University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Joe Murphy
Memphis Football Announces 12 Signings In Early Period
Dec 21, 2017 | Football
Tigers add 12 players in early signing period, addressing needs in multiple positions.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis football team got an early start on filling needs for the 2018 season with the signing of 12 players to National Letters of Intent. The early signing period, new to college football this season, continues through Friday with the regular signing period for college football beginning February 7.
"I'm very excited that we've been able to address some needs with this early signing period group," Head Coach Mike Norvell said. "If you look at the offensive and defensive line and linebacker, we're going to have a couple of guys leaving the program that are very experienced, explosive players. So to be able to replace a couple of them with junior college signees or high school guys that we think will have an opportunity to come in and impact early, we're definitely fired up. We're right where we expected to be. We knew there was a possibility of some late additions, but we have a great group and everything is on track with where we want to be for February and the final signing day."
Keith Brigham // DL // 6-3 // 260 // Normal, Ill./Normal Community West/Pima CC
Named a second team all-conference defensive lineman as a freshman at Pima Community College in 2017 … Played for head coach Jim Monaco at Pima CC … Finished with a team-best six sacks and was third on the team with 79 overall tackles … Also recorded a forced fumble and a fumble recovery … Against Scottsdale Community College, had eight total tackles and two sacks … Named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year during redshirt season at Illinois State in 2016.
Keith Brown Jr. // LB // 6-3 // 235 // Madison, Miss./Madison Central/Northwest Mississippi CC
First-team all-conference linebacker for head coach Benjy Parker at Northwest Mississippi CC in 2017 … Leading tackler for the Rangers with 94 total stops … Second on the team with six sacks and finished third with 10.5 tackles for loss … Helped the team to an 8-3 record and conference championship … Finished the season with three-straight double-digit tackle performances … Played in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2016 ... Finished with 24 tackles (10 solo), 6.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a breakup … Played for head coach Brad Peterson at Madison Central ... Helped the Jaguars to a 9-6 overall record and the semifinal round of the Class 6A state playoffs ... won third in the state in powerlifting.
Chris Clark // DL // 6-4 // 255 // Sardis, Miss./North Panola
Played offensive and defensive line for head coach Carl Diffee at North Panola High School … Helped North Panola roll to a 13-1 record in 2017, with the team's only loss coming in the semifinals of the 3A State Playoffs … Blocked for an offense that racked up 3,083 passing yards and 37 touchdowns and rushed for 3,571 yards and 27 touchdowns … Also contributed 59 tackles and 4.5 sacks on defense … Served as the teams kicker as well … Competed in the Bernard Blackwell Mississippi All-Star game … As a junior, helped pave the way for the Cougar offense to roll to 2,754 rushing yards and 2,406 passing yards as a junior in 2016 … Also threw discus and shot put in high school.
Evan Fields // OL // 6-5 // 275 // Sharpsburg, Ga./East Coweta
Two-time first-team All-Region 2-7A and All-County offensive lineman for head coach John Small at East Coweta High School … Helped pave the way for a 1,000-yard rusher for the Indians in 2017 … As a junior in 2016, helped lead East Coweta to an 8-4 record and a spot in the playoffs … Competed in the 2016 Georgia Junior Bowl game … Also an outstanding wrestler in high school, competing for county championship team in 2016 … East Coweta is also the high school alma mater of current Tigers' punter Spencer Smith.
Cameron Fleming // RB // 5-9 // 175 // Cedar Hill, Texas/Cedar Hill
Two-year varsity player for head coach Carlos Lynn at Cedar Hill High School … First team All-District 7-6A running back … Finished his career with 761 rushing yards and nine touchdowns … Averaged eight yards per rush in his career … Totaled 1,441 all-purpose yards in his career … Rushed for 354 yards and three touchdowns as a senior in 2017 … Rushed for 409 yards and six touchdowns on 41 carries as a junior in 2016 … Averaged over nine yards per carry and helped Cedar Hill to an 11-3 record and the fourth round of the state playoffs.
Kenny Gainwell // ATH // 5-11 // 185 // Yazoo City, Miss./Yazoo County
Three-year starter at quarterback for head coach Robert Dobbs at Yazoo County … The team's leading passer with 1,114 yards and 10 touchdowns and the leading rusher with 1,791 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior … Led Yazoo County to a 14-1 record and the state title game in 2017 … Named 2017 Mississippi Class 3A Mr. Football … Co-MVP of the Mississippi/Alabama High School Football All-Star Classic … During his junior season he accounted for 1,184 yards passing and 1,292 more on the ground, scoring 29 total touchdowns.
Antonio Gibson // WR // 6-2 // 220 // Stockbridge, Ga./Eagles Landing/East Central CC
First-team all-state wide receiver for head coach Ken Karcher at East Central CC …
Caught 21 passes for 308 yards and four touchdowns … Also rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown … Named to the MACJC second team all-state offense in 2016 … Finished with 29 receptions for 563 yards and nine touchdowns as a freshman … County Offensive Player of the Year as a senior at Eagles Landing in 2015 … Versatile all-purpose player who amassed 1,545 total yards and 16 touchdowns, between rushing, receiving and returns.
