Quarterback question
Who will be Tigers’ starter this season?
We finish our countdown of the 10 Memphis Tigers players who will define this football season. At No. 1, quarterbacks Brady White and David Moore.
Previous entries: No. 10, PK Riley Patterson; No. 9, OL Dylan Parham; No. 8, S La’Andre Thomas; No. 7, WR Damonte Coxie; No. 6, LB Austin Hall; No. 5, RB Darrell Henderson/Patrick Taylor; No. 4, DB TJ Carter; No. 3, LB Jackson Dillon; No. 2, KR/RB Tony Pollard
So here we are. The battle of the spring is now the battle of the fall. The player who will most define this 2018 season? Yet to be determined. Junior Brady White and sophomore David Moore each had a chance to show why he should be Memphis’ next quarterback.
Now comes the final test over the next month.
Who will get the keys to an offense that scored 592 points last year? In the eyes of offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, it depends on who can master it in a short period of time.
“What makes a quarterback special in this system is taking command, getting us in the right play and then going out and executing (the play) while doing it at a fast pace,” Dillingham said.
Why Brady White and David Moore are important
Over the past four years, Memphis has been spoiled with great quarterback play from Paxton Lynch and Riley Ferguson. It’s no surprise that coincided with the Tigers’ rise.
The Tigers need their next quarterback to not just be good but also great. There’s a standard to meet.
Both Moore and White bring something that was missing with Ferguson – a running element that adds another option to an already potent running game.
Moore showed that off in the spring game with a dazzling run to set up a touchdown drive. But in Dillingham’s eyes, the differences between the two are subtle.
“David is mobile, but that’s his X-factor,” Dillingham said. “He has an extremely strong arm. When he throws the ball in rhythm, he’s accurate.
“Brady White is an extremely accurate passer. He’s got a strong enough arm to make all the throws, and he’s got a bit more playing experience.”
The good news
Dillingham said Memphis will be in good hands with either quarterback because of their similarities.
Even if White or Moore starts out slowly, Tigers fans shouldn’t worry. It took Ferguson several games before he looked like the Ferguson fans would embrace in 2017.
Also, Memphis’ favorable schedule will allow the new quarterback to adjust quickly. Three of the Tigers’ first four games – Mercer, Georgia State and South Alabama – are at home.
The cause for concern
Neither quarterback has much game experience. White played in three games with one start at Arizona State in 2016 before a foot injury ended his season. Moore appeared in five games last season, mostly in mop-up duty.
White, who did not play in 2017, showed no injury concerns in the spring, yet neither he nor Moore was able to create many scoring drives ending in touchdowns. Although Dillingham said he and coach Mike Norvell want to see good decision making as much as scores, this offense is about getting in the end zone, not field goals.
Expect some growing pains during the season, and don’t be surprised if both started at least one game. But Dillingham offered a road for how each quarterback can improve on his weaknesses.
“The biggest thing for David is slowing the game down,” Dillingham said. “For Brady, he just has to be able to process info in a quick period of time.”
The final say
There’s more to feel positive about with White and Moore than negative. Both Norvell and Dillingham have said they feel good about either one, and whoever wins the battle will have their full confidence.
In 2016, Norvell didn’t name Ferguson as his quarterback until Aug. 22. This battle could take just as long, but with so much riding on White and Moore’s shoulders, arms and legs, it’s a process Tigers fans should be eager to let play out.