What Tigers’ starting quarterback White said
Brady White stepped in front of the media Wednesday with his usual unassuming, low-key personality.
In his first comments since being named Memphis starting quarterback on Tuesday, White said he was excited, but his tone was focused on the task at hand.
"Obviously it's good to hear the news and be able to settle into that role as the starting quarterback," White said. "Like I've said before, I'm comfortable with these guys and I take the same approach whether I'm named (the starter) or not named."
The junior transfer from Arizona State added that he was surprised not to see David Moore at practice Tuesday and didn't expected him to leave the team. White added that the team fully supported him when it learned of the news.
"They're just encouraging me and rallying around me. But it's time to go to work and take care of business," White said.
The business in question starts on Sept. 1 when the Tigers host Mercer in the opener. As the team faces high expectations following a 10-win season, so does White considering his two predecessors. Paxton Lynch had a record-setting three-year career before being a first-round draft pick in 2016. Riley Ferguson became the first Tigers quarterback to pass for 4,000 yards in a single season last season to cap a prolific twoyear tenure.
White came to Memphis as a fourstar recruit and U.S. Army American when he signed with Arizona State. But he has not played in a regular season game since 2016 when he suffered a season-ending foot injury.
Yet White said his injury is far from his mind. He had no hesitation showing off his mobility in spring practice or in the preseason and was pleased with his performance grasping coach Mike Norvell's offense.
"I'm comfortable and satisfied with how I've progressed so far. I think I have a lot that I need to continue to improve on and work on," White said. "You can never settle and get complacent so personally I'm really hard on myself and I demand a lot.
"This is what I've dreamed about, playing Division I football, being the starting quarterback and obviously having NFL aspirations."
Tigers add new quarterback
Memphis had a fourth quarterback in practice Wednesday when Markevion Quinn was added to the roster following his transfer from Pearl River (Miss.) Community College.
Quinn practiced without pads while being restricted to individual drills. The sophomore suffered an ACL injury in the spring, which he said hastened his transfer to Memphis.
"He's a special young man, he's coming from the junior college ranks and he had a phenomenal freshman year," Norvell said.
In his lone year at Pearl River, he threw for 943 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 879 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.