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Tigers Football Insider: Five players to keep tabs on during fall camp
 
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Welcome back to the Tigers Football Insider, where we bring you the latest news and analysis from The Daily Memphian’s Frank Bonner II, Geoff Calkins and John Martin each week.

Wednesday is the first day of fall camp for the Tigers as they spend the next month preparing for the season opener at Mississippi State Sept. 3.

Now is the time for players to do what they need to in order to win whatever position battles are in play and for upcoming talent to show they are ready for playing time this season.

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There are several players to keep an eye on during fall camp, but here are five interesting offensive players that fans may want to keep tabs on.

Joseph Scates

Receivers coach David Glidden and head coach Ryan Silverfield have both acknowledged that this year is the deepest the receiving room has been since they’ve been on staff. The Tigers are looking to replace receiver Calvin Austin III and tight end Sean Dykes with a committee of pass catchers.

Receiver Joseph Scates transferred from Iowa State but missed most of spring practice. Receiver Javon Ivory speaks highly of Scates and that position group has already accepted him as one of the veteran leaders in that room. A healthy Scates during fall camp will help him show how he can fit in and benefit the passing game.

Brandon Thomas

Brandon Thomas runs past William Whitlow Jr. during the Memphis Tigers spring scrimmage at Centennial High School on April 02, 2022 in Franklin, Tennessee. (Harrison McClary/Special to The Daily Memphian file)

Running back Brandon Thomas started the season with a bang rushing for 147 yards, 191 yards and 83 yards in his first three games. He struggled with a couple of fumbles before getting injured and he only reached the 70-yard mark twice the rest of the season while missing three games. Thomas still led the team with 669 rushing yards.

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A healthy Thomas showed how impactful he could be last season. If he can take care of his body and protect the football, Thomas should have a strong year this season. This will be an important month for him in hopes of starting off the same way he did last year.

Jevyon Ducker

The 2021 MAC Freshman of the Year is now a Tiger and he didn’t participate much in spring camp. He led Northern Illinois with 1,184 rushing yards last year and plans to bring that level of production to Memphis. The running back room is stacked with talent and Memphis didn’t add a 1,000-yard rusher to the roster not to use him.

Ducker is expected to play a major role in the offense this season alongside Thomas as the top two running backs. There weren’t many opportunities to see how he fits with the offensive scheme during spring practice because of his limited participation. Ducker should be a bigger participant during fall camp.

Seth Henigan

University of Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan (5) throws the ball during the Tiger's spring game April 22, 2022. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)

Seth Henigan is entering this fall camp a little bigger than he was as a true freshman last season. His top two targets are gone but he should have a solid group of guys to throw to this season. The most interesting aspect for Henigan entering fall camp is seeing how he runs through his progressions not having Austin and Dykes on the field.

The receiving corps performing by committee should help Henigan continue progressing as a quarterback knowing he doesn’t have his sure-fire security blanket anymore in Austin. It’ll be interesting to pay attention to how the chemistry progresses between Henigan and his receivers.

Caden Prieskorn

The tight end position has been an important part of the passing game these last couple of years and the Tigers will be looking to keep it that way. Silverfield has mentioned Prieskorn’s name a couple of times in interviews and it sounds like the staff has high hopes for him to flourish this season.

Prieskorn is a junior who played in all 12 games last year. He caught four passes for 46 yards, including two catches for 31 yards against Tulsa. This next month will give Prieskorn the chance to continue establishing a connection with Henigan assuming that he’ll be targeted a lot more than he was last season.


More from your Insider:


Memphis doing all it can to keep up with changes in college athletics

The Tigers are investing in new facilities and not shying away from the NIL era. 

Calkins: It might look a little different this year. But Memphis football is back.

As another season begins, everything is different about Memphis football. Except everything that matters.

 
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