This year’s Memphis Tigers football team is facing quite a bit of turnover from last year’s team. Besides the graduating class, Head Coach Justin Fuente left for Virginia Tech after revamping the Tiger program and star quarterback Paxton Lynch took his talents to the NFL’s Denver Broncos. But in the first three games, they haven’t missed a beat.
Mike Norvell is the new head coach and is off to a 3-0 head start, a lot of which is due to the play of his new quarterback Riley Ferguson. Ferguson originally enrolled in Tennessee, but he suffered a leg injury in his first season and eventually transferred to Coffeyville Community College.
Now, Ferguson is three games into his role as the quarterback of the Tigers’ offense and is off to a hot start, throwing for a total of 843 yards and 11 touchdowns on with a completion percentage of 67 percent and just two interceptions. Ferguson was prolific in their last game against Bowling Green, throwing for 359 yards and six touchdowns in the blowout victory.
Defensive Coordinator Dave Wommack felt it was hard to judge Ferguson with the Tigers’ first three games all being lopsided victories, but nevertheless he was impressed with the film on him.
“I think the first game and watching them, he wasn’t as polished as he was in last in the third game. I thought he really looked sharp in that game,” Wommack said. “I think he’s got a strong arm. I think he’s got a pretty good command of what they’re trying to do offensively right now.”
Wommack felt that the offense hadn’t changed dramatically from the system they ran when they upset the Rebels 37-24 last season.
“I would have to say there’s a lot more motions in last year’s offense, a lot more gimmick plays than last years offense, and again I think that probably comes back to A. They haven’t needed them and B. They just are a young unit in some areas,” Wommack said.
Cornerbacks Coach Jason Jones was also impressed with the Tigers’ offense so far, calling it high-powered and praising their aerial attack.
“They have a really good wire receiving corps. Their quarterback is good. They’re going to throw the ball all over the field,” Jones said. “The quarterback can make all the throws and throw the boundary throws also. You have to do a great job of being disciplined with all of the (run/pass options) that they throw. Guys have to do their own job and trust their teammate.”
Wommack said that the defensive unit still had improvements to make from last week to prepare for Memphis but saw definite improvement in the Georgia game.
“You go watch the film and there was a lot of great things and a lot of improvement from the week before but I think we all just have to take responsibility to get better at the little things,” Wommack said. “Putting their eyes in the right place and fitting their lane assignments and all of those things.”
