Let’s start with an honest self-assessment: The Memphis Tigers did not expect to be 5-4, did not imagine losing at Tulane and, in the wake of the way the Midshipmen’s season has veered off course, probably can’t believe they lost at Navy.

Memphis center Drew Kyser led the way for running back Darrell Henderson on the first drive of the 59-41 win over East Carolina.

Memphis (5-4, 2-3 American Athletic Conference) fought off a scrappy East Carolina (2-6, 0-5 AAC) for a 59-41 road win Saturday afternoon.

Head coach Mike Norvell believes there’s no magical solution for what ails the Memphis defense. Only one thing can change the Tigers’ fortunes – hard work.

Memphis (4-4, 1-3 American Athletic Conference) goes on the road to take on East Carolina (2-5, 0-4 AAC) this weekend. Linebacker coach Scott Symons answered this week's five quick questions. 

The helicopter navigated through the baseball lights and utility wires to touch down on the front lawn of the Billy J. Murphy Athletic Complex on Friday, Oct. 26.

Three-star defensive end Wardalis Ducksworth became the second prospect to commit to the Tigers this week. 

The South Alabama defense was focused on Tiger running back Darrell Henderson – among the nation’s leading rushers – as the 5-foot-9 junior headed right on a sweep, the Jaguar defense flowing that way to hinder Henderson.

The Memphis Tigers were rolling over Missouri State in the first game of the 2015 season and fans had started leaving Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium early, getting a jump on the traffic.

Head coach Mike Norvell thought star running back Darrell Henderson was headed for the endzone when he burst into open space against the Missouri defense.

Three-star defensive end Cole Mashburn from Norman, Oklahoma, plans to enroll early at Memphis, joining the Tigers in January, according to multiple sources.

Not so long ago, optimism about the 2018 Memphis football season was a given. The Tigers were the pick to win the American Athletic Conference West Division title. And a midseason home game vs. UCF offered the opportunity to make a statement this season while dishing out a little payback for last season.

When quarterback Brady McBride arrived at the University of Memphis, he didn’t want to be a problem or seen as a ‘needy freshman’ so he picked the first number offered to him. That happened to be the No. 4.

Memphis coach Mike Norvell says running back Darrell Henderson will be back for the East Carolina game. Norvell will be flying around Memphis in a helicopter Friday night, traveling to local high school games. And Norvell remains confident in the trajectory of the program, despite the dispiriting loss to Missouri.

Memphis moved to 4-4, 1-3 in the American Athletic Conference with a 65-33 non-conference loss to Missouri (4-3, 0-3 SEC) in Columbia, Missouri on Saturday. The performance was the worst of the season for the U of M, which sits at .500. Beyond that there are injury concerns as the Tigers head into an open date before facing East Carolina. 

Memphis wide receivers coach Desmond Lindsey joined the Tigers after two seasons at Southern Mississippi, where he coached receivers and tight ends. 

Memphis quarterback Brady White stepped to the line in the Tigers’ win over Connecticut and quickly scanned the defense. The original play call didn’t look good so the redshirt junior checked, or called an audible, into a run play that ended in a Darrell Henderson touchdown. 

Running back Tyler Badie is a Tiger. He was probably always going to be a Tiger. It’s just that at the last moment, he changed his stripes and flipped from Memphis to Missouri.

In the aftermath of the 31-30 loss to UCF last Saturday, Memphis quarterback Brady White went straight to the aggravating bottom line: “We should have won that game, no doubt.”

Memphis cornerback Jacobi Francis sat in the film room with head coach Mike Norvell to analyze the redshirt sophomore’s performance in his first career start against Tulane. 

Memphis (4-3, 1-3 American Athletic Conference) fell to No. 10 UCF (6-0, 3-0) in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The 31-30 loss marks coach Mike Norvell’s first with a losing conference record. 

The Tigers blew a 13-point halftime lead to No. 10 UCF at home. The Knights shut Memphis out in the second half and avoided an upset in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

By the end of the first quarter, Memphis running back Darrell Henderson had rushed 12 times for 115 yards and a touchdown. Whatever the team’s fate Saturday against No. 10 UCF, there was not going to be any chance that second-guessers could point to the nation’s leading rusher not getting the ball enough.

Memphis (4-2, 1-2 American Athletic Conference) enters Saturday’s matchup against No. 10 UCF (5-0, 2-0) looking to prove the Knights aren’t the only ones in Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium with a high-powered offense. 

You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers, about Memphis vs. UCF.