2019 Memphis Tigers football team

The 2019 Memphis Tigers football team represented the University of Memphis in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, and competed in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Mike Norvell through the team's win in the American Championship Game, after which he left to fill the head coaching vacancy at Florida State.[1] Offensive line coach Ryan Silverfield was initially named head coach of the team for their bowl game, the Cotton Bowl; the interim tag was removed and he was named the new head coach of the Tigers.[2][3]

2019 Memphis Tigers football
AAC champion AAC West Division co-champion
AAC Championship Game, W 29–24 vs. Cincinnati
Cotton Bowl Classic, L 39–53 vs. Penn State
Conference	American Athletic Conference
	West Division
Ranking
Coaches	No. 17
AP	No. 17
2019 record	12–2 (7–1 American)
Head coach	Mike Norvell (regular season, 4th season) Ryan Silverfield (bowl game)
Offensive coordinator	Kevin Johns (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Adam Fuller (1st season)
Home stadium	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 59,308)

2019 American Athletic Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
No. 21 Cincinnati xy		7	–	1					11	–	3
No. 24 UCF		6	–	2					10	–	3
Temple		5	–	3					8	–	5
South Florida		2	–	6					4	–	8
East Carolina		1	–	7					4	–	8
UConn		0	–	8					2	–	10
West Division
No. 17 Memphis xy$		7	–	1					12	–	2
No. 20 Navy x		7	–	1					11	–	2
SMU		6	–	2					10	–	3
Tulane		3	–	5					7	–	6
Houston		2	–	6					4	–	8
Tulsa		2	–	6					4	–	8
Championship: Memphis 29, Cincinnati 24
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

Previous season

The Tigers finished the 2018 season 8–6, 5–3 in AAC play to be co–champions of the West Division. They represented the West Division in The American Championship Game where they lost to East Division champions UCF. They were invited to the Birmingham Bowl where they lost to Wake Forest.

Preseason

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released

Award	Player	Position	Year
Maxwell Award[4]	Patrick Taylor	RB	SR
Bednarik Award[5]	Bryce Huff	DE	SR
Doak Walker Award[6]	Patrick Taylor	RB	SR
Fred Biletnikoff Award[7]	Damonte Coxie	WR	RS JR
John Mackey Award[8]	Joey Magnifico	TE	RS SR
Rimington Trophy[9]	Dustin Woodard	C	SR
Jim Thorpe Award[10]	T.J. Carter	CB	JR
Outland Trophy[11]	Dustin Woodard	C	SR
Bronko Nagurski Trophy[12]	Bryce Huff	DE	SR
Lou Groza Award[13]	Riley Patterson	PK	JR
Wuerffel Trophy[14]	Brady White	QB	RS JR
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award[15]	Brady White	QB	RS JR
Manning Award[16]	Brady White	QB	RS JR

AAC media poll

The AAC media poll was released on July 16, 2019, with the Tigers predicted as repeat to win the AAC West Division [17] and finish in third place of AAC championship.

West Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place) 1 Memphis 165 (15) 2 Houston 162 (14) 3 Tulane 108 4 SMU 87 (1) 5 Navy 70 6 Tulsa 38

Media poll (AAC Championship) Predicted finish Team Votes 1 UCF 12 2 Cincinnati 8 3 Memphis 6 4 Houston 4

Personnel

Depth chart

Defense FS La'Andre Thomas Carlito Gonzalez WLB MLB SLB J.J. Russell Zay Cullens Tim Hart Austin Hall ⋅ Josh Perry Thomas Pickens Nehemiah Augustus SS Tyrez Lindsey Sanchez Blake Jr. CB T.J. Carter John Broussard DE DT DT DE Bryce Huff Joseph Dorceus O'Bryan Goodson Jonathan Wilson Wardalis Ducksworth Cade Mashburn John Tate Everitt Cunningham CB Chris Claybrooks Jacobi Francis Offense "X" WR John Williams Rodrigues Clark "Z" WR Antonio Gibson Calvin Austin III LT LG C RG RT Obinna Eze Dylan Parham Dustin Woodard Manuel Orona-Lopez Scottie Dill Titus Jones ⋅ Issac Ellis Evan Fields Peyton Jones "Y" TE Joey Magnifico Sean Dykes Tyce Daniel "S" WR Damonte Coxie Kedarian Jones QB Brady White Connor Adair RB Patrick Taylor Kenneth Gainwell Special Teams PK Riley Patterson P Adam Williams KR Kenny Gainwell PR John Williams T.J. Carter H Preston Brady

