Tigers, Navy set for Thursday night battle

Thursday, September 26

Memphis, Tenn.

7:00 p.m.

University of Memphis

Navy *

Tickets

Damonte Coxie leads the Tigers with 15 receptions for 237 yards.

Photo by: Dan Anderson

Sep 25, 2019 | Football

Memphis Game Notes (vs. Navy)Navy Game Notes (vs. Memphis)American Athletic Conference Notes

Two of the nation's top-ranked defenses will be featured in the 7 p.m. kickoff

By: Phil Stukenborg

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis opens its American Athletic Conference football season at 7 Thursday night at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium against one of the league's strongest challenges.

Navy (2-0) offers multiple obstacles, from its difficult-to-prepare for option offense to the improving play of quarterback Malcolm Perry to one of the nation's top-ranked defenses. A dual threat, Perry averages nearly 100 yards rushing per game, while the Navy defense is ranked No. 2 in scoring defense and No. 4 in total defense after wins over Holy Cross and ECU.

"It's always a challenge anytime you play this team," said Memphis coach Mike Norvell. "They are very disciplined, a hard nosed football team."

The Tigers (3-0) will enter the nationally televised game on ESPN with some momentum, too. The UofM is 3-0 under Norvell for the third time in four seasons and will be playing for the first time since a 42-6 win at South Alabama Sept. 14.

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Memphis ranks 26^th nationally in total offense at 489 yards per game and third in total defense, allowing 226 yards per game.

"This is a matchup of really two good football teams," Norvell said. "I want to see a great crowd and a great atmosphere to give us a home field advantage."

With running back Patrick Taylor out since the being injured against Ole Miss in the opener, redshirt freshman Kenneth Gainwell has been productive. He is averaging 102.3 yards rushing and is coming off a career-best 145-yard outing at South Alabama.

Defensively, the Tigers were stellar against South Alabama limiting the Jaguars to 144 yards through the first three quarters. Thursday will be a stern test for the UofM defense.

Navy's option attack is producing 499.5 yards per game, with roughly 75 percent of the total coming on the ground. The UofM defense is allowing only 116 rushing yards per game.

A three-year starter (but not all at quarterback), Perry, who is 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, has rushed for 2,370 yards, or the eighth-most in the program's history. From Clarksville, Tenn., Perry needs 630 yards to become only the fourth player at Navy to rush for 3,000 yards in a career, joining Keenan Reynolds, Napoleon McCallum and Chris McCoy.

"He is a threat," Norvell said. "I think we saw a great example even when they go to throw the football if you don't account for him, he will make you play. He is extremely challenging. He is one of the best athletes in the country."

The Tigers dropped a difficult, one-point game (22-21) to the Midshipmen last year at Annapolis, undone by turnovers that contributed to a season-low 21 points.

"Last year we turned the ball over four times and it cost us," Norvell said.

Memphis will hope to keep a trend alive. Since 2014, the Tigers are 5-0 in Thursday night games and they are 17-1 in non-Saturday games during the same stretch.

Navy will be making its fourth trip to Memphis and its third to play the Tigers.

"We're looking forward to the conference opener," Norvell said. "I'm glad we get a chance to be on a national stage again. The guys are excited."