The Other Side of the Wall: Memphis
Troy hasn’t played in Memphis in 82 years, and that changes Saturday. The Trojans haven’t beaten the Tigers in 86 years.
That may not be changing just yet.
Memphis is one of the best teams in the Group of Five, at least according to the preseason prognosticators, and mostly because it hasn’t lost since November. That run includes a Liberty Bowl win over Iowa State.
It began with a close loss to SMU, which happens to also be Nevada’s last loss too.
It’s not 2023 anymore, though, something we all learned the hard way last week. So what is this 2024 Memphis team about?
| Team | Memphis (1-0) |
|---|---|
| Time, Network | 11 am, ESPNU |
| 2023 Record | 10-3 (6-2) |
| Troy’s Record | 1-4 |
| Last Matchup | L 0-32 (1941) |
| Preseason Conf. Rank | 1st AAC |
| FPI Rank | 74 |
| FPI Win% (Troy) | 38.3% |
| Spread | Memphis -17 |
They’re about beating a North Alabama team in a sloppy fashion. I can’t say a 40-0 win wasn’t convincing, but the Tigers missed an extra point, a field goal and gosh darn it, that punter had to stroll out there twice.
The Felines Formerly known as Florence State threw two picks and coughed up a fumble. The Tigers held UNA under 70 yards rushing, and a third of that was one single 21-yard scamper by the punter in the fourth quarter.
So it was really 49 yards on the ground.
The pass defense was equally fierce, with 5 sacks, 2 picks and a 23-yard completion on UNA’s first attempt—which ended up being its longest all day.
Memphis’s offense was clicking like it didn’t stop playing in the offseason. Seth Henigan was deadly, with 308 yards, 2 TDs and just 8 drops all night.
The Tigers clearly didn’t need to run the ball, but Mario Anderson looked like Kimani Vidal against UNA. He had 46 yards on 10 carries and 2 touchdowns of his own.
It’s clear that Troy is Memphis’ first real test, at the very least being the first FBS team it’s faced. But how does UNA compare to FBS teams?
Let’s compare last year’s stats.
| UNA 2023 | FBS Rank/Comp. | |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Yds | 227.7 | 61/Marshall |
| Rushing Yds | 162.4 | 60/UAB |
| PPG | 22.9 | 102/Marshall |
| Passing Yds Allowed | 257.0 | 117/Liberty |
| Rushing Def | 176.5 | 106/Army |
| Def PPG | 32.7 | 111/Texas State |
That’s a ton of really bad rankings for scoring and defense, and that’s a season-long average. I think it’s safe to knock UNA down a peg further, but there aren’t too many of those left.
The point is Memphis truly got a punching bag to start the season. I don’t expect Troy to roll over as easily, but the Tigers should clean up their mistakes too.
So the question is, what did this game tell Memphis fans about the team this year? To find out, we reached out to Bryan at TigerSportsReport.com, the Memphis Rivals site.
Describe this season’s expectations like a movie trailer.
“This fall… the city of Memphis is ready for a reckoning. After seasons of grinding, clawing, and coming so close to glory, the Tigers are back — hungrier, stronger, and faster than ever before. Under the bright lights of Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Coach Ryan Silverfield leads a team fueled by ambition and packed with talent, where every yard, every play, and every touchdown is one step closer to destiny.”
“The stakes have never been higher. With a dynamic offense led by Seth Henigan, the Tigers are ready to strike like lightning and a defense standing tall like a fortress, the Tigers have one goal in mind: to dominate the AAC and rise to national prominence. Can they silence the doubters and reclaim their throne in a conference brimming with challengers?”
“Old rivalries will be reignited. New stars will rise. And Memphis fans will be on the edge of their seats as the Tigers go to battle for a chance at a bowl game — and maybe a CFB Playoff run.”
Okay, I’ve got chills. Nicely done.
What’s your favorite play to run with Memphis in College Football 25?
It’s probably the Gun Trips Middle Slant. The Tigers have speedy receivers and usually 2 of the 3 receivers or Tight End is open. The running back sweeps out of the backfield as well.
There’s actually a lot of good plays in the Memphis playbook.
I’m a fan of middle passes/shotgun passes. You really learn to read the defense with them.
Which archetype is Coach Silverfield strongest – Recruiting, Motivation or Scheme?
Silverfield is definitely a recruiter first and a motivator 2nd. He has brought the Tigers recruiting game to the next level. He has had the top recruiting class in Memphis’ history I believe 3 out of the 4 years he’s been head coach.
Motivator being top 2 is incredibly important, honestly.
What game are fans looking forward to most? Why?
Florida State. Why? They’ll be facing former Memphis coach Mike Norvell.
What did we learn about Memphis from the UNA game?
Nothing too much. The offense was vanilla but the defense was fast. We learned that DC Jordan Hankins is the real deal.
What are three names on defense Troy fans should pay attention to? Why?
Chandler Martin. The dude is just a baller. I can easily see him playing on Sundays soon. Martin is the best Memphis linebacker on the team.
Patrick Lucas Jr. It’s been a while since Memphis had a dominant defensive tackle. Lucas Jr has all the tools to be that guy.
Greg Rubin. Rubin plays the Tiger position and can cover the field and lay the wood.
FYI, the Tiger position is a hybrid role in the secondary, and it seems to be more of a nickel corner-type position.
When Memphis snaps the ball, what is most likely to happen?
In years past I would have said Run, Run, Pass. Not anymore with OC Tim Cramsey. Cramsey has done an excellent job of mixing it up so what will he do? It’s different for every game.
I like that. Memphis passed a LOT against UNA because it worked. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
If we wake up Sunday and the underdog wins, what happened the day before?
Memphis completely lost focus and more than likely killed themselves with turnovers.
If we’re in town, where should we go eat?
Pretty much any BBQ place you go to is good. My favorite is Arnold’s BBQ. Beale Street is a must and any place there is great. Before leaving town, you must go to the Bass Pro Shop. It’s in the Pyramid. You’ll thank me later.
I have actually been to the Pyramid. He’s right.
What’s one question you have for us about Troy, if you have one (we’ll answer in the article)?
A lot of the G5 schools are trying to get into the P4. As long as there’s access for the G5 in the college football playoffs, I feel being a G5 school isn’t that bad. There’s an easier path to the playoffs being a top 5 G5 school rather than being a bottom feeder in the P4. What is your view of the G5 and their future?
I mean, you and I seem to agree on the most important area honestly. Access is all we wanted.
Troy fans have been at the FBS level for 20+ years now, and we’re not interested in being a second-tier, FCS clone division at this point. The fact that the G5 is guaranteed a spot in the playoff is enough for me to be happy about the situation.
And you’re right, the number of G5 teams gunning for the playoff spot is more competitive and more accessible than the third or fourth-best power 5 teams trying to sneak in. Memphis will always have a better chance than Vandy, and Troy will have a better chance than say, Wake Forest… which is good for the sport.
This isn’t going to be an easy stretch of games before we get to ULM. Even FAMU is a worldbeater at this point.
If Troy shows up and Memphis makes a ton of mistakes, Troy could conceivably win this game.
That’s just taking us back down to the level of coaching. Ryan Silverfield has a few years under his belt—successful ones too.
Gerad needs time to grow, and a schedule that allows development. He’s not getting the latter.
Memphis 31, Troy 17.
Special thanks to Bryan and TigerSportsReport.com. You can follow them on Twitter here.