Roster

2019 Memphis Tigers football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class WR 1 Traveon Samuel Sr QB 3 Brady White  Jr WR 5 Sean Dykes Sr RB 6 Patrick Taylor Sr QB 7 Markevion Quinn  So QB 8 Connor Adair  So WR 9 Pop Williams Sr WR 10 Damonte Coxie  Jr QB 11 Sheldon Layman Fr WR 13 Kedarian Jones  Sr WR 14 Antonio Gibson Sr TE 15 Drew Martin Fr QB 16 Sky Forest Fr RB 17 Kylan Watkins  So WR 18 Tahj Washington Fr RB 19 Kenneth Gainwell  Fr RB 21 Timothy Taylor  So RB 24 Cameron Fleming  Fr RB 25 Rodrigues Clark Fr RB 26 Marquavius Weaver  Sr WR 38 Jordan Monk Fr RB 43 Mario Nolan–Dillard So TE 45 Kameron Wilson  Fr WR 48 Dylan Ingram Fr TE 50 Jared Edwards  Fr OL 52 Peyton Jones  Sr OL 53 Dustin Woodard Sr OL 56 Dylan Parham  So OL 57 Nigel Brannon  So OL 61 Josh Northcutt  Fr OL 65 Jake Stopkotte Fr OL 67 Manuel Orona–Lopez  Jr OL 68 Nathan Bradley Fr OL 70 Jacob Likes Fr OL 71 Evan Fields  Fr OL 73 Titus Jones  Fr OL 74 Issac Ellis  Fr OL 75 Matt Dale Jr OL 76 Blaine Bishop  Fr OL 77 Obinna Eze  So OL 78 Nick Metzinger Fr OL 79 Scottie Dill  Sr WR 80 Coye' Fairman  So WR 81 Javon Ivory Fr WR 82 Cameron Baker Fr TE 83 John Hassell  So WR 84 Calvin Austin II  So TE 86 Joey Magnifico  Sr WR 87 Jeremy Tate Jr.  Fr TE 88 Tyce Daniel  So WR 89 Tyler Moore  So	Defense Pos. # Name Class DL 1 O'Bryan Goodson Fr DB 2 T.J. Carter Jr LB 3 Keith Brown Jr.  Jr DB 4 Josh Perry  Jr DE 5 Everitt Cunningham Jr DL 6 Kayode Oladele  Fr DB 7 Chris Claybrooks  Jr LB 8 Zay Cullens  So DB 9 John Broussard Jr. Jr DB 11 Joey Bryant Sr DB 12 La'Andre Thomas  So DL 13 Jalil Clemons Fr DB 15 Quindell Johnson  Fr LB 16 Nehemiah Augustus  Jr DB 18 Gabriel Rogers Jr DB 22 Tyrez Lindsey  Jr DB 23 J. J. Russell Jr DB 25 Austin Hall  Sr LB 26 Cade Mashburn  So DB 27 Maliek Stallings Fr DB 28 Troy Hurst  Fr DB 29 Carlito Gonzalez  Jr DB 30 Rodney Owens  So DB 31 Austin Jones Fr DB 32 Jacobi Francis  Jr LB 34 Tyler Garvey  So LB 35 Tim Hart  Jr DB 36 Ladarius Jordan  Sr DE 37 Jaylon Allen  Fr DL 38 Jonathan Wilson Sr DB 39 Harold Nash III Fr DB 40 Thomas Pickens  Jr DB 41 Sanchez Blake Jr.  So LB 43 Ja'Len Sims Fr DB 44 Kendell Johnson  Fr DB 45 Raymond Fracchia Fr DE 46 Cole Mashburn Fr DB 47 Colton Cochran  Jr DE 50 Joesph Honeysucker Fr LB 52 Matthew Rhodes Fr LB 53 Nyle Love  Fr DL 54 J'Len Smith  So DE 55 Bryce Huff Sr DE 56 Cortez Love  Fr LB 57 Andrew Lawton Fr LB 58 Will Gusmus Fr DL 59 Chandler Stump  Jr DL 90 John Tate  Jr DE 92 Jeremiah Maclin Jr DL 93 Desmond Hawkins  Sr DL 94 Joesph Dorceus  Jr DL 95 Keith Brigham Sr DL 97 Wardalis Ducksworth So DL 99 Braylon Brown  So	Special teams Pos. # Name Class PK 36 Riley Patterson Jr LS 42 Preston Brady Jr P 48 Adam Williams  So LS 49 Treysen Neal So	Head coach Mike Norvell Coordinators/assistant coaches Adam Fuller (Defensive Coordinator) Kevin Johns (Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks) Pete Lembo (Assistant Head Coach / Special Teams Coordinator) John Simon (Recruiting Coordinator / Passing Game Coordinator / Assistant Coach / Wide Receivers) Anthony Jones (Assistant Coach / Running Backs) Tony Tokarz (Assistant Coach / Tight Ends) Kevin Clune (Assistant Coach / Linebackers) Tim Edwards (Assistant Coach / Defensive Line) Ryan Silverfield (Deputy Head Coach / Run Game Coordinator / Offensive Line) T.J. Rushing (Assistant Coach / Defensive Backs / Pass Game Coordinator) Jeff Kupper (Director, Football Operations) Dan Allen (Graduate Assistant - Defensive Line) Carlos Locklyn (Director of High School Relations) Steven Mizell (Director of Player Relations) Braxton Brady (Team Chaplain) Cortez Carter (Graduate Assistant, Defensive Back) Alan Cross (Graduate Assistant, Offensive Line) Joel Elliot (Graduate Assistant, Defense) Cory Zink (Director of Football Video) Marc Hohorst (Equipment Manager) David Draper (Athletic Equipment Assistant) Marcus Bell (Director of Community & Tiger Alumni Relations) Sherman Morris (Director of Recruiting Operations) Akoya Nelson (Assistant to the Director of Recruiting) Justin Crouse (Director of Player Personnel) Josh Storms (Strength and Conditioning Coach) Larry Reynolds (Senior Assistant Athletic Trainer) Sherri Schwartz (Assistant to the Head Coach) Darrell Turner (Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine) Nate Fichtner (Analyst) Cooper Williams (Offensive Analyst) Chase Robison (Defensive Analyst) Jalan Sowell (Student Assistant) Jake Wilcox (Student Volunteer) John Cotton (Quality Control) David Glidden (Quality Control) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: July 17, 2019

