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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.
The Tigers have a post-Christmas bowl game this year and coach Ryan Silverfield said it gives the staff extra time to recruit while getting in more practices for the younger guys.
Memphis will play Utah State at 2:15 p.m. on Dec. 27 in the First Responders Bowl in Dallas. While some coaches might have preferred a bowl before Christmas, Silverfield appreciates how the timeline works for his schedule.
“The NCAA made last week a dead period,” Silverfield said on Sunday. “So you lost a week on the road recruiting. If we’re playing on the 17th we would have lost that third week on the road and only had five days out on the road maybe 4 ½ as a coaching staff. That can put you behind the eight ball on what you want this program to look like.”
Memphis has had the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history in back-to-back years and the Tigers are flirting with making it three consecutive years. Memphis had a strong recruiting weekend with five athletes committing to the Tigers from Saturday to Monday.
The team didn’t practice this week which allowed the coaching staff to continue traveling on the recruiting trail. The late bowl game also gives the Tigers more practice opportunities as they start looking toward next season. Silverfield said he was happy to see some younger guys making plays during practice on Sunday.
“We talk about our current young roster with the youth of our program,” Silverfield said. “We’re able to go out there and get extra practices which I think is wonderful. It’ll pay dividends for our guys for the 2023 season and beyond.”
Memphis fans have already seen flashes of young guys such as freshman running back Sutton Smith. Smith has rushed the ball at least one time in five games this year. He’s scored a touchdown in each of the last two regular season games and bowl games are usually the time when young talent like him gets their number called a little more.
The same could be said for redshirt sophomore running back An’Darius Coffey who tallied 83 rushing yards on 14 carries in a 59-0 win over North Alabama in the last home game of the season. Sophomore receiver Roc Taylor could be another young talent who gets targeted more during the bowl game. Taylor had tallied at least one reception in five games this year. The athletic department has expressed to fans there is reason to be optimistic about next year and a good showing from the younger guys would be a good sign for next season.
More from your Insider:
After reading comments from fans on social media, Memphis defensive lineman Wardalis Ducksworth offers public support for coach Ryan Silverfield.
The former University of Memphis coach says he’s definitely interested in getting back into college football.
You may think the Memphis-Utah State matchup is a humdrum game between two six-win teams. But no! It is an opportunity for Memphis to settle a 51-year-old grudge. It is a story of college football treachery. And it is time for Utah State to pay.
Memphis lands two commitments on Monday from three-star receiver Harvey Broussard III and junior college linebacker Marcus Tillman Jr.
Memphis will meet Utah State of the Mountain West on Dec. 27 in Dallas.
The Tigers now have 18 commitments for the 2023 recruiting class.
American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco said he can’t “overstate the importance” of what the College Football expansion means for the AAC and member schools like Memphis.
“He had a lot of belief in a lot of young men,” Greg Stobart said of his dad Chuck, who coached at Memphis from 1989-1994. “Tried to make them better people and give them structure like all good coaches and mentors do.”
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