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17 Thoughts on Tiger Football

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

Has the University of Memphis ever hosted a bigger Senior Day at the Liberty Bowl? A quick summary of what’s at stake for the home team in Friday’s nationally televised contest between the 17th-ranked Tigers (10-1) and the 18th-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats (10-1):

1) The American Athletic Conference’s West Division title, which would mean . . .
2) The AAC Championship game at the Liberty Bowl on December 7th, which could mean . . .
3) A Cotton Bowl berth for Memphis should the Tigers win the AAC title (by beating the Bearcats twice in two weeks).

It’s a time for deep breaths. Especially for 17 seniors who will be honored before Friday’s kickoff. Unless they redshirted for the 2015 season, this class has only known coach Mike Norvell’s way, which has been good enough (so far) for 36 wins in four years.

Make sure you’re standing when these eight players are introduced. Whether it’s special teams or the scout squad, these Tigers made their impact without fanfare or regular game starts. But their sweat in the weight room and their commitment in the film room was every bit as genuine as those of a four-year starter: Keith Brigham (DL), Joey Bryant (DB), Chris Claybrooks (DB), Colton Cochran (DB, St. Benedict), Desmond Hawkins (DL, Craigmont High), Ladarius Jordan (DB, St. Benedict), Jeremiah Maclin (DL, Southaven), Traveon Samuel (WR/RB).

Kedarian Jones has caught a touchdown pass in each of his four seasons as a Tiger. He’s averaged 14.5 yards per catch this season with 465 yards on 32 receptions.

Jonathan Wilson has started at least eight games on the Tiger defensive line all four years. He’s accumulated 12 sacks and earned All-Academic recognition after the 2017 season.
Larry Kuzniewski

Antonio Gibson on ‘Antonio Gibson Day’ at the Liberty Bowl.


Antonio Gibson had the game of his life on precisely the right night. With ABC broadcasting the Tigers’ November 2nd showdown with SMU to a national audience, Gibson set a Tiger record with 386 all-purpose yards to help Memphis earn the win. He scored touchdowns on a 50-yard pass reception, a 97-yard kickoff return, and a 78-yard run from scrimmage. Gibson played only two seasons in blue and gray, but left a mark that will be celebrated for generations.

Much of his senior season has been compromised by injury, but Patrick Taylor will go into the books as an all-time Tiger great. Playing a supporting role to All-American Darrell Henderson in 2018, Taylor rushed for 1,122 yards and scored 18 touchdowns (two of them on receptions). His 2,778 career rushing yards are second only to DeAngelo Williams and his 38 touchdowns are fourth in Memphis history.

Joey Magnifico (St. Benedict) will leave the U of M as the most accomplished tight end in the program’s history. He enters the Cincinnati game with 70 career receptions for 1,060 yards and 12 touchdowns. Blessed with NFL size (6’4″, 240 lbs.), Magnifico may be catching passes on Sundays a year from now.

Austin Hall (Collierville High School) has been an anchor for the Tiger defense since his redshirt-freshman season when he started 11 games for Mike Norvell’s first team. Playing a hybrid linebacker/safety position, Hall has been a disruptor and one of the heaviest tacklers in recent Memphis history. A member of multiple All-Academic teams during his college career, Hall will leave the U of M with a degree in criminal justice.

Bryce Huff didn’t become a regular starter (at linebacker) until his junior season, but has impacted games — often in the opponent’s backfield — ever since. He moved to defensive end this season and leads Memphis in both sacks (4) and tackles-for-loss (10.5). Like Hall, Huff has earned All-Academic honors from the AAC.

You don’t set scoring records without a strong offensive line. And center Dustin Woodard has anchored this year’s blocking unit for quarterback Brady White and friends. Woodard started 24 games, primarily at left guard, his first two seasons; moved to right guard (14 starts) as a junior, then took over snapping duties this fall. A two-time AAC All-Academic honoree, Woodard earned all-conference recognition in 2018 and is a candidate this season. Scottie Dill (Briarcrest) took over right-tackle duties this season after three years in a reserve roll. He’s seen action in 51 games as a Tiger.

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Sports Tiger Blue

AAC Tourney Preview

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

For more than 300 college basketball teams, the NCAA tournament begins this week. Beyond the highest-ranked teams in the country, the only way to dream of “One Shining Moment” is to win your conference tournament. Three wins — maybe four — in as many days. There’s no more rigorous fight for a dance ticket in any sport, including the pros.

I think it’s more likely we see Josh Pastner pose for a photo with a middle-finger raised than we see the Memphis Tigers win this week’s American Athletic Conference tournament. But as Lloyd Christmas emphasized so eloquently in Dumb and Dumber . . . there’s a chance.

Larry Kuzniewski

Shaq Goodwin, All-AAC?


