Tigers Take Season Opener Over Louisiana Monroe

Thursday, August 31

Memphis, Tenn.

8:00 p.m. CT

University of Memphis

Louisiana-Monroe

Photo by: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 01, 2017 | Football

Box Score Memphis 37, ULM 29 Game Book Postgame Quotes Memphis ULM Notes

Memphis uses big plays on the way to the victory.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Mother Nature provided the rain and wind. The University of Memphis football team brought the lightning in the Tigers' 2017 season-opening 37-29 victory over Louisiana Monroe Thursday night.

Before a monsoon-soaked crowd of 10,263 at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis used big play after big play to build a lead over the visiting Warhawks and then held on for the non-conference victory. It was Memphis' fourth-straight season/home opening win.

With the deteriorating weather conditions, Tigers head coach Mike Norvell's normal high-flying air attack took to the ground and piled up over 300 rushing yards. The 319 yards is the first 300-yard rushing performance by the Tigers since they ran for 317 yards vs. Missouri State in the 2015 season opener.

The Darrell Henderson-Patrick Taylor Jr. tandem accounted for most of the rushing yardage with 169 and 132 yards, respectively, and both were career rushing bests. The duo combined for three rushing touchdowns (Henderson 2; Taylor 1). Henderson (63 yards) and Taylor (66 yards) also had career-long rushes in the victory.

How It Turned
The Tigers led 20-7 at the break and broke the game open on the second half opening kickoff. After returning two kicks for scores in 2016, Tony Pollard did it again for his school-record third kick return for a score. Pollard took the opening kickoff of the second half and went 99 yards for the score and a 27-7 Memphis lead. Pollard's 99-yard kick return was the second-longest in program history (the longest is Pollard's 100-yard return at Navy in 2016).

Individual Statistical Leaders
Memphis
Rushing – Darrell Henderson 12-169 yards (2 TD); Patrick Taylor Jr. 15-132 yards (1 TD)
Passing – Riley Ferguson 10-of-25, 97 yards, 1 INT
Receiving – Tony Pollard 3-14 yards; Anthony Miller 2-23 yards
Tackles – Curtis Akins 9 (9 solo stops)

Louisiana Monroe
Rushing – Garrett Smith 12-48 yards; Derrick Gore 15-41 yards
Passing – Caleb Evans 11-of-20, 108 yards (1 TD); Garrett Smith 10-of-17, 171 yards (1 TD)
Receiving – Xavier Brown 5-41 yards (1 TD); Marcus Green 4-35 yards (1 TD)
Tackles – Luke Hedrick 6 (6 solo stops)

Up Next
The Tigers return to action Sept. 9 when they open American Athletic Conference play with a road contest at UCF. Game time is 7 p.m. (CT), and ESPNews is televising the game.