Is Saturday’s regular season finale against Tulane a must-win for Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield? In a word, absolutely.
On the somewhat weighted scale of recent Tiger football history, the 2021 season has been a big disappointment. After a 3-0 start that included a win over Mississippi State from the mighty SEC, the Tigers have lost six of eight games, three of them after leading in the second half (two of them in the fourth quarter). Memphis is no longer unbeatable in the Liberty Bowl (they lost to UTSA and East Carolina), they will have a losing record in American Athletic Conference play regardless of what happens against the Green Wave (0-4 on the road against AAC rivals), and perhaps worst of all, will leave the lightest offensive footprint since the program’s last losing season of 2013. A program that averaged 40 points per game as recently as 2019 — Mike Norvell’s last as head coach — enters the Tulane game with an average of 29.8 (56th in the country).
The Tigers must beat the 2-9 Green Wave. (Tulane ended an eight-game losing streak last Saturday by destroying USF, 45-14.) A win would at least gain bowl eligibility for Memphis and extend the program’s streak for postseason appearances to eight years. It would allow the chance for the Tigers to finish with a winning record, though 7-6 hardly has the shine of last year’s 8-3 mark or, gulp, the historic 12-2 standard of 2019.
A loss to Tulane wouldn’t necessarily mean Silverfield is out as head coach. That would be harsh, considering the man has spent his first two seasons in charge of a program under pandemic conditions, with a few significant departures (read: Kenneth Gainwell). But a loss to Tulane would mean the Tigers are, yes, rebuilding . . . . the most dreaded word in college football. And I’m not convinced a local fan base with memories of Anthony Miller and Darrell Henderson gaining All-America status on their way to the NFL will tolerate leadership without a track record for winning, and winning big. Would a 7-5 season next year be “progress”? Would 6-6 be “keeping the program afloat”? Anxious times, these, for University of Memphis football. And especially for its second-year head coach.
• Senior linebacker J.J. Russell has a very good case for the AAC’s Defensive Player of the Year. With one regular-season game to play, Russell leads the conference with 72 solo tackles. Only one other AAC player has as many as 60 solo stops, and that’s Russell’s teammate, Tiger safety Quindell Johnson. As for total tackles, Russell’s 113 are 18 more than any other player in the AAC (Johnson is second) and 24 more than any player not suiting up for Memphis. Only one Tiger has earned the Defensive POY honor since the AAC began play in 2013, and that was linebacker Tank Jakes, who shared the hardware with UCF’s Jacoby Glenn seven years ago.
• The pandemic has redefined what it means to be a “senior” in big-time college sports, but 17 Tigers we be saluted before the Tulane game, the program’s annual Senior Day. (Some retain eligibility and could return in 2022.) In addition to Russell and Johnson, Calvin Austin III will be honored, having put up consecutive 1,000-yard seasons after initially walking on. Sean Dykes has actually caught passes in six seasons and will leave the program with the most career receptions and yardage by a Tiger tight end. Guard Dylan Parham should make his 51st career start for Memphis (second most in program history). Jacobi Francis, Xavier Cullens, Tyrez Lindsey, Keith Brown Jr., Rodney Owens, Thomas Pickens and John Tate IV have all played significant roles on the Tiger defense this season. Among players from the offensive side of the ball, Cameron Fleming, Kylan Watkins, and Jeremiah Oatsvall will be honored. Special teamers Preston Brady and Treysen Neal will complete the Tiger football Class of ’21.
