Tigers overpower Jaguars on the road

Saturday, September 14

Mobile, Ala.

2:30 p.m.

University of Memphis

3-0

South Alabama

1-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Memphis

South Alabama

Kylan Watkins' diving touchdown reception in second quarter gave the Tigers 14-0 lead.

Photo by: Dan Anderson

Sep 14, 2019 | Football

Box Score Postgame Notes Memphis 42, South Alabama 6

Gainwell, Watkins post 100-yard rushing games in 42-6 victory

MOBILE, Ala. – Different venue, same result.

Kenneth Gainwell rushed for a career-high 145 yards and quarterback Brady White passed for 209 yards and three touchdowns to lead the University of Memphis to a 42-6 victory over South Alabama Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

The Tigers (3-0), playing their first road game of the season, amassed 327 of their 530 total yards in the first half and had two backs surpass 100 rushing yards. Redshirt sophomore Kylan Watkins added 113 yards on 11 attempts to complement Gainwell, who had 141 of his yards before halftime. Receiver Damonte Coxie had three receptions for 81 yards.

Defensively, the Tigers held the Jaguars (1-2) to 144 yards and no points through three quarters. The UofM defense also recovered two fumbles – one returned for a touchdown – in addition to an interception and a defensive PAT. The Jaguars finished with only 248 total yards.

"I'm really pleased with how our team came on the road and maintained their focus," said Tigers coach Mike Norvell. "All in all, it was a great day."

Leading 23-0 at the half, the UofM increased its advantage to 30-0 on its first drive of the second half. A White-to-Joey Magnifico reception – on a ball tipped by a USA defensive back – resulted in a 58-yard pickup to the South Alabama 4-yard line. White followed with a 4-yard TD pass to Antonio Gibson.

In the fourth quarter, the Tigers added a 23-yard Riley Patterson field goal, a 46-yard fumble return by linebacker Austin Hall and a defensive PAT by Jacobi Francis, who took a muffed South Alabama PAT attempt 98 yards for two points.

The Jaguars got their only score in the fourth quarter against the Memphis reserves. Kawaan Baker turned a short pass from Tylan Morton into a 74-yard touchdown with 11:18 left to play.

As for Gainwell, he wasted little time helping the Tigers offense make an impression. He got 71 of his yards on a first-quarter rush to the South Alabama 11-yard line. He scored two plays later on a 5-yard burst up the middle, taking advantage of path created by solid blocking by the Tigers' offensive line.

Memphis increased its lead to 14-0 in the opening minute of the second quarter as sophomore Watkins hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from White. Watkins scored on a wheel route by stretching out and making a spectacular diving catch in the end zone.

"We've talked a lot about Kylan," Norvell said. "To see Kylan step up and play at a high level, I'm really proud of him."

The Tigers moved inside the USA 20-yard line on their next possession, but a tipped White pass was intercepted by USA's Keith Gallmon. The UofM quickly recovered on its next series as Watkins sprinted 72 yards to the Jaguars' 4-yard line midway through the second quarter. The big play set up a 2-yard TD pass from White to Kedarian Jones for a 20-0 lead.

Patterson closed the first-half scoring with a 36-yard field goal, set up by Hall's first fumble recovery.

Memphis doesn't play next weekend, but opens American Athletic Conference play Sept. 26 at home against Navy.

TIGERS NOTEBOOK

The 71-yard run by Tigers freshman running back Kenneth Gainwell in the first quarter represented the longest rush of the early season by the UofM. Gainwell's sprint to the USA 11-yard line set up a touchdown, by Gainwell, two plays later. Gainwell's career-long rush is 72 yards.
Redshirt sophomore running back Kylan Watkins surpassed Gainwell by one yard with a 72-yard pickup in the second quarter. Watkins' rush to the USA 4-yard line set up the UofM's third touchdown of the game.
South Alabama is playing its final season at off-campus Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile. The Jaguars are scheduled to open a $74 million on-campus facility Sept. 12, 2020.
The Jaguars lost starting running back Tra Minter to a concussion early in the game. Minter was injured with about five minutes left in the first quarter. He entered the game averaging 113 yards, but had only four carries for 13 yards against the Tigers before departing with an apparent concussion.
Tigers linebacker Austin Hall recovered two fumbles, each leading to touchdowns. The first came late in the second quarter and led to a Riley Patterson field goal. The second came early in the fourth quarter and Hall returned it 46 yards for a TD.
By preventing a South Alabama running back to gain 100 or more yards, UofM defensive coordinator Adam Fuller extended a streak. Going back to last season, a Fuller-coached defensive has not allowed an opponent's running back to rush for 100 yards in 16 straight games.