The Memphis Tigers proved they are one of the most explosive offenses in the country by winning their homecoming game against the UConn Huskies 55-14.
In all facets, the Tigers were able to make big plays and had noteworthy performances at nearly every position.
Quarterbacks: A-
Brady White thrived when he was given more time in the pocket to throw. In the first half, he threw a perfect 11-for-11 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown. He got all of his pass-catchers involved early on and completed passes to nine different receivers in the game.
Backup Connor Adair came in late in the fourth quarter but had a big play. In his first and only passing play, he completed a 17-yard touchdown to wide receiver Antonio Gibson in the corner of the end zone, earning high praise from his teammates, including starting quarterback White.
“I was stoked,” White said. “I didn’t hear the play, but I saw the formation and knew what we were going to do. Myself and a few other guys ran onto the field to congratulate him.”
Running backs: A+
For the lack of production the running backs had last week against Tulane, they made up for it this week and even had 250 rushing yards in the first half alone. They finished the game with 378 yards and were helped by big performances by Patrick Taylor Jr. and Darrell Henderson, who both rushed for more than 150 yards and three touchdowns each.
Wide receivers and tight ends: A
As good of a day the unit had, no player is worthier of a mention than wide receiver Sam Craft. His six-yard reception in the first quarter was his first in-game catch since October 2016. He was a fan favorite since joining the team in 2013 and a big motivator in the locker room.
Head coach Mike Norvell was asked about Craft’s return, and he was quick to speak highly of the talented receiver who finished the game with two receptions for 14 receiving yards.
“I don’t know if Sam was more excited, or I was,” Norvell said. “That’s a young man that I absolutely love. He is such a genuine person and a hardworking young man. He’s seen adversity and seen setbacks, but he’s responded the right way each and every time.”
Offensive line: B
The unit had a much better performance this week compared to last week, when they allowed a season-high seven sacks. This week, they only allowed one sack, but a couple of pressures forced White to make some tough throws. However, they were responsible for three of the team’s eight penalties, including a costly holding call against Roger Joseph that negated a 25-yard touchdown run by Henderson.
Defensive line: B
For the second week in a row, the defensive line had a difficult time generating pressure and creating sacks. Luckily, their rushing defense was much better, and they only allowed 112 rushing yards on the day. The returns of defensive linemen O’Bryan Goodson and Emmanuel Cooper allowed the unit to limit big run plays.
Linebackers: A
The stars of the Tiger defense were the linebackers. Every starter had a solid performance, and three of them (Curtis Akins, Bryce Huff and Tim Hart) were the team’s leading tacklers. Huff shined in another big week with six total tackles and two-and-a-half for losses.
Wide receiver Austin Hall also shined but had his biggest play while in coverage. He broke up a potential touchdown pass in the end zone to go along with two tackles including half a tackle for loss. Backup linebacker Cade Mashburn made his presence felt by forcing a strip-sack in the fourth quarter.
Defensive backs: B
Defensive backs didn’t turn out the greatest performance, but the secondary had a solid outing. They allowed 215 yards on the day and got an interception courtesy of corner back Jacobi Francis in the second quarter — their first interception since their week three match up against Georgia State. In the fourth quarter, safeties Carlito Gonzalez and Colton Cochran came up with interceptions of their own, effectively ending UConn’s comeback efforts.
Special teams: B
The Tigers may have scored 55 points, but they had an opportunity to have more. Kicker Riley Patterson missed a point after kick and a 51-yard field goal to close out the first half. His play alone would have landed the unit a lower grade, but the return efforts of specialists Tony Pollard and John “Pop” Williams were some of the best moments of the game. Both had returns over 25 yards, which they made happen by speeding past tacklers and using flashy footwork to create extra yards.
Coaching: A-
It’s difficult to have a bad game coaching when everything you call on offense works. The only knock on the coaching was how easily UConn was able to convert on third down early in the game. By halftime, the Huskies had converted an impressive 7 of 11 third-down attempts. Memphis got it together after halftime, only allowing one third-down conversion on seven more attempts, making the team finish the game 8 of 17 on third-downs.
Darrell Henderson and Kedarian Jones celebrate together. The Memphis Tigers beat the UConn Huskies and got their first conference win of the season
Memphis Tigers head football coach Mike Norvell pats Darrell Henderson on the back.
