Tigers Bring in Plethora of CFN Preseason Awards & Honors
Memphis football earns votes in first poll of 2024
From the University of Memphis
GoTigersGo.com
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis football received a plethora of preseason honors from College Football Network, CFN announced.
The Tigers were highlighted with CFN Preseason AAC Coach of the Year Ryan Silverfield, CFN Preseason AAC Quarterback, Offensive Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American Seth Henigan, CFN Preseason AAC Wide Receiver of the Year Roc Taylor, CFN Preseason AAC Guard of the Year Xavier Hill, CFN Preseason AAC Kick Returner of the Year Sutton Smith and the entire offensive line being tabbed CFN Preseason AAC Offensive Line of the Year.
Entering his ninth season with Memphis (fifth as head coach), Silverfield has been tabbed Preseason AAC Coach of the Year by CFN. Silverfield has won a bowl title in each of his first four seasons and is the only head coach in program history with four bowl wins after leading Memphis to a victory over Iowa State in the 2023 AutoZone Liberty Bowl. His 31 wins are tied for the second most of any Memphis head coach through four seasons and are the fourth most among head coaches hired in 2020.
Henigan earns CFN Preseason AAC Quarterback and Offensive Player of the Year honors after helping lead the Tigers to a 10-3 record and 2023 AutoZone Liberty Bowl championship. The 21-year-old was also named Honorable Mention CFN All-American and is entering his fourth season at the helm of the Tiger offense, making him the only fourthyear starting quarterback in FBS to spend all four seasons at one institution.
The senior quarterback had his best season yet in 2023, passing for 3,883 yards and 32 touchdowns to just nine interceptions while rushing for another five scores and setting the single-season completions (318) record for the Tigers.
Henigan is the Memphis-career leader entering 2024 in completions (839) and passing yards (10,776) while his 79 touchdowns are just a dozen shy of Brady White’s career record. The senior has logged 18-career 300-yard passing games and five 400yard efforts over his career – both good for program records.
Taylor, a senior out of Oxford, Alabama, was named as the CFN’s AAC Preseason Wide Receiver of the Year following a breakout 2023 season with the Tigers. With 69 receptions for 1,083 yards and four touchdowns, he ranked 20th in the NCAA in receiving yards and 23rd in receiving yards per game while becoming just the fifth 1,000yard receiver in Memphis football history.
Taylor, a 2023 Second Team All-AAC honoree, was one of just nine Tigers to start all 13 games on the 10-win squad – going over 100 yards receiving six times. Smith was picked to the Preseason First Team All-AAC Kick Returner by Phil Steele after averaging 24.2 yards per return in 2023 to rank 18th nationally and second in The American and now adds CFN Preseason AAC Kick Returner of the Year to his resume. The versatile back totaled 77 yards and a touchdown on four rushes and a pair of receptions in the 2023 AutoZone Liberty Bowl win.
Hill, a 2023 First Team All-AAC selection by Phil Steele, was a member of last season’s 10-win squad that defeated Iowa State in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, starting all 13 games during the season. The 6-foot-4, 318-pound guard was tabbed as CFN’S Preseason AAC Guard of the Year entering the season.
The Memphis offensive line was picked as CFN’s AAC favorite heading into the 2024 season led by veteran returners in Hill, Jonah Gambill, Keydrell Lewis and Mitchell Gildehaus in addition to newcomers Trent Holler and Jaylen Nichols. The Tiger line helped Memphis to a 10-3 finish in 2023 where it finished the season ranked sixth in the NCAA in scoring offense (39.4), 10th in passing offense (306.5), 14th in total offense (548.5) and 17th in team passing efficiency (154.79) and completion percentage (.667).
In addition to the slew of preseason awards, seven Tigers
See TIGERS, page A9 TIGERS
From page A7
landed on CFN’s Preseason First Team All-AAC Team: Henigan (QB), Taylor (WR), Demeer Blankumsee (WR), Hill (OG), Trent Holler (OG), Davion Ross (CB) and Smith (KR).
Another pair of Tigers earned CFN Preseason Second Team All-AAC accolades in Mario Anderson Jr. (RB) and Chandler Martin (LB). Jaylen Nichols (OT), Greg Rubin (S) and Kourtlan Marsh (Flex) earned CFN Preseason Third Team honors while Javante Mackey (LB) was named CFN Preseason Honorable Mention All-AAC.
Tigers Receive Votes in Preseason Coaches Poll
The University of Memphis football team received 44 votes in the US LBM Preseason Coaches Poll on Monday.
The Tigers will begin the season just outside the top 25, checking in at No. 30 in the poll.
With 44 votes, Memphis is the highest-ranked program and one of just nine Group of 5 teams in the country. UTSA (3) and Tulane (2) are the only other American schools to be receiving preseason votes, while the Tigers' week two opponent, Troy, received one vote.
Memphis was picked to win The American in the 2024 AAC Preseason Media Poll with 23 of 30 first-place votes after putting together the fifth 10-win season in program history a year ago. The Tigers capped off the momentous 2023 season with a win over Iowa State in the 2023 Auto-Zone Liberty Bowl, holding the Cyclones to zero rushing yards.
The Tigers return a wealth of experience on both sides of the football. Key returners include fourth-year starting quarterback Seth Henigan, three of the Tigers' four leading wide receivers from a year ago in Roc Taylor, Demeer Blankumsee and Koby Drake, tight end Anthony Landphere, running back and kick returner Sutton Smith, offensive linemen Xavier Hill and Jonah Gambill, Phil Steele Preseason All-American linebacker Chandler Martin and defensive back Greg Rubin.
Including the aforementioned student-athletes, Memphis had 15 players named to Phil Steele's Preseason All-AAC Team.
Head coach Ryan Silverfield is entering his ninth season with Memphis (fifth as head coach). Silverfield has won a bowl title in each of his first four seasons and is the only head coach in program history with four bowl wins. His 31 wins are tied for the second most of any Memphis head coach through four seasons and are the fourth most among head coaches hired in 2020.
Memphis football fans can see the Tigers at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in the team's season opener on Saturday, Aug. 31. Single-game tickets for the 2024 season can be found at THIS LINK.
The Pick Three Mini Plan is an additional option available that gives fans the flexibility to pick from any three Tiger home football games during the 2024 season at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, starting at just $69. To catch all of the action in the highly-anticipated 2024 Memphis Football season, fans can also purchase season tickets at GoTigersGo.com, in person at the Memphis Ticket Office or by calling the office at (901) 678-2331.
