2013-14 NCAA Previews (AAC) – Tigers
Memphis is one of the few FBS schools driven by hoops, which is why they were happy to join the former Big East. Even though the league has dramatically transformed the football program is still pretty subpar making its chances of being even mediocre probably about the same as in their former league, Conference USA.
Memphis Tigers (Team Link)
Coach: Justin Fuente
2012 Record: 4-8
Odds of winning BCS Championship: +2000 (The Field)
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
Since the program is kind of an afterthought on campus it is hard for them to get the kind of quality recruits and coaches to stem the tide. The Tigers latest claim to fame really was that it produced Carolina Panthers running back D’Angelo Williams who rushed for almost 2000 yards in a season, twice in 2004 and 2005. They have not had a winning record since 2007 but the fact that they won 2 more games than last year under first year coach Justin Fuente is cause for some optimism
The Tigers were hardly an impressive offense in Conference USA, ranking #12 in the conference in total yards (110th in the nation).
Check out our in-house Handicapper!!! Buy Razor Ray’s College Picks in 2013!
If there was a strength it was a ground game, which was 6th in C-USA, but you could easily argue that the other teams in the league just weren’t all that interested in running the ball because they were so good at throwing it.
Either way Memphis returns starters, and seniors, Jacob Karam and Brandon Hayes. QB Karam was at least good at protecting the ball with just 3 interceptions against 14 TD passes.
Memphis also returns three starters on the offensive line but none of the teams starting receivers are back from a year ago. If they can’t have some sort of threat down the field it is going to make it very tough to get the running game going especially against the defense of the former Big East who are for the most part pretty good.
They are really hoping former Clemson recruit Joe Craig can make a difference after playing JC ball last year. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Their own defense could be pretty good with five of their front seven returning from a team that was third in C-USA in total defense last year. The Tigers could be especially good on if senior Johnnie Farms finally lives up to his potential, as a 300 pounder he has the size to cause some real problems from the defensive tackle position.
This team will probably be better on defense than anyone would have thought again this season, which makes them a nice play on team.
2013-14 Record Projection: 4-8
New coach Justin Fuente appears to have this team heading in the right direction even if it looks unlikely that they will improve on their win total from last year.
The defense appears to be above average but I don’t have a lot of confidence that they are going to be able to improve on offense enough and the FBS portion of their non-conference schedule doesn’t look like it has a lot of wins in it. They really need a playmaker to emerge and it might mean sitting QB Karam to find one.
Backup Paxton Lynch has no game experience but he is a freshman with a very big arm and last year’s backup, Eric Mathews is the best athlete at the position – he can throw a little bit too. To challenge the better teams in the league you have to able to make some plays in the passing game and right now there is no evidence Memphis can do that.
I could see this team being a good ATS play this season if the defense lives up to its billing even as the losses pile up.
2013 Tigers Schedule
SEP 7 – Duke
SEP 14 – @Middle Tennessee
SEP 21 – Arkansas State
OCT 5 – UCF
OCT 12 – @Houston
OCT 19 – SMU
OCT 30 – Cincinnati
NOV 9 – Tennessee-Martin
NOV 16 – @South Florida
NOV 23 – @Louisville
NOV 30 – Temple
DEC 7 – @Connecticut
