Memphis Football: 2022 Way-Too-Early Game Predictions

Memphis football experienced a strange transition year in 2021, going 6-6 and wandering in the middle of the American Athletic Conference pile. 2022 may be a year where the Tigers get back on track.

Since taking over for Mike Norvell in 2020, Ryan Silverfield has been trying to build a staircase back to the highs Memphis football has experienced over the past decade. Yet, many forget that Memphis isn’t a program with a long-term history of success.

In 2009, former Memphis coach Tommy West lambasted the school’s administration after being fired for not being committed to the program. By 2014, they were winning big, and 2019 saw them be the first team from the state of Tennessee to make it to a New Year’s Six bowl game.

Getting back to that level is going to take an experienced quarterback. Last year, Memphis found their next signal-caller in Seth Henigan. Henigan beat out Arizona transfer Grant Gunnell for the job and went on to throw for 3,322 yards and 35 touchdowns in year one.

Of course, he was aided by the wonderous Calvin Austin III. Austin is off to the NFL, and so too is big pass-catching tight end Seth Dykes.

While J.J. Russell’s 125 tackles leave on defense, most of the core pieces are back. That Memphis defense gave up quite a few points but was still top 50 in terms of yards allowed per play.

Memphis could experience a bounce-back, and here’s how it’ll shake out.