University of Memphis Athletics
Saturday, November 3
Greenville, N.C.
11:00 am CT
University of Memphis
at
ECU
Joseph Dorceus is tied for the team lead with five sacks.
Photo by: Matthew Smith
After a bye week, Tigers resume play at East Carolina
Nov 02, 2018 | Football
UofM seeking a strong finish to season, fifth-straight postseason trip
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – After a bye week to heal bumps, bruises and Darrell Henderson, the University of Memphis football team resumes American Athletic Conference play at 11 a.m. Saturday at East Carolina.
The Tigers (4-4 overall, 1-3 in the American) will be playing for the first time since an Oct. 20 loss at Missouri in the team's final non-conference game of the season.
Memphis closes the regular-season with a four-game conference run: at East Carolina, home against Tulsa, at SMU and home against Houston. The Tigers need two wins to become bowl eligible for the fifth-straight year.
Tigers coach Mike Norvell said the bye week allowed his team to regroup after a difficult stretch in which the UofM dropped two straight games.
"The main focus was on ourselves," Norvell said. "We got a lot of good-on-good work and kept the speed of the game. With our team, it was working on the details and communication, working to execute throughout.
"A huge focus has been making sure the details show up at the end – within the finish of a practice or within the finish of a situation. That's something that has been big for our team this last week. I thought our guys had the right mental approach."
Although ECU is 2-5 overall and 1-4 in conference play, the Pirates will offer a challenge. They have outgained six of their seven opponents this season and amassed 510 yards in a victory over North Carolina and 496 in a loss to 10th-ranked UCF. ECU outgained UCF by 69 yards.
Additionally, the Pirates have won seven of their last eight games against Memphis and four straight at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Norvell expects the Pirates to concentrate on stopping the Tigers' run game, which ranks sixth nationally at 266 yards per game. Henderson, who missed most of the Missouri game with an injury, is healthy and will play against ECU. He ranks first nationally with a 10.07 yards-per-carry average and second nationally with a 143.5 yards-per-game average.
"It's a defense that likes to attack," Norvell said. "They have impressive guys off the edge. They have one of the nation's leading tacklers in TFLs and quarterback sacks.
"They are going to be aggressive in all that they do. You're going to see their safeties get involved in the run game. They want to be able to stop the run."
ECU defensive end Nate Harvey has 18.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks this season. He ranks first nationally in TFL average (2.6 per game).
The Pirates are also coming off a bye week. They lost to UCF, 37-10, on Oct. 20.
Coach Scottie Montgomery said his team must rely on its defense performing at a higher level to remain successful at home against the Tigers.
"Defensively, we have to do what we've been doing and then do it five more plays," Montgomery said. "As I look at every game this year, and it's not just us, it's defenses everywhere. You go from being a good defense to an elite defense, or an average defense to an elite defense, by five or six plays a game."
ECU has lost three straight – to Temple, Houston and UCF – but won't be overlooked.
"This is an opponent that is very capable," Norvell said. "What they have done defensively is one of the biggest turnarounds that I have seen in the last few years to one side of the ball. Their defense is playing at an extremely high level."
QUICK HITS
The Tigers (4-4 overall, 1-3 in the American) will be playing for the first time since an Oct. 20 loss at Missouri in the team's final non-conference game of the season.
Memphis closes the regular-season with a four-game conference run: at East Carolina, home against Tulsa, at SMU and home against Houston. The Tigers need two wins to become bowl eligible for the fifth-straight year.
Tigers coach Mike Norvell said the bye week allowed his team to regroup after a difficult stretch in which the UofM dropped two straight games.
"The main focus was on ourselves," Norvell said. "We got a lot of good-on-good work and kept the speed of the game. With our team, it was working on the details and communication, working to execute throughout.
"A huge focus has been making sure the details show up at the end – within the finish of a practice or within the finish of a situation. That's something that has been big for our team this last week. I thought our guys had the right mental approach."
Although ECU is 2-5 overall and 1-4 in conference play, the Pirates will offer a challenge. They have outgained six of their seven opponents this season and amassed 510 yards in a victory over North Carolina and 496 in a loss to 10th-ranked UCF. ECU outgained UCF by 69 yards.
Additionally, the Pirates have won seven of their last eight games against Memphis and four straight at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Norvell expects the Pirates to concentrate on stopping the Tigers' run game, which ranks sixth nationally at 266 yards per game. Henderson, who missed most of the Missouri game with an injury, is healthy and will play against ECU. He ranks first nationally with a 10.07 yards-per-carry average and second nationally with a 143.5 yards-per-game average.
"It's a defense that likes to attack," Norvell said. "They have impressive guys off the edge. They have one of the nation's leading tacklers in TFLs and quarterback sacks.
"They are going to be aggressive in all that they do. You're going to see their safeties get involved in the run game. They want to be able to stop the run."
ECU defensive end Nate Harvey has 18.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks this season. He ranks first nationally in TFL average (2.6 per game).
The Pirates are also coming off a bye week. They lost to UCF, 37-10, on Oct. 20.
Coach Scottie Montgomery said his team must rely on its defense performing at a higher level to remain successful at home against the Tigers.
"Defensively, we have to do what we've been doing and then do it five more plays," Montgomery said. "As I look at every game this year, and it's not just us, it's defenses everywhere. You go from being a good defense to an elite defense, or an average defense to an elite defense, by five or six plays a game."
ECU has lost three straight – to Temple, Houston and UCF – but won't be overlooked.
"This is an opponent that is very capable," Norvell said. "What they have done defensively is one of the biggest turnarounds that I have seen in the last few years to one side of the ball. Their defense is playing at an extremely high level."
QUICK HITS
- Tigers RB Darrell Henderson is one of three backs in the nation who has surpassed 1,000 yards rushing this season. He ranks second nationally with 1,148 rushing yards.
- More Henderson: He has rushed for 100 or more yards in 10 of his last 13 games, dating to last season. He has 12 career 100-yard rushing games.
- Before their 70-13 win over ECU at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium last season, the Tigers had lost seven straight in the series. ECU leads the series, 15-7.
- Memphis has produced 12 touchdown drives this season covering less than a minute. The total ranks fifth nationally.
- Tiger LB Bryce Huff leads the team with five sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
- ECU DE Nate Harvey is a Burlsworth Trophy nominee. The award goes to the nation's most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on.
- Tiger QB Brady White ranks second in the conference in passing efficiency. He has tossed 17 touchdown and been intercepted only three times.
Players Mentioned
Football: 2025 Gasparilla Bowl Postgame Press Conference
Friday, December 19
Football: Reggie Howard Press Conference - December 16, 2025
Tuesday, December 16
Football: Jeff Brightwell One on One with Charles Huff-December 12, 2025
Friday, December 12
Football: Reggie Howard Press Conference-December 11, 2025
Thursday, December 11