A healthy Darrell Henderson proved to be plenty for the Tigers to secure their first road win of the 2018 season. Two weeks after leaving the Missouri game with an injury to his left hamstring, Henderson ran for 132 yards, caught three passes for 72 more, and scored three touchdowns to help Memphis end a two-game losing streak and improve to 5-4 on the season.
East Carolina erased a 31-17 halftime deficit and tied the score at 31 just five minutes into the third quarter when Pirate quarterback Holton Ahlers connected with Trevon Brown for a 31-yard touchdown. But the Tigers answered with a 75-yard scoring drive, Patrick Taylor plunging into the end zone from a yard out to give Memphis the lead for good. Henderson scored on the Tigers’ next two possessions, first on a 20-yard run, then on a 39-yard jaunt that followed a pair of Memphis penalties. The scores give Henderson 38 career touchdowns, two shy of Anthony Miller’s total and third in U of M history.
The Pirates scored on their opening possession of the game, a one-yard run by Darius Pinnix that followed a pass-interference call against Memphis in the end zone. But on the Tigers’ first possession, Henderson took a screen pass from Brady White and dashed 71 yards to pay dirt. Memphis trailed again (14-10) until Tony Pollard ran seven yards for a touchdown to open the second quarter. Pollard added another touchdown (one yard) late in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 89 rushing yards and 30 receiving.
White connected with Damonte Coxie for a 75-yard touchdown on the opening play of the second half. Coxie caught 10 passes for 176 yards while White completed 21 of 30 passes for 362 yards and three touchdowns.
Ahlers completed 34 of 62 passes for 449 yards and three scores for ECU. Brown caught 10 of his passes for 193 yards.The Pirates fall to 2-6 with the loss and are now 0-5 in the American Athletic Conference. Memphis improves to 2-3 in AAC play.
The Tigers return to the Liberty Bowl next Saturday to host Tulsa. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m.