Postgame Notes: Memphis vs. North Texas

Sep 24, 2022 | Football

KICKING IT OFF
• Coin Toss: North Texas won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, Memphis elected to receive.
• Memphis Captains: Javon Ivory, Quindell Johnson, Rodney Owens
• Attendance: 23,203

TEAM NOTES
• With the victory, Memphis improves to 24-1 in the team's last 25 non-conference games at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
• The Tigers improved to 17-4 (.810) in the all-time series with North Texas.
• Memphis improved to 38-5 (.883) at home since head coach Ryan Silverfield joined the coaching staff in 2016. As a head coach, Silverfield is 13-2 (.867) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
• At kickoff, it was 93 degrees – the hottest game-time temperature of the Silverfield era.
• Redshirt-senior defensive end Jaylon Allen extended the Tigers' streak of forcing at least one turnover to nine-consecutive games when he intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown with 13:35 to play in the third quarter. Memphis has 21 takeaways over the stretch that dates back to the UCF game last season.
• The pick six was the first for the Tigers since La'Andre Thomas did so against ULM in 2019.
• Today marked the first time since 2014 (at Tulane) that Memphis returned two interceptions for touchdowns (Allen, Cullens).
• Nine different Tigers hauled in a reception from Henigan (Prieskorn, Martin, Drake, Lewis, Rogers, Ivory, Taylor, Thomas, Hassell).
• Today marked the first time since 2017 that Memphis has posted 37 or more points in three-consecutive games.

PLAYER NOTES
• Sophomore quarterback Seth Henigan moved to sixth on Memphis' all-time touchdown passes list (32) with his first-quarter TD pass to redshirt-junior tight end Caden Prieskorn. Prieskorn ended the game with 22 receiving yards on four receptions.
• The TD reception was the fourth for Prieskorn in the past three games – and was the fourth of his career.
• Redshirt-senior defensive end Jaylon Allen recorded a sack in the first quarter. It was his second of the season and eighth of his career.
• Henigan found redshirt-junior wide receiver Javon Ivory in the endzone for an 18-yard touchdown strike with 11:50 to play in the first half. It was the first TD reception for Ivory this season and seventh of his career.
• Redshirt-sophomore running back Brandon Thomas rushed in his third touchdown of the season with 7:39 to play in the first half. He scored his fourth TD of the season and second of the game with 11:33 remaining.
• Thomas paced the Tigers on the ground, totaling 84 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. He added a reception for four yards.
• Redshirt-senior punter Joe Doyle pinned the Mean Green inside the five-yard line twice in the first half with punts of 62 and 54 yards. For the game, Doyle had three punts downed inside the 10-yard line.
• The Tigers scored first in the second half when sophomore defensive back Greg Rubin broke up a pass that was eventually intercepted by Allen and returned 37 yards for a TD with 13:35 to play in the third quarter.
• Fifth-year defensive lineman Wardalis Ducksworth tallied the tenth sack of his career and his first of the season in the third quarter.
• With 14:20 remaining in the game, fifth-year linebacker Xavier "Zay" Cullens returned an interception for a TD – the Tigers' second pick six of the game. Today marked the first time since 2014 (at Tulane) that Memphis returned two interceptions for touchdowns.
• Cullens later recovered a fumble with 12:13 to play for the Tigers' third takeaway of the game.
• Redshirt-senior defensive back Quindell Johnson recorded a team-high nine tackles (seven solo) and a pass breakup.
• Redshirt-senior linebacker Cincir Evans tied a career high with seven tackles and added a tackle-for-loss and a pass breakup.
• Redshirt-junior linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku tied his career high in tackles (5).
• Redshirt-sophomore wide receiver Koby Drake led the Tigers in receiving yards (41) on three receptions.
• Redshirt-senior kicker Chris Howard stayed perfect on the season with a 36-yard field goal with 4:16 remaining in the game. Howard is now six-for-six on field goal attempts this season.