#15 Memphis Tigers |
#1 in American |
The fact that the decision to leave Memphis to become the head coach at Florida State was a tough one, is not something any of us could have predicted even a couple years ago. Memphis isn’t just better than Florida State this year, they are substantially better. The Tigers had their best season in school history last year, winning their second conference title in the past 48 years, their first solo title since winning the Missouri Valley in 1969. They got the Group of Five New Years Six auto-bid, to play in the Cotton Bowl, the first major bowl game in program history. While they lost to Penn State, they did prove that this offense can work against anyone, they just need to get the defense up to speed. While Ryan Silverfield can’t prove himself worth until at least 2021, he can certainly prove he’s not the guy for the job if he can’t keep this machine rolling in 2020. Silverfield has 20 years of coaching experience...but is just 39. He opted to take an assistant job, rather than play, while in college at Division III Hampden-Sydney. He spent seven years in the NFL as an offensive line coach with the Vikings and Lions, but his only head coaching experience was one season, in 2004, at a Georgia high school. Maintaining, if not raising, the standard, has been the Memphis standard for a while now. 2010 to 2011 was the last time Memphis had a drop in SP+. That’s two years longer than the next longest streak ever. The one sure thing is a QB/RB/WR combo that rivals any Power Five school, and I honestly might slot in at #2 behind only Clemson. Brady White threw for over 4,000 yards, fourth most nationally, while being efficient. There were four quarterbacks in the nation he threw for at least 3,500 yards, while maintaining a passer rating of at least 165; Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Trevor Lawrence, and Brady White. He gets his top receiver back, in Damonte Coxie, whose 1,276 receiving yards led the conference, but they do have to find some complimentary pieces, with the loss of the next two leading receivers (including Mr. Everything Antonio Gibson, who was the best returner in the conference, averaged 11.2 ypc on 33 rushes, and 735 receiving yards), and all-conference tight end (and first team All-American name) Joey Magnifico. The graduation of running back Patrick Taylor is not that big of a deal, thanks to the emergence of Kenneth Gainwell, who had over 2,100 offensive yards, split between 1,459 rushing yards on over 6 ypc, and 51 receptions. Memphis’ defense, against conference foes, looked plenty fine, a top 40 SP+ defense, behind only UCF in conference play in ypp. But they were too reliant on athleticism, and being able to out-talent most AAC teams. Against Penn State, their lack of size up front (on both sides) was obvious, with the Nittany Lions outgaining Memphis 7.5-1.9 per rush attempt. O’Bryan Goodson best personifies that, as an all-conference performer, who got absolutely abused by Penn State’s line, who loved the opportunity to play against a 280 pound nose tackle. Joseph Dorceus is the one impact player in the front seven, with the ability to play both on the line, and with his hand off the ground. The linebackers might be a problem, but the secondary, which allowed just 7.0 ypa and 57.5% opponents completion percentage, both second best in the AAC, should be even better, with only one graduation out of the two deep. Memphis’ Power Five non-conference game is Purdue, which should be a solid test of whether they can muscle up with that class of athlete, without having to go all the way to Penn State’s level.
| KEY PLAYERS |
QB | Brady White, Senior |
RB | Kenneth Gainwell, Sophomore |
WR | Damonte Coxie, Senior |
| . |
DE | Joseph Dorceus, Senior |
DT | O'Bryan Goodson, Senior |
CB | T.J. Carter, Senior |