Norvell sees growth in second scrimmage
Coach touts Tigers’ progress; defense continues to impress
Nothing is perfect at this point in spring ball, roughly two weeks before the Memphis football team’s spring game and nearly five months before its season-opener against Louisiana-Monroe.
But coach Mike Norvell saw progress in the Tigers’ second spring scrimmage Saturday morning, and that’s where it all starts.
“It was fun,” he said. “It was fun to see guys out there competing.”
Memphis ran about three quarters’ worth of plays Saturday morning, running through a number of situational drills in the process. There were no serious injuries, Norvell said. And like the team’s first scrimmage last weekend, the second-year coach once again came away impressed with the first-team defense.
The defense is traditionally ahead of the offense at this point in the offseason, Norvell explained, but the energy and tenacity with which the unit played is still a welcome sight.
“I thought there were a lot of teachable moments,” Norvell said. “I thought that the defense came out with a ton of energy, really flew around to the ball.
“Offensively, there were some positive plays, there were some big runs, but I just thought really, overall, just too many missed opportunities.”
When asked about individual standouts in the scrimmage, which was closed to the media, Norvell said the whole first-team defense had a strong showing. He specifically mentioned cornerback Christian Slaughter, who has been practicing with the starters this spring, and hybrid linebacker Jackson Dillon, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.
“It was great to see Jackson out there playing at a high level,” Norvell said. “You can see with every practice that goes by, his energy is contagious. He’s starting to really get a sense of his pad level and get back into playing football.”
Meanwhile, on the offensive side of the ball, Norvell said quarterbacks Brady Davis and David Moore split secondteam repetitions. The two are fighting for the opportunity to back up senior Riley Ferguson this season, and Norvell said he’s still searching for more consistency and reliable decision-making from both players.
That consistency, of course, often develops over time. And though the Tigers’ annual spring game, Friday Night Stripes, is now less than two weeks away, he knows that the they still have plenty of opportunities to keep improving this spring.
“We’re continuing to work,” Norvell said. “That’s what spring ball’s all about — trying to work to get a little better each and every day, and I think our guys are definitely progressing.”
progressing.”