NOTES: Memphis Heads to Navy for AAC Opener

NOTES: Memphis Heads to Navy for AAC Opener

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis will begin American Athletic Conference (AAC) play on the road in Annapolis, Md. against Navy on Saturday, Sept. 10. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

SETTING THE SCENE
• The Tigers opened the 2022 season last Saturday with a 49-23 setback at No. RV/RV Mississippi State in Starkville. Quarterback Seth Henigan threw for a touchdown and rushed for one, while defensive back Quindell Johnson had an interception and a fumble recovery.
• Memphis posted a record of 6-6 last season, earning the program's eighth-straight bowl appearance.
• The Tigers were named the EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl Champions after Hawai'i was unable to participate.
• The eight-consecutive bowls streak is tied for the eighth-best in the nation and is the best among all non-Power 5 programs.
• Individually, true freshman quarterback Seth Henigan had a record-breaking season in 2021, earning FWAA Freshman All-America honors. The Denton, Texas native completed 235-of-393 passes for 3,322 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
• On the defensive side of the ball, defensive back Quindell Johnson returns after earning All-AAC Second-Team honors for the second-straight season.
• Johnson ranked 12th in the NCAA in solo tackles (5.5) and 27th in total tackles (8.8)

SCOUTING NAVY
• Navy opened the 2022 season last Saturday with a hard-fought loss to Delaware, 14-7, in Annapolis.
• The Midshipmen are 55-23 (.705) at home under head coach Ken Niumatalolo.
• Navy posted an overall record of 4-8 last season, which included a 3-5 mark in AAC play.
• The Mids faced 11 teams in 2021 that finished the season as bowl eligible.

INSIDE THE SERIES
• The meeting between Memphis and Navy on Saturday will mark the eighth all-time game between the two programs dating back to 2015.
• The Tigers hold a record of 4-3 over the Midshipmen, but Navy holds the advantage in Annapolis, 2-1.
• Memphis has won three-straight over the Mids and four of the last five contests, including a 35-17 victory at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium last season.
• Offensively, quarterback Seth Henigan finished the game 8-of-12 for 215 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while wide receiver Eddie Lewis had a game-high 92 yards on three receptions to go with a touchdown.
• Defensively, Navy was held to just 241 total yards of offense, while the Tiger defense racked up four sacks.

ONE OF THE ELITE PROGRAMS IN THE NATION
• Memphis has posted 71 victories since 2014, giving the Tigers the 12th-most wins in the nation during that stretch along with Iowa.
• The 71 wins are the most among American Athletic Conference schools during that stretch.
• The Tigers also rank 15th in the country in winning percentage dating back to 2014 with their 71-33 (.683) mark.

ON THE ROAD
• Memphis begins the 2022 season with back-to-back road games for the first time in 12 years.
• In 2010, the Tigers opened at Mississippi State and headed to East Carolina, both defeats for Memphis.
• The road opener at Mississippi State snapped an 11-year streak of opening seasons at home for Memphis.

FORCING TURNOVERS
• Dating back to the 2021 season, Memphis has forced at least one turnover in six-straight games.
• Over that stretch, the Tigers have totaled nine interceptions and five fumbles.
• Memphis has forced multiple turnovers in five-straight contests.
• The last team to not have a turnover against Memphis was Navy on Oct. 14, 2021.

TIGERS FALL IN SEASON OPENER AT NO. RV/RV MISSISSIPPI STATE
• Memphis fell on the road at No. RV/RV Mississippi State, 49-23, on Sept. 3 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.
• Sophomore quarterback Seth Henigan had 165 yards on 19-of-30 passing with a touchdown and a rushing score, while redshirt sophomore running back Jevyon Ducker rushed for 63 yards on five carries, including a 50-yard TD.
• Defensively, defensive lineman Jaylon Allen had a career-high 12 tackles and a sack for the Tigers, while redshirt senior defensive back Quindell Johnson had nine stops, an interception and a fumble recovery.

YOUTH IS SERVED
• Nine redshirt-sophomores or younger are currently listed as starters on the Memphis offensive and defensive depth charts.
• Of the 62 players listed on the depth chart, a total of 32 (51.6%) are redshirt-sophomores or younger.
• Memphis ranks 12th in the nation in percentage of underclassmen on the roster at 70.5%.
• Of the 119 student-athletes on the team, 84 (43 freshmen, 41 sophomores) are underclassmen, which is tied for 16th-most in the country.
• In 2021, Memphis played a total of 27 redshirt or true freshmen. Of that total, 12 were true freshmen.

SIVLERFIELD'S START
• Ryan Silverfield is tied for the second most wins (14) in his first two seasons as head coach in program history.
• Silverfield is also tied for fifth nationally in most wins among coaches entering their third seasons in 2022.

STANDOUT SOPHOMORE
• Quarterback Seth Henigan posted one of the best seasons in program history in 2021 and he did it as a true freshman.
• In 2021, Henigan earned FWAA Freshman All-America honors after starting all 11 games in which he played for the Tigers.
• The Denton, Texas native completed 235-of-393 passes for 3,322 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
• His 3,322 passing yards shattered the school's freshman record previously held by Paxton Lynch in 2013 (2056) and rank sixth overall on the program's single-season list. His 25 touchdowns are tied for the seventh-most in school history.
• Henigan also became the first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener in school history.

EIGHT-STRAIGHT BOWLS
• Memphis' appearance in the 2021 EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl marked the eighth-straight season that the Tigers have made a bowl game.
• The 2021 EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl was canceled due to Hawai'i being unable to participate.
• The eight-straight bowl game streak is tied for the eighth-best in the nation and is the best among all non-Power 5 programs.

How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Football, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Players Mentioned

Jaylon Allen

Jay Ducker

Seth Henigan

Quindell Johnson

Eddie Lewis

University of Memphis Athletics