Former Tiger Sutton Smith reveals why he didn’t play in Memphis’ bowl game
Memphis running back Sutton Smith (5) runs for a touchdown against UAB during the first half of an NCAA college football game Oct. 18, 2025, in Birmingham, Ala. (Mike Stewart/AP file)
Three days after the Memphis Tigers ended the 2025 regular season with their third-straight loss, news broke that head coach Ryan Silverfield was accepting the same position at Arkansas.
With their coach walking out the door, several Memphis players had decisions to make about the NCAA transfer portal. First team All-American Conference return specialist and third team running back Sutton Smith was among that group.
Smith ended up entering the portal and following Silverfield to Arkansas.
This is an excerpt of this story. To read more, please click here and subscribe.
Topics
Memphis Tigers Football Sutton Smith Subscriber OnlyThank you for being a subscriber to The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit news organization with a hybrid business model, we rely on a mix of revenue from subscriptions (50%), advertising, events and miscellaneous earned income (25%) and fundraising (25%).
Please consider making a fully tax-deductible donation or other contribution to The Daily Memphian today.
👉 Your subscription pays for you to read all our journalism.
👉 Your donation powers the work we do to reach everyone else with the news.
We believe an informed Memphis is a better Memphis. If you agree, join our growing list of donors now.
Frank Bonner II
Frank Bonner is the Memphis Tigers football beat writer. He is originally from Indiana but arrived in Memphis after spending two years in Tulsa, covering Oklahoma State football and basketball. He covered high school sports in Columbus, Indiana for two years before getting his Master’s degree in Sports Journalism at IUPUI. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University.
Comments
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.