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	11:00 a.m.	Ole Miss*		Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (rivalry)	ABC	W 15–10	44,107
September 7	11:00 a.m.	Southern*		Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN	WMC	W 55–24	34,487
September 14	2:30 p.m.	at South Alabama*		Ladd–Peebles Stadium Mobile, AL	ESPNU	W 42–6	12,373
September 26	7:00 p.m.	Navy		Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN	ESPN	W 35–23	33,909
October 5	2:45 p.m.	at Louisiana–Monroe*		Malone Stadium Monroe, LA	ESPNU	W 52–33	17,143
October 12	11:00 a.m.	at Temple	No. 23	Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA	ESPN2	L 28–30	34,253
October 19	6:00 p.m.	Tulane		Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN	ESPN2	W 47–17	30,221
October 26	6:00 p.m.	at Tulsa		H. A. Chapman Stadium Tulsa, OK	CBSSN	W 42–41	17,183
November 2	6:30 p.m.	No. 15 SMU	No. 24	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (College GameDay)	ABC	W 54–48	59,506
November 16	2:30 p.m.	at Houston	No. 18	TDECU Stadium Houston, TX	ESPN2	W 45–27	25,149
November 23	3:00 p.m.	at South Florida	No. 18	Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL	ESPNU	W 49–10	25,136
November 29	2:30 p.m.	No. 19 Cincinnati	No. 18	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN	ABC	W 34–24	36,472
December 7	2:30 p.m.	No. 20 Cincinnati	No. 17	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (The American Championship)	ABC	W 29–24	33,008
December 28	11:00 a.m.	vs. No. 10 Penn State*	No. 17	AT&T Stadium Arlington, TX (Cotton Bowl Classic)	ESPN	L 39–53	54,828
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings after November 5 released prior to game All times are in Central time

