Memphis and UCF have not changed much since title game
Memphis coach Mike Norvell was asked how he felt prior to his weekly press conference previewing his team hosting UCF on Saturday. Nauseous and miserable, he said. One couldn’t blame him. Although the Tigers took UCF to double overtime in last year’s AAC Championship Game, Norvell believes the Knights look even more dynamic this year.
“They’re probably playing even faster than what they did last year (under now-Nebraska coach Scott Frost),” Norvell during the AAC’s weekly teleconference.
“Their tempo is at warp speed. They’re snapping the ball anywhere from 5 to 10 seconds after the previous play, which is extraordinary.”
UCF may have a new coach in Josh Heupel, but the Knights haven’t missed a beat, extending their winning streak to 18 games during a 5-0 start this season.
This year, UCF is third in the nation
in total offense with 574.4 yards per game, an even higher total than last year’s squad (530.5 yards per game).
The Knights, ranked No. 9 in this week’s USA Today coaches poll and No. 10 in the Associated Press top 25 poll, have scored 38 or more points in each game this season.
“They’re playing at a dominant stage regardless of who they played,” Norvell said.
In the same breath, Heupel said he does not see anything different with Memphis despite Brady White taking over at quarterback. Heupel called White efficient while praising running back Darrell Henderson for his speed and vision.
The one difference the UCF coach noted? How much more physical Memphis is compared to teams UCF has faced this year.
“That’s kind of the secret to their sauce,” Heupel said on the AAC teleconference. “They got dynamic players and they’re really physical and that’s typically true of really good football teams.”
It’s why few would be surprised if both schools matched the 117 combined points they put up in last year’s AAC title game. Even though both teams are ranked in the nation’s top 10 in total offense, UCF has been stingier in scoring defense with only 17.4 points allowed per game this year.
Memphis’ defense, although it had forced four takeaways in its win over UConn, has been far more giving. Although the Tigers rank slightly ahead of UCF in total defense (38th to UCF being 47th), the Tigers have given up 24.5 points per game and struggled to contain dynamic playmakers.
It’s yet another similarity between last year and this year for Memphis, and it’s why Norvell evoked such a strong reaction knowing what the Tigers are up against the Liberty Bowl.
“They were a well-coached team this last year and they’re a really wellcoached team this year,” Norvell said. “It’s just a little bit different presentation.”
Tigers LB Jackson Dillon close to return
Norvell said linebacker Jackson Dillon has a chance to play on Saturday after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury. He added that Dillon moved well during practice on Sunday.
Safety La’Andre Thomas is “starting to make a turn” back to being healthy enough to return, Norvell said, and will be further evaluated this week. Thomas has missed the last three games due to injury.
Memphis-Missouri game time, TV info announced
Memphis’ game at Missouri on Oct. 20 is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and will be televised by the SEC Network. It will be the Tigers’ first game against an SEC opponent since facing Ole Miss in 2016.
The two teams have not met since 1999, a 27-17 victory by Missouri.