Tigers’ Cast of Incoming Transfers Shine in Rout of Bethune-Cookman

Shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 season, Ryan Silverfield knew some things needed to change within his football program. Coaching moves were made within a week of the Tigers’ SERVPRO First Responders’ Bowl victory, and after several key players from the 2022 roster left via graduation or the transfer portal, the Memphis coaching staff commenced a mission to surround Seth Henigan with immediate impact talent in 2023. The Tigers proceeded to add 20 incoming transfers to the roster over the offseason.

In the home opener against Bethune-Cookman Saturday, it became quickly apparent that many of those offseason additions would play a large role for the Tigers this upcoming season. Old Dominion transfer Blake Watson became the first Memphis player to rush for three or more touchdowns in a game since Patrick Taylor Jr. did it against USF in 2019. The fifth year senior needed only 10 carries to amass three touchdowns and 75 yards on the ground. Watson was also actively utilized in the passing game, hauling in five receptions for 37 yards.

DeMeer Blankumsee entered the season as one of the most highly anticipated players on the Memphis roster. He delivered on the hype; logging 98 receiving yards and a touchdown, including an impressive 47-yard catch-in-stride pass from Seth Henigan in the third quarter. Missouri transfer Tauskie Dove also contributed big plays Saturday night with a 24-yard-per-catch average. “We’ve got the best quarterback in the country,” Ryan Silverfield said following the Tigers’ 42-point victory, “We needed to surround him with playmakers, and I think we did.”

Defensively, the Tigers played lights out Saturday night, limiting the Wildcats to just 91 yards of total offense. Like the Memphis offense, Matt Barnes’ unit also featured several Tiger newcomers who made a mark early in their first game inside Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Fresno State transfer Andres Fox led the team in tackles with five total. The redshirt senior additionally registered 1.5 TFLs, a sack and a fumble recovery in his Tiger debut. ETSU transfer Chandler Martin finished second in tackles with four on a night that featured a high number of in-game participants for Memphis. Jaylen Joyner, a transfer from Florida Atlantic, recorded his first sack since week one of last season.

Multiple returnees from the 2022 season had big games. Sutton Smith became the first Memphis player to rush for over 100 yards since Brandon Thomas ran for 191 against Arkansas State in 2021. The shifty running back who has been compared to Tony Pollard by some throughout the Memphis fanbase tallied 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns after serving as the lead back throughout most of the second half. Smith, who played sparingly as a true freshman in 2022, proclaimed the Tigers now possess a confidence level they didn’t necessarily have last season.

Like every first game, there were some hiccups along the way. A little less than ten minutes into the game, Memphis caught a big break when a pass intended for Koby Drake took an odd bounce into the hands of a Bethune-Cookman player who ran it back for a touchdown. Officials reviewed the play and quickly determined the ball hit the ground and the Tigers ultimately settled for a 45-yard field goal from Seth Morgan. In the next offensive series, Bethune-Cookman’s Amarie Jones beat his man on a blitz and tipped the Seth Henigan pass, making an impressive interception. Never losing pace, the 6-foot-2, 244-pound defensive lineman ran 69 yards to score the first points for the Wildcats Saturday night. Later in the second quarter, a ball tipped off a receiver’s hands was intercepted for the Tigers’ second turnover of the day. Late in the fourth quarter, a botched handoff between Tevin Carter and Ke’Travion Hargrove was scooped up by the Wildcats and taken into the end zone for Bethune-Cookman’s second defensive touchdown of the night.

“There are smiles in the locker room,” Ryan Silverfield told the media Saturday night, “but every single person knows we need to be better.” Next week, the Tigers will go on the road to Jonesboro to play Arkansas State for the third consecutive season. Memphis will look to keep the hot hand as the Redwolves were annihilated by the Sooners in Norman, Oklahoma on Saturday.

Stay tuned to Bluff City Media throughout the week for further recap and a preview of what Tigers can expect in the 61st meeting of the Paint Bucket Bowl.