Schedule Source:[18]

Game summaries

Ole Miss

	1	2	3	4	Total
Rebels	0	0	3	7	10
Tigers	7	6	0	2	15

Southern

	1	2	3	4	Total
Jaguars	7	10	7	0	24
Tigers	17	10	21	7	55

at South Alabama

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	7	16	7	12	42
Jaguars	0	0	0	6	6

Navy

	1	2	3	4	Total
Midshipmen	13	7	0	3	23
Tigers	7	7	14	7	35

at Louisiana–Monroe

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	7	22	10	13	52
Warhawks	3	14	9	7	33

at Temple

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 23 Tigers	0	14	7	7	28
Owls	13	10	0	7	30

Tulane

	1	2	3	4	Total
Green Wave	3	7	0	7	17
Tigers	13	21	6	7	47

at Tulsa

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	14	14	7	7	42
Golden Hurricane	0	17	14	10	41

SMU

SMU at Memphis
(College GameDay)

1 2 3 4 Total No. 15 Mustangs 7 10 7 24 48 • No. 24 Tigers 7 16 17 14 54 Date: November 2, 2019 Location: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN Game start: 7:30 p.m. EDT Game weather: Temperature: TV announcers (ABC): Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) and Maria Taylor (sideline)

at Houston

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 18 Tigers	7	21	14	3	45
Cougars	17	3	0	7	27

at South Florida

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 18 Tigers	7	21	14	7	49
Bulls	10	0	0	0	10

Cincinnati

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 19 Bearcats	3	14	0	7	24
No. 18 Tigers	17	3	0	14	34

Cincinnati (AAC Championship Game)

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 20 Bearcats	7	7	7	3	24
No. 17 Tigers	10	0	10	9	29

vs. Penn State (Cotton Bowl Classic)

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 17 Tigers	13	10	13	3	39
No. 10 Nittany Lions	7	28	10	8	53

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	23	RV	RV	24	19	18	18	17	16	15	17
Coaches	RV	RV	RV	RV	RV	23т	20	RV	25	23	19	18	18	18	16	15	17
CFP	Not released										21	18	18	18	17	17	Not released

Players drafted into the NFL

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Club
3	66	Antonio Gibson	RB	Washington Redskins
7	223	Chris Claybrooks	CB	Jacksonville Jaguars
7	230	Dustin Woodard	C	New England Patriots

References

1. Sallee, Barrett (December 8, 2019). "Florida State announced it has hired Mike Norvell from Memphis to coach Seminoles". cbssports.com. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
2. "Memphis tabs Ryan Silverfield as Tigers' interim coach". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
3. Barnes, Evan; Giannotto, Mark (December 13, 2019). "Memphis hiring Ryan Silverfield as coach, replacing Mike Norvell". USA Today. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
4. "2019 Maxwell Award Watch List". July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
5. "2019 Bednarik Award Watch List". July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
6. "2019 Doak Walker Watch List" (PDF). July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
7. "2019 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List Released". July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
8. "2019 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List Released" (PDF). July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
9. "Rimington Trophy Press Release". July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
10. "Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Names 2019 Preseason Watch List". July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
11. "2019 Outland Trophy Award Watchlist Unveiled". July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
12. "2019 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watchlist Unveiled". July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
13. "Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Announces 2019 Preseason Watch Lizt". July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
14. "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2019 Watch List". July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
15. "The Golden Arm Award Announces 2019 Class of Candidates". August 19, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
16. "Allstate Sugar Bowl Announces Manning Award Watch List". August 21, 2019. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
17. "UCF chosen as Favorite in 2019 Preseason Media Poll". TheAmerican.org. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
18. "2019 Memphis Football Schedule" (PDF). GoTigersGo.com. University of Memphis Athletics. February 7, 2019.