TIGER FOOTBALL
Morning After: Thoughts on Memphis' offense vs. UCLA
Tom Schad
The Memphis football team picked up another memorable win over a college football blueblood Saturday morning, edging UCLA, 48-45, in a what can only be described as a good ol' fashioned shootout.
In the first part of a two-part "Morning After," here are a few miscellaneous thoughts, observations and takeaways from the Tigers' offensive performance.
More: Thoughts, observations and analysis of Memphis' defense vs. UCLA
Not a fluke
First, a general thought: While I don't think this game will be remembered in quite the same way as Memphis' 2015 victory over Ole Miss, I do think it's indicative of a larger shift within the Tiger football program. And that, in a way, should make it even more exciting for Memphis fans. This wasn't a fluky win. It wasn't even an upset, really. The Tigers were three-point home underdogs, but I think there was a general sense that they had a good shot of winning this one. "When we came into this game, we knew we could beat them," wide receiver Anthony Miller said.
Look, UCLA is by no means a national-title contender or national juggernaut. The Bruins were ranked, but just barely, and playing without several key players at running back, linebacker and elsewhere. But they're still a perennial Power Five contender, a program that has way more resources and recruits at a completely different level than Memphis. And yet, the Tigers were in it all the way. The "shocking upset" component that you had against Ole Miss wasn't there anymore. Different teams in different circumstances, sure, but it feels like there's now a reasonable expectation that Memphis can host a Pac-12 team with a future first-rounder at quarterback and win. That goes beyond any one player or coach and speaks to a continued shift in the trajectory of the program. And that, for Memphis football fans and this administration, has got to be even more exciting than a single victory.
Anthony Miller, remember that name
I wrote on Twitter during the game that I was amazed Miller hasn't received more national recognition in 2017, and someone replied that, at a Group of Five school like Memphis, you have to earn your recognition first. My response: Miller already did. Last year. When you break all of Isaac Bruce's single-season school records, you don't count as a hidden gem anymore. Yet, for some reason, it seems like he still hasn't received some of the preseason recognition that SMU's Courtland Sutton or even Richie James at Middle Tennessee have received. Miller, in many ways, remains overlooked. But with every nationally-televised performance like the one he had Saturday, that perception will change.
More: Anthony Miller shines vs. UCLA in meeting of 'walk-ons vs. the 5-stars'
The QB battle
It's a stretch to say that Riley Ferguson outdueled Josh Rosen on Saturday, but you could certainly claim that Ferguson held his own. He didn't have as many "wow" throws as Rosen did in this game, but he also was much smarter with the ball — and that matters. Ferguson's lone interception was more run-pass-option miscommunication than poor decision-making, as the wide receivers on the play were expecting Ferguson to hand it off and had already moved to block their assigned defensive backs. Now, that's not to say that Ferguson made every right decision — his haphazard shovel pass to Patrick Taylor Jr. immediately comes to mind — but he certainly made fewer mistakes than Rosen, who threw two ill-advised interceptions and probably could've finished with as many as four.
CALKINS: Memphis beats UCLA in victory that's everything Tigers hoped it would be
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Coach Norvell's risks pay off
I know Memphis fans don't want to hear this, but Norvell's coaching stock is going through the roof after that win. It's not so much that the Tigers just beat UCLA as it is how Norvell coached that game. He was smart with timeouts. He managed the game well. While there's still some ambiguity over who's calling the plays, I know that Norvell is heavily involved and I'd bet the decision to throw those screen passes in the second quarter came from him. As for the fake field goal attempt in the fourth quarter that left lots of fans scratching their heads? I actually don't think it was a bad risk to take. Memphis doesn't have a reliable field-goal kicker. And players and recruits typically love to see that type of aggressiveness from a head coach. Shoot, I even got this text during the game from one of my friends, an Ohio State fan who couldn't care less about Memphis or this game: "I think I just fell in love with Mike Norvell for making that call." Now sure, if the Tigers lost, Norvell would've gotten killed for that call in the media. But I think players and recruits love that kind of aggressive mentality in big games, regardless.
Nice job, Magnifico
Here's to you, Joey Magnifico, for a solid day and your continued evolution as a player. Someone told me in 2015 that Magnifico would be the next Alan Cross — a local walk-on tight end who blossoms into a key contributor. And Saturday morning, I think he lent some validation to that idea.
More: Memphis football downs UCLA, 48-45: 5 things to know
Solid O-Line
And finally, here's to Memphis' offensive line for another solid performance. Yes, UCLA's front seven had some depth issues. And the string of false start penalties in the third quarter was inexcusable. But beyond that, I think this O-Line group really held its own.
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