Troy Hurst // RB/WR // 6-2 // 185 // Greensburg, La./St. Helena Central
Played both sides of the ball in high school, playing wide receiver, running back wildcat quarterback and safety … Helped his senior team to a 2A state championship game appearance and a 12-3 record … Had 10 rushes for 63 yards and two touchdowns in state championship game and also added two catches for 68 yards and a touchdown … Had a touchdown run and an interception in the fourth quarter of the state quarterfinal game … Named an LSWA all-state honoree in his senior campaign … As a junior, led the Hawks' with 915 rushing yards and 333 receiving yards … Coached at St. Helena Central by Brandon Brown.
Quindell Johnson // DB // 6-1 // 185 // New Orleans, La./Edna Karr
Helped Edna Karr to back-to-back state championships for the first time in school history under coach Brice Brown … Helped the Karr defense hold opponents to just 14.0 points per game in the regular season and just 18.4 points per game in five playoff games … Versatile safety who was aggressive in stopping the run and teams avoided in the passing game … Also plays basketball at Edna Karr.
Titus Jones // OL // 6-4 // 265 // New Orleans, La./Edna Karr
Helped Edna Karr to back-to-back Louisiana 4A state championships … His senior squad went 14-1 overall and 4-0 in district play under coach Brice Brown in 2017 … His team averaged 39.2 points per game in the state playoffs, including a 48-26 win over second seeded Lakeshore in the championship … Jones helped his Karr teams to three state championship appearances and back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017 with his 2016 team posting a perfect 15-0 mark.
Brady McBride // QB // 6-0 // 193 // Coppell, Texas/Coppell HS
Finished career 486-of-809 for 6,394 yards and 86 touchdowns in three seasons at Coppell High School under coach Mike DeWitt … Also rushed 325 times for 1,186 yards and 21 touchdowns … As a senior, passed for 2,354 yards and career-high 35 touchdowns with just three interceptions … Led Coppell to an 11-2 record and third round of the 6A state playoffs for the second-straight season … Named the District 9-6A Overall MVP as a junior after throwing for 2,616 yard and 33 touchdowns.
Jeremy Tate Jr. // WR // 6-4 // 210 // Columbus, Miss./New Hope
Prolific All-State wide receiver for coach Kris Pickle at New Hope High School … Caught a team-high 60 passes for 850 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior … Hauled in seven catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns against Shannon … As a junior, had 46 catches for 727 yards and 11 touchdowns … Had three catches for 49 yards in a win at the Mississippi/Alabama High School Football All-Star Classic … Also returned punts and kickoffs.
"I'm very excited that we've been able to address some needs with this early signing period group," Head Coach Mike Norvell said. "If you look at the offensive and defensive line and linebacker, we're going to have a couple of guys leaving the program that are very experienced, explosive players. So to be able to replace a couple of them with junior college signees or high school guys that we think will have an opportunity to come in and impact early, we're definitely fired up. We're right where we expected to be. We knew there was a possibility of some late additions, but we have a great group and everything is on track with where we want to be for February and the final signing day."
Keith Brigham // DL // 6-3 // 260 // Normal, Ill./Normal Community West/Pima CC
Named a second team all-conference defensive lineman as a freshman at Pima Community College in 2017 … Played for head coach Jim Monaco at Pima CC … Finished with a team-best six sacks and was third on the team with 79 overall tackles … Also recorded a forced fumble and a fumble recovery … Against Scottsdale Community College, had eight total tackles and two sacks … Named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year during redshirt season at Illinois State in 2016.
Keith Brown Jr. // LB // 6-3 // 235 // Madison, Miss./Madison Central/Northwest Mississippi CC
First-team all-conference linebacker for head coach Benjy Parker at Northwest Mississippi CC in 2017 … Leading tackler for the Rangers with 94 total stops … Second on the team with six sacks and finished third with 10.5 tackles for loss … Helped the team to an 8-3 record and conference championship … Finished the season with three-straight double-digit tackle performances … Played in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2016 ... Finished with 24 tackles (10 solo), 6.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a breakup … Played for head coach Brad Peterson at Madison Central ... Helped the Jaguars to a 9-6 overall record and the semifinal round of the Class 6A state playoffs ... won third in the state in powerlifting.
Chris Clark // DL // 6-4 // 255 // Sardis, Miss./North Panola
Played offensive and defensive line for head coach Carl Diffee at North Panola High School … Helped North Panola roll to a 13-1 record in 2017, with the team's only loss coming in the semifinals of the 3A State Playoffs … Blocked for an offense that racked up 3,083 passing yards and 37 touchdowns and rushed for 3,571 yards and 27 touchdowns … Also contributed 59 tackles and 4.5 sacks on defense … Served as the teams kicker as well … Competed in the Bernard Blackwell Mississippi All-Star game … As a junior, helped pave the way for the Cougar offense to roll to 2,754 rushing yards and 2,406 passing yards as a junior in 2016 … Also threw discus and shot put in high school.
