Tigers Football Preview: SMU

Saturday, November 5

Dallas, Texas

3:00 PM

University of Memphis

SMU

Tickets

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Nov 04, 2016 | Football

Memphis Football Notes SMU Football Notes The American Football Notes

Kickoff is slated for 3 pm (CT) on ESPNews.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Gerald J. Ford Stadium staff may want to hang signs on both team entrances Saturday. The signs should read: "Beware offenses! Interception-happy defenses inside!"

When the University of Memphis and SMU meet Saturday in Dallas, both offenses need to be on high alert, as the Tigers' and Mustangs' defenses love to create havoc – and turnovers. Saturday's game kicks off at 3 p.m. (CT), and ESPNews is televising the contest.

Memphis ranks third nationally with 20 takeaways through eight games, and SMU is fifth in the nation in the same statistical category with 18 takeaways. The Tigers are sixth nationally in interceptions (11), and SMU second (14).

Of the Tigers' 20 takeaways, 11 have been interceptions, and three of those picks have been returns for touchdowns. On the SMU side, 14 of its 18 takeaways are interceptions. The Mustangs have returned two picks for scores. Furthermore, SMU is the only team in the nation with three players with four interceptions apiece.

Tigers head coach Mike Norvell sees a confident SMU squad, especially after its two big wins in recent weeks.

"It has been impressive to watch and see their confidence and growth," said Norvell. "The last two games have been monumental wins for their program because they dominated a good Houston team, and they came back last week and responded to some adversity. We know we are getting a confident bunch that is coming to play.

"It's going to come down to who can execute the plan, who can physically dominate the ball game and who can play the game without those self-inflicted mistakes."

Television: ESPNews
Radio: 600 WREC/102.9 FM (Flagship station)
Internet Video: ESPN3.com
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/smu/football/
LiveTweet: @Tigersmedia, @MemphisFB

Tigers Tidbits/Five Notes To Know
• Saturday's game is only the ninth overall meeting between the two programs. Memphis leads the overall series 5-3 and has won the last two meetings. The Tigers are 2-1 in their trips to Dallas and won their last time at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, a 48-10 victory in 2014.

• Saturday is SMU's Homecoming contest, and Saturday also will be homecomings for three Tigers. Head coach Mike Norvell returns to his hometown area. Norvell grew up in Irving, Texas, and played his high school football at Grace Preparatory Academy in Arlington, Texas. Assistant head coach Darrell Dickey makes his return to the Dallas area, having served as the University of North Texas head coach from 1998-2006. Dickey guided the Mean Green to four-straight Sun Belt Conference titles from 2001-04. Senior TE Daniel Montiel calls Arlington, Texas, home and played his prep career at Arlington High School.

• Redshirt junior WR Anthony Miller nickname should be "BPP" for Big-Play Performer, and his numbers prove it. To date this season, Miller has seven plays of 40 or more yards, and six of those have resulted in TD. For his career, Miller has 10 TD catches, and the average yardage on those 10 scores is 42.7 yards (427 total), which is second nationally. Syracuse's Amba Etta-Tawo tops that list and is just ahead of Miller at 43.0 yards per TD catch (10 TD/430 yards).

• When both head coaches take the field Saturday, each will see a familiar face on the opposing sideline. Memphis' Mike Norvell and SMU's Chad Morris coached together on the 2010 Tulsa staff. With head coach Todd Graham at the helm that season, the Golden Hurricane went 10-3 overall and 6-2 in Conference USA. Tulsa won the C-USA West Division and posted a win in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. In 2010, Tulsa scored one of the program's most prestigious victories, a 28-27 win over Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.

• The Tigers offense enters Saturday's game with 49 plays of 20 or more yards so far this season. Memphis had a season-best 10 plays of 20 or more yards vs. Bowling Green and Tulsa. WR Anthony Miller has the Tigers' longest offensive play this season, an 84-yard TD catch vs. Kansas. Junior RB Doroland Dorceus has the team's longest rush, a 71-yard scamper for a TD vs. Temple.

Scouting SMU
The Mustangs are on a roll entering Saturday's contest. SMU is 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the American Athletic Conference and also brings a two-game win streak into Saturday's match-up. The Mustangs upset No. 11 Houston 38-16 two weeks ago and then overcame a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit for a 35-31 win at Tulane last Saturday.

The SMU averages over 400 yards of total offense per game. Redshirt freshman QB Ben Hicks is directing the Mustangs offensive attack. He is 143-of-276 passing for 1,814 yards and 11 TD, and has had a hot hand of late. In the last three games, Hicks passed for 788 yards (262.7 ypg) and seven TD and only two INT. Sophomore RB Braeden West leads the Mustangs' ground game with 755 yards on 137 carries and six TD. The freshman receiving tandem of James Proche and Courtland Sutton has hauled in 80 catches for 1,246 yards and nine TD. The duo accounts for 63.3 percent of SMU's receiving yards.

The Mustangs defense is allowing opponents nearly 430 yards of total offense per game, but have forced foes into miscues. SMU is ranked among the national leaders in takeaways, interceptions and interceptions returned for TD. Senior DB Darrion Millines leads the squad with 48 total tackles and also had a team-high tying four interceptions and four PBU. Junior DE Justin Lawler is tops on the squad in both TFL (8) and sacks (6).