The bracket in Orlando couldn’t have been filled more favorably for the 17-14 Tigers. The U of M wants no part of SMU, Connecticut, or Cincinnati, having gone 1-5 against this trio during the regular season. The Mustangs won’t even be in the field, serving a postseason ban for academic misdeeds. And the Huskies and Bearcats are on the opposite side of the bracket, meaning the Tigers wouldn’t face either team until the final and, importantly, cannot face them both this weekend. Instead, Memphis gets Tulsa (20-10) in a Friday-night quarterfinal. On February 28th at FedExForum, the Tigers beat the Golden Hurricane, 92-82. Most revealing from that contest: Tulsa showed little resistance for the U of M’s two most potent threats. Senior Shaq Goodwin had 28 points and 11 rebounds in the victory with freshman Dedric Lawson adding 27 points and 12 boards. In no other AAC game this season did the Tigers shoot better than they did that Sunday afternoon (54 percent).

If the Tigers can knock off Tulsa, they’d likely face Houston (22-8) in a Saturday semifinal. Memphis led the Cougars at halftime (48-40) on February 10th in Texas, only to be thoroughly dominated in the second half. Can Devonta Pollard again score 34? Damyean Dotson 21? The Tigers hope to find out while top-seeded Temple wrestles with UConn or Cincy in the other semifinal.

Coach Josh Pastner will likely bring up the story of his second Memphis team this week. The 2010-11 Tigers — featuring freshmen Will Barton, Tarik Black, and Joe Jackson — entered the Conference USA tournament in El Paso with a 22-9 record, having lost three of their last four games and dancing precariously on the bubble of the NCAA tournament field. They proceeded to win the tournament, taking three games in three days, including two over teams (East Carolina and host UTEP) that had beaten them during their late-season slide.

The Tigers need to win at least one game this week to earn consideration for the NIT. Eighteen wins weren’t enough last year, remember. It’s a band-of-brothers road trip for the U of M. Embattled coach, talented but under-achieving roster of players, and virtually no expectations any longer to meet. Lace ’em up, hit the floor, and see what happens. Yep, there’s a chance.

• Despite finishing seventh in the American, the Tigers feature two players who will be considered for first-team all-conference honors. Freshman Dedric Lawson should make the team, having finished fifth in the league in scoring (15.4 points per game) and atop the AAC in rebounding (9.2). Senior Shaq Goodwin finished seventh in both categories, his numbers this season (15.2 and 8.0) considerably better than those he put up as a sophomore (11.5 and 6.5) when he was named second-team All-AAC. How a team with two such stars managed to finish 8-10 in league play will be a good conversation starter over the offseason.

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Sports Sports Feature

Memphis Beats Cincy, 79-69

(AP) – Freshman guard Derrick Rose scored a career-high 26 points Wednesday night, steadying No. 2 Memphis in a 79-69 victory over Cincinnati that left the Tigers frustrated but unbeaten.

Memphis improved to 9-0 for the first time since 1985-86, when the Tigers won their first 20 games, a school record. This one didn’t come so easily.

Struggling Cincinnati (4-6) kept it close by taking advantage of two second-half technical fouls and the Tigers’ inability to sustain anything for more than a few minutes.

Deonta Vaughn scored 20 points for the Bearcats, who are off to their worst start in 22 years.

Cincinnati was coming off its most inspired performance, a 64-59 loss to crosstown rival Xavier a week earlier. The Bearcats didn’t back down in that rough-and-tumble game, and came away convinced that they had grown up as a team.

Against another old rival, they initially went back into their shell.

Memphis got a lot of open shots on the perimeter early and took advantage, making seven of its first 12. The Tigers pulled ahead 26-14 and seemed to be ready to take control. Instead, they eased up, lost most of their lead and had to sweat it out.

The Tigers failed to score on their last five possessions of the first half, when they had two turnovers and missed three shots. Cincinnati’s confidence grew during an 11-1 run that culminated with Jamual Warren ‘s jumper at the buzzer that trimmed the lead to 33-32.

It was a significant development for the off-target Bearcats, who had shot 36 percent from the field in their last three games, all losses. They went 13-of-27 in the first half against a team that normally prides itself on pressure defense.

Rose got the Tigers back on solid footing, hitting a 3-pointer and making two free throws to open the second half. Cincinnati also slipped back into its shooting doldrums, missing its first eight attempts.

Still, Memphis struggled to put the Bearcats away.

John Williamson’s three-point play gave Cincinnati its first basket of the half and cut it to 44-40, getting the less-than-capacity crowd back into the game. Rose asserted himself again, making another 3-pointer, and Willie Kemp ‘s three-point play off a fastbreak rebuilt the lead to 50-40.

Andre Allen made a three-point play and two 3s that helped Memphis build its biggest lead, 65-50, with 6:49 left. Two technical fouls – one on forward Joey Dorsey , another on coach John Calipari – blunted the momentum. Memphis also missed four consecutive free throws, giving Cincinnati a final chance.

Vaughn’s 3-pointer cut it to 68-62 with 3:50 to go, but Williamson missed a dunk that could have increased the pressure. Finally, Rose hit a 3-pointer from the right wing that made it 73-64 with 1:52 to go.

Memphis has won its last three games against Cincinnati, with a freshman playing the leading role all three times. Two years ago, Antonio Anderson had career-high 32 points against Cincinnati. Last season, Willie Kemp scored 21 in an 88-55 win.

Box score, stats.