Evan Fields // OL // 6-5 // 275 // Sharpsburg, Ga./East Coweta
Two-time first-team All-Region 2-7A and All-County offensive lineman for head coach John Small at East Coweta High School … Helped pave the way for a 1,000-yard rusher for the Indians in 2017 … As a junior in 2016, helped lead East Coweta to an 8-4 record and a spot in the playoffs … Competed in the 2016 Georgia Junior Bowl game … Also an outstanding wrestler in high school, competing for county championship team in 2016 … East Coweta is also the high school alma mater of current Tigers' punter Spencer Smith.
Cameron Fleming // RB // 5-9 // 175 // Cedar Hill, Texas/Cedar Hill
Two-year varsity player for head coach Carlos Lynn at Cedar Hill High School … First team All-District 7-6A running back … Finished his career with 761 rushing yards and nine touchdowns … Averaged eight yards per rush in his career … Totaled 1,441 all-purpose yards in his career … Rushed for 354 yards and three touchdowns as a senior in 2017 … Rushed for 409 yards and six touchdowns on 41 carries as a junior in 2016 … Averaged over nine yards per carry and helped Cedar Hill to an 11-3 record and the fourth round of the state playoffs.
Kenny Gainwell // ATH // 5-11 // 185 // Yazoo City, Miss./Yazoo County
Three-year starter at quarterback for head coach Robert Dobbs at Yazoo County … The team's leading passer with 1,114 yards and 10 touchdowns and the leading rusher with 1,791 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior … Led Yazoo County to a 14-1 record and the state title game in 2017 … Named 2017 Mississippi Class 3A Mr. Football … Co-MVP of the Mississippi/Alabama High School Football All-Star Classic … During his junior season he accounted for 1,184 yards passing and 1,292 more on the ground, scoring 29 total touchdowns.
Antonio Gibson // WR // 6-2 // 220 // Stockbridge, Ga./Eagles Landing/East Central CC
First-team all-state wide receiver for head coach Ken Karcher at East Central CC …
Caught 21 passes for 308 yards and four touchdowns … Also rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown … Named to the MACJC second team all-state offense in 2016 … Finished with 29 receptions for 563 yards and nine touchdowns as a freshman … County Offensive Player of the Year as a senior at Eagles Landing in 2015 … Versatile all-purpose player who amassed 1,545 total yards and 16 touchdowns, between rushing, receiving and returns.
Troy Hurst // RB/WR // 6-2 // 185 // Greensburg, La./St. Helena Central
Played both sides of the ball in high school, playing wide receiver, running back wildcat quarterback and safety … Helped his senior team to a 2A state championship game appearance and a 12-3 record … Had 10 rushes for 63 yards and two touchdowns in state championship game and also added two catches for 68 yards and a touchdown … Had a touchdown run and an interception in the fourth quarter of the state quarterfinal game … Named an LSWA all-state honoree in his senior campaign … As a junior, led the Hawks' with 915 rushing yards and 333 receiving yards … Coached at St. Helena Central by Brandon Brown.
Quindell Johnson // DB // 6-1 // 185 // New Orleans, La./Edna Karr
Helped Edna Karr to back-to-back state championships for the first time in school history under coach Brice Brown … Helped the Karr defense hold opponents to just 14.0 points per game in the regular season and just 18.4 points per game in five playoff games … Versatile safety who was aggressive in stopping the run and teams avoided in the passing game … Also plays basketball at Edna Karr.
Titus Jones // OL // 6-4 // 265 // New Orleans, La./Edna Karr
Helped Edna Karr to back-to-back Louisiana 4A state championships … His senior squad went 14-1 overall and 4-0 in district play under coach Brice Brown in 2017 … His team averaged 39.2 points per game in the state playoffs, including a 48-26 win over second seeded Lakeshore in the championship … Jones helped his Karr teams to three state championship appearances and back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017 with his 2016 team posting a perfect 15-0 mark.
Brady McBride // QB // 6-0 // 193 // Coppell, Texas/Coppell HS
Finished career 486-of-809 for 6,394 yards and 86 touchdowns in three seasons at Coppell High School under coach Mike DeWitt … Also rushed 325 times for 1,186 yards and 21 touchdowns … As a senior, passed for 2,354 yards and career-high 35 touchdowns with just three interceptions … Led Coppell to an 11-2 record and third round of the 6A state playoffs for the second-straight season … Named the District 9-6A Overall MVP as a junior after throwing for 2,616 yard and 33 touchdowns.
Jeremy Tate Jr. // WR // 6-4 // 210 // Columbus, Miss./New Hope
Prolific All-State wide receiver for coach Kris Pickle at New Hope High School … Caught a team-high 60 passes for 850 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior … Hauled in seven catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns against Shannon … As a junior, had 46 catches for 727 yards and 11 touchdowns … Had three catches for 49 yards in a win at the Mississippi/Alabama High School Football All-Star Classic … Also returned punts and kickoffs.
Players Mentioned
P/PK
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