Memphis is counting down the days until its season-opening game against UNLV on Saturday. With the Tigers entering game week, Charles Huff will soon release the first depth chart of the season.
After being hired to replace Ryan Silverfield, Huff brought in more than 70 new players and is replacing starters at nearly every position. While he must replace a lot, nearly 20 players from Southern Miss followed him to the Bluff City, and the initial starting lineup will likely include a lot of players from Hattiesburg.
Advertisement
Here are three things to look at when the depth chart is released.
How many times is “OR” listed on the depth chart?
Most people will rush to the quarterback position, but Huff has already been clear about what it will say. The depth chart will say “OR” between Marcus Stokes’ and Air Noland‘s names, and there’s a chance an “OR” is listed next to Denzel Gardner as well.
Huff won’t name a starting quarterback on the season’s first depth chart, but the “OR”s will likely spread to other positions too. Huff said during a press conference a few weeks ago that one of the biggest advantages his team had in the opening week was the unknown, and he will likely be very guarded on the depth chart.
Advertisement
Expect uncertainty at running back, receiver, offensive line and the secondary.
How does the secondary fall out ahead of the opener?
The secondary is one of the most interesting position groups on the roster because the Tigers’ coaching staff added so many different types of players to the roster. The staff added transfers from the Power Four, FCS, Group of Six and even Division II, while returning some a key player in cornerback Chauncey Logan Jr.
It will be interesting to see how the cornerbacks fall out, or if it’s another position that includes a few “OR”s before the opening game.
Advertisement
Ellis Ellis Jr. and Darius Malcolm Jr. are two intriguing FCS transfers who could see early playing time. Ellis recorded 48 tackles and eight pass deflections at Austin Peay, while Malcolm finished his redshirt freshman year with 76 tackles and four tackles for loss, earning FCS All-Freshman recognition.
Memphis also added safety Dylan Smith, who started 15 games at Oklahoma State over the last two seasons.
What does the offensive line look like?
Like most positions on the roster, there are a lot of new faces on the offensive line, but it hasn’t gotten as much attention as other positions. Old Dominion transfer Maarten Woudsma appeared at American Conference media days and gave an idea of what the offense would look like in the fall, but with so many new faces, it’s hard to know what to expect.
Advertisement
Only three offensive linemen return from last year’s team, and Parker Mitchell will likely return to his starting spot after starting all 13 games last year. The other spots could be up in the air, but it’s an important group to keep an eye on.
With so much talk about the quarterback position, the offensive line is just as if not more important than who becomes the starting quarterback.
