Electric Tigers’ moment transcends the victory
They all made sure to thank you first, and there might be more to that than just one win over Arkansas State.
Memphis football coach Ryan Silverfield. Quarterback Seth Henigan. Safety Quindell Johnson. Offensive lineman Austin Myers. Linebacker Tyler Murray. Be it at the postgame press conference, or on social media, or both, they each had a message for the 32,620 fans at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium that
made the most-attended home opener of the Silverfield era a successful one as well.
“How sweet it is to be home,” Silverfield declared. “The credit, 100 percent, goes to our fans. They're the ones that won that game.”
There was no other explanation needed. We all saw what happened as Arkansas State self-destructed on the decisive fourth-quarter fourth down, part of a sequence of events that potentially transcends a single drive if all goes as this Memphis team hopes.
Many of those Tiger faithful got to their seats later than they ever have before because of the Tigers' new digital ticketing system. But they stayed late into the night, long enough to make sure
Memphis won a game it really had no business losing.
They were loud enough to cause one false start, then even louder when Arkansas State committed a second one, turning 4th-and-5 to 4th-and-15 in a one-score game with less than two minutes to go. It was full-on pandemonium by the time the third attempt at snapping the ball dribbled 32 yards the wrong direction and Memphis defensive end Jaylon Allen pounced on it.
“It was pretty electric,” Henigan said. “The fans, they finished the game for us, to be honest.”
That sound, and the engagement needed to create that sound, encompasses much of what Silverfield is trying to capture in his third season. What that looked like during the fourth quarter, the sensation everyone felt coursing through their body in that moment, it's what Memphis needs more than anything to get back to what it was not all that long ago.
This is no time to take a loss that might signal a program in decline, to give those fans any reason to grow disinterested enough to not temporarily lose their ever-loving minds screaming for a defensive stop. The Tigers' momentum might be gaining speed at a snail's pace, but the truth is the start to this season is going better than anticipated because of what's happening around Memphis.
The Tigers have done what they needed to do, and really what they were expected to do, starting the year 2-1 with that lopsided loss at Mississippi State two weeks ago. The American Athletic Conference, meanwhile, appears as wide open as it has been in years.
Houston just lost for the second time in a row. UCF already lost to Louisville. Memphis faces both at home. Cincinnati seems good again, but the Bearcats don't play Memphis this regular season.
It isn't far-fetched to think the Tigers could develop into a conference title contender by the time November rolls around simply due to a soft schedule. It also isn't far-fetched to think the Tigers' defense isn't dynamic enough, and their offense is too stubborn trying to establish the run at the expense of Henigan, to accomplish that.
This is an eye of the beholder time on the calendar.
This could be an offense featuring one of the best quarterbacks in the country, with a former walk-on quarterback turned tight end (Caden Prieskorn) and two transfers at wide receiver and tailback (Joe Scates and Jay Ducker) emerging as weapons. This could be an offense whose play-calling philosophy was vindicated by how Saturday ended, with almost two-thirds of its rushing yards generated after halftime.
This could also be an offense that doesn't know what its identity should be, that would have put this game away earlier had it thrown the ball more in the third quarter, or not run the ball and settled for a field goal facing 3rd-and-6 midway through the fourth quarter.
This could be a defense that just held Arkansas State to 300 fewer yards than it gained against Memphis last season. But this could also be a defense that's still among the worst in the country against the pass and on third down.
So as imperfect as this first home win was, as much as it revealed issues that plagued Memphis last year remain issues right now, making certain those fans went home focused more on the possibilities that remain this season, and less on the possibility of another ho-hum season, was not an insignificant feat.
Remember, the senior day game this year is against North Alabama the week before Thanksgiving. Imagine what the optics might be if Memphis is battling an FCS opponent to just be bowl eligible again like last season.
It sure won't sound like the fourth quarter Saturday.
You can reach Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto via email at mgiannotto@gannett.com