competitive teams in the conference, with a talented roster of players and a dedicated coaching staff.

The Tigers are known for their fast-paced, high-scoring offenses, and tenacious defenses, making them a formidable opponent on the field.

Memphis Tigers Betting Trends

Memphis Tigers History

Tulane, Memphis had a satisfying 2020 campaign, especially after Silverfield had several key players opt out of the season. Their passing attack was third in the conference and 17th in the nation, averaging just under 308 yards per game.

The Achilles heel of the defense was against the pass, next to last in the conference and 117th in the country, giving up almost 290 yards a game through the air. The unit was able to stiffen near the goal line, as the defense was 56th in points allowed but 88th in total yards per contest.

Key Players

It’s unlikely the passing game will be as effective as it was a season ago, so the leading rusher from 2020 will need to step up his contribution. Sophomore Rodrigues Clark ran for 561 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 136 carries, averaging a modest 4.1 yards per attempt.

Free safety Quindell Johnson was the team’s leading tackler in 2020, not a great indicator of defensive success, but he’ll need to continue his stellar play if the passing defense is going to show much needed improvement.

Nose tackle Morris Joseph Jr. is only player on the front of the defense to come back after leading Memphis with eight sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss in 2020. He’ll be relied on again to anchor a squad that needs to make forward strides for the Tigers to challenge Cincinnati, UCF and Tulsa for the league title.

Key Additions

Quarterback Grant Gunnell transferred in from Arizona, where he played 12 games and tossed 15 touchdown passes. His experience could help the team get over the loss of White, especially if the running game can improve.

Mississippi State transfer Devon Robinson will bring talent and depth to the defensive line, the unit that has the least number of returning starters. He may back up Joseph Jr. or defensive Mike MacIntyre could get creative to get them both on the field at the same time.

At center, Jakari Robinson came in from Cincinnati and will join three other returning starters to give the Tigers a chance at making big improvements in the running game.

Key Subtractions

When Brady White decided not to come back for another season, it left a big hole in the offense after he threw for 3,380 yards, 31 touchdowns and tossed 10 interceptions. White wasn’t drafted and although he was invited to the Tennessee Titans training camp, he is no longer on the roster.

Tahj Washingtion earned freshman all-conference honors in 2020 after catching 43 passes, averaging 17.3 yards per reception and serving as a good complement to leading receiver Calvin Ausin III. He ended up transferring to USC following the season.

Conference Outlook

The American has a history of producing teams that threaten to upset the College Football Playoff (CFP) monopoly by Power Five conference schools and 2021 is no different. Cincinnati went unbeaten in 2020 after defeating Tulsa in the conference championship game, then came close to knocking off Georgia in the Peach Bowl, losing to the Bulldogs by the score of 24-21.

The Bearcats are ranked eighth in the preseason polls and will have a chance to make some noise nationally with back to back games at Indiana and Notre Dame. Tulsa again looks to challenge Cincinnati, with UCF and Houston also in the mix.

If Memphis comes up with a good solution at quarterback, they could also contend. SMU, Tulane, East Carolina and Navy will be battling for position in the middle of the American pack, with South Florida and Temple trying to stay out of the conference cellar.

Memphis Offense

It’s worth repeating for the third time that the Tigers need to settle on a solution at quarterback. With Austin III back at receiver, an experienced running back in Johnson and a beefed up offensive line, the pieces are in place for them to be good and perhaps more balanced than a year ago.

They’re thin along the line, however and any injury issues will necessitate the insertion of untested freshman into the lineup. With a defense that will likely struggle against the top teams in the conference, any inconsistency by the offense will make it difficult for the Tigers to get too far above .500 on the season.

Memphis Defense

The most experienced unit for the defense is the secondary, where MacIntyre will have former returning starters across the board, including La’Andre Thomas who sat out last season after starting at cornerback in 2019. Most of the linebacking corps is also back, with the primary question mark coming along the front line.

Joseph should again provide reliability, but he’s the only starter back up front and it’s likely they’ll need to find a way to have Robinson contribute in some way. If things come together and they can avoid key injuries, the defense could be good enough to support an offense that will be finding its way with a new quarterback, giving Memphis a chance at another surprising season.

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