Tigers’ Defense playing at Historic Level following Victory in Jonesboro

In the year 2000, the price of a gallon of gas was $1.32. Creed, Widespread Panic, and the Foo Fighters were the headlining acts at Beale Street Music Festival. Memphis Head Coach Ryan Silverfield had just landed his first college coaching position as an offensive assistant at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. Few to none of the current players on the Tigers’ football roster were even alive.

It’s also the last time a University of Memphis football team held its opponent to under 325 combined offensive yards through its first two games of the season. After surrendering just 321 combined yards against Bethune-Cookman and Arkansas State, the Memphis defense has performed at a level that perhaps even its coaching staff couldn’t have imagined before the start of the season. Its 17 total points against are also the fewest since the 2000 football season when it surrendered 17 points to Mississippi State and shut out Louisiana-Monroe the following week. The most shocking realization of all, perhaps, is the fact that 14 of the 17 points scored against the Tigers this season have been off turnovers committed by the Memphis offense.

Saturday night, the Tiger defense continued operating at an elite level, forcing four total turnovers, including one interception returned 36 yards for a touchdown by defensive back DJ Bell. The Tigers recorded 3 sacks on the night along with 9 tackles-for-loss. DeAgo Brumfield was targeted often by the Red Wolves but held his own with 5 pass breakups on the night. Chandler Martin and Cincir Evans were two productive players in the linebacker corps, combining for 13 total tackles and a forced fumble against the Red Wolves. Cameron Smith, whose role has seemingly grown game-to-game since arriving to Memphis in 2021, also nabbed his first career interception Saturday night.

Ryan Silverfield praised the team’s laser-sharp focus heading into the game. “In that hotel room before we took the bus, it was the best I’ve ever seen their eyes”, he told the press Saturday night, “I don’t sit here and say they all hang on every word I say, but their eyes told that they were dialed in and focused. What I appreciate is, they care.” Arkansas State, who was held to a three-and-out or a turnover on 7 of their 13 possessions, allowed the Memphis offense to control the game clock and tempo throughout the night. Memphis Quarterback Seth Henigan told the media following the game that the Tigers’ dominating defense allowed Offensive Coordinator Tim Cramsey to move to conservative play calling early in the game following a 24-point lead at halftime.

With the Memphis rushing attack struggling Saturday night, Seth Henigan completed 21-of-29 passes to eight different receivers for 239 yards through the air. Tauskie Dove scored his first touchdown as a Memphis Tiger on a 51-yard TD reception, his second consecutive week with a play of 50 yards or more. The Tigers were 3-for-3 on 4th down conversions, with Henigan finding third-year Tiger Koby Drake several times in critical situations. Blake Watson was the leading rusher for the Tigers with 51 yards on 20 attempts.

While it’s worth noting that the Tigers have played a Bethune-Cookman team that went 2-9 last year and an Arkansas State team that has been outscored 110-3 in the first two weeks of the season, this is a Memphis defense that, in recent history, has given up yards to just about anybody. In the Fuente, Norvell, and Silverfield eras, Memphis surrendered 299 yards to Nicholls State in 2022, 253 yards to Southeast Missouri State in 2016, and 392 yards to UT Martin in 2012, so wise Tiger fans will relish this impressive start from the defense that, statistically, hasn’t happened since Tom Brady was a rookie in the NFL.

The Tigers will host Navy at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on Thursday (09/14), looking to move to five consecutive victories against the Midshipmen. The triple-option offense presents an annual challenge for the Tigers, but Matt Barnes appeared to be well-prepared in his first game against Navy last season. So just how good can the Tiger defense be this season? “We don’t really worry about that,” Chandler Martin said when asked about reaching their ceiling as a defense, “I think we worry about the process; stacking days, having that good Tuesday practice and allowing it to carry over. Like I said earlier, the sky’s the limit on the defense.”