Tulsa vs Memphis 4 Studs and Duds
Tulsa vs Memphis 4 Studs and Duds: starting with a Stud. Jaylon Allen (and the entire D, to be honest) returned to be the dominant force he has been early in the year. All year he has been a force, in the top 3 in tackles most games. But this game he put punishment on the quarterback many times. The Tiger Defense held Tulsa without a touchdown until very late in the game.
Only Keylon Stokes grabbed a touchdown, but the rest of the Tulsa offense was ineffective. But Jaylon Allen, along with Wardalis Ducksworth seemed to return to form as game dominators. Tyler Murray (pictured above with the Turnover Belt) intercepted a pass on the Tulsa 47. The Memphis D line rose up and dominated the rush game. Tulsa was limited to 31 yards rushing on 23 carries.
Tulsa vs Memphis 4 Studs and Duds
Duds – The Tulsa defense. Memphis was playing the 4th-worst run-defense in the country. So they proceeded to pass quite a bit. But once the game settled in the Tiger offense focused on running. During the whole game, to their credit, they ran tight formations with only 2 WRs. These formations allowed them to dictate blocking patterns to push Tulsa back.
Tulsa vs Memphis 4 Studs and Duds
Stud- QB Seth Henigan. For the first time in a month (coincidentally the last win) the game plan was not all on Henigan’s shoulders. He put up good numbers, but not the gaudy numbers of the past month. He finished 20 of 34 for 262 yards. His passing was short and effective, broken up by one excellent 68-yard-long bomb to Javon Ivory for a touchdown in the first quarter. Working from a lead, Henigan would pull the ball down when the play wasn’t there. For the first game in a month he gave up no interceptions. With the lead and the comfort level his offensive line gave him (few breakdowns) he completed a high percentage again.
Tulsa vs Memphis 4 Studs and Duds
Stud- Eddie Lewis, and also the Special Teams as a whole. For the first time all year Eddie Lewis seemed unleashed as a returner. His punt returns put Memphis in positive territory often. Late in the game he was bottled up some, but early he had returns for over twenty twice. And each of the returns left a short field that the Memphis Tigers capitalized upon in the first half.
Memphis special teams had been less than impressive this year. But after the huge night by Eddie Lewis returning, the Memphis Tigers are now 62nd in punt return yardage. (To be honest, high-powered offenses Houston and UCF did not punt much).
Nice touch by the Memphis Tigers also to honor Glenn Rogers, Sr. According to the athletic department he was “the first black player to integrate the team in spring of 1968. He walked out with Quindell Johnson as an honorary captain. At halftime he was announced to the crowd, and was joined at the fifty-yard-line with his family to the cheers of the crowd.
Final game note, for a late-game weird-night(Thursday) game it was a passable attendance. Announced crowd was 23,980. It was down some 20% but it was the loudest in a while. Credit that to a Memphis dominating performance with big plays, a chippy and feisty Tulsa attitude, or a night game that was “Wrestling Night”… yeah that’s a for-real Memphis thing.
Yep, that was the King, Jerry Lawler exhorting the Tiger crowd late in the game. It was a rowdy and helpful crowd, a contrast to the more pensive and worried crowds of earlier games. Like Bobby McGee said, “If you ain’t got nothin’ , you got nothin’ to lose.” And the Tigers played that way. Next up is Senior day against South Alabama.
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