901FC – Memphis Flyer

No man is an island, but Brandon Allen probably felt like he was marooned on one for much of 901 FC’s match against Loudoun United. But that’s the life of a central striker; sometimes, there’s naught to do but run around gamely up top as things struggle to come off. It might be understandable that his head dropped after missing a golden opportunity to equalize early in the second half, but Allen didn’t hide, instead meeting Lagos Kunga’s cross to poach the winning goal in a 2-1 victory on the road.

There’s still a gap between 901 FC and the last playoff spot, but the team is playing with confidence down the home stretch after picking up three wins in a row.

Memphis came into its matchup against Loudoun in good form, having won two on the bounce, but the potential for calamity was there with captain Marc Burch missing through yellow card accumulation. And 901 FC fans surely started to bite their nails when the normally imperious goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell raced out of the box to gift Loudoun’s Kyle Murphy an easy 30-yard lob into an empty net only five minutes in. Perhaps earlier in the season, that would have been the catalyst for another poor showing, but Memphis is now a team that clearly enjoys the taste of consecutive victories, so why not make it three in a row? There was certainly a fortuitous development when the opposing Nelson Martinez received a red card for a reckless challenge, but Memphis piled on the pressure to snag an equalizer.

Courtesy Loudon United FC

Stand-in 901 FC captain Cam Lindley, right, contests the coin toss against Loudon United captain Kyle Murphy

With a man advantage, 901 FC controlled the flanks, and attacking the right channel proved effective when chasing the game. Ewan Grandison, filling in at right back, played a line-breaking pass to Elliot Collier, whose cross from the byline produced an own goal to tie the game. Later, substitute Kunga surged to the byline and cut the ball back. Allen ghosted past a helpless Loudoun defense to meet the ball at the near post and score the winner. Another goal, and another three points for the victory.

For all their qualities, no other player on the roster has Allen’s predatory instinct in the box. He is now Memphis’ leading scorer for the season with six goals. Recent signing Marcus Epps surges upfield with drive and purpose, but is yet to display any composure when taking a shot on goal. On another note, Collier’s recent return from injury shows just how valuable his play is to this team. His dribbling ability remains unparalleled throughout most of the league.

It’s all finally starting to click for Memphis. Each of its three consecutive victories has been won after initially falling behind, speaking to a newfound grit and character. Allen’s ruthlessness in front of goal will be crucial as 901 FC chases a playoff spot. His conversion rate is currently sitting at an impressive 26.9 percent, so if his teammates continue to find him in the box, he’ll put away chances.

When Memphis comes up against top teams, it will be harder to consistently find Allen, so the onus will be on the rest of the attack to create opportunities. The winning streak couldn’t have come at a better time. 901 FC’s next three games are at AutoZone Park. Top-10 opponents St. Louis FC and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds will be tough, but the third match is against a direct rival for that last playoff spot, Bethlehem Steel. With only seven games left in the regular season, it’s time for team leaders to step up and carry the franchise over the line.

American football is a strangely named sport. The ball is rarely kicked and such plays only make highlight shows when they prove decisive in a game. If you paid any attention at all to the doomed Alliance of American Football, you’ll know there are efforts to remove the kickoff from the game entirely. In a sport where cranial injuries are part of the story, helmeted heads colliding on kickoffs are especially vulnerable.
Larry Kuzniewski

Darrell Henderson

Then you have the running back. You know, the guy who makes a living by carrying the football, his feet taking him through gaps (however larger or small), toward the end zone, six points, and a glory dance. There was a time, not that long ago, when running backs shaped the way teams were built. Between 1977 and 1986, teams chose a running back with the first pick in the NFL draft five times. Alas, not one of those five players took the team that drafted him to the Super Bowl and only one (Earl Campbell) now has a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Last fall, the University of Memphis suited up an All-America running back, and the fastest player I’ve seen in a Tiger uniform. But Darrell Henderson had to wait until the third round when the NFC champion Los Angeles Rams selected him with the 70th pick in the draft. Ironically, Henderson will apprentice under one of the NFL’s few star running backs, two-time All-Pro Todd Gurley.

Another speed-demon who took some reps at running back for Memphis, Tony Pollard, waited even longer. The Dallas Cowboys selected the incomparable kick returner late in the fourth round on Saturday, with the 128th pick. Like Henderson, Pollard will join a team with a certifiable star at tailback, two-time rushing champ Zeke Elliott. The Cowboys also have one of the best offensive lines in football, with three All-Pros opening gaps for ball-carriers. Both Henderson and Pollard would seem to be in comfortable situations to begin their pro careers.

What are we to make of standout college ball-carriers getting the playground-nerd treatment on draft day? It’s an aerial game. Nine NFL players rushed for 1,000 yards in the 2018 season while 21 receivers caught passes for at least 1,000. If teams aren’t drafting the next Manning or Brady, they’re looking for men to stop the league’s star passers. Ten of the first 20 picks in this year’s draft were defensive linemen, with a premium on a new descriptor: edge rusher. (As in, player responsible solely for taking down the quarterback.) Three linemen from the same unit (national champion Clemson) were among the first 17 picks. These are the men Darrell Henderson and Tony Pollard will be dodging on Sundays for years to come.

• Can fans become the star attraction on game day? This seems to be reality for Memphis 901 FC, our new franchise in the USL Championship. The Bluff City Mafia has been loud and, somehow, proud, despite the local side providing little to chant about over its first four home games: three losses, a draw, and a grand total of one goal (thank you, Elliot Collier). Passion counts, though, and tends to be rewarded in the long run. So keep singing, ye BCM. Sunnier days ahead.

• On April 19th in St. Louis — two days after being promoted from the Memphis Redbirds — outfielder Lane Thomas became the 10th Cardinal to hit a home run in his first major-league at-bat. No other club in baseball has seen as many players make the ultimate intro. Remarkably, seven of those ten players went yard immediately after a promotion from Memphis, all over the last two decades. (The Cardinals have been playing in the National League since 1892.) In case you’ve forgotten the names of the other six (and three of them are pitchers): Keith McDonald (2000), Chris Richard (2000), Gene Stechschulte (2001), Adam Wainwright (2006), Mark Worrell (2008), and Paul DeJong (2017).