Getting to know Memphis football

Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) looks for an open teammate as he is rushed by Brigham Young linebacker Sione Takitaki (53) and linebacker Teu Kautai (25) during the second half of the in the inaugural Miami Beach Bowl football game, Monday, Dec. 22, 2014 in Miami. Memphis defeated Brigham Young 55-48 in double overtime. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

With the help of a big, mobile quarterback who can command a versatile offense, Memphis football coach Justin Fuente is leading the kind of turnaround David Beaty hopes to pull off at Kansas.

Fuente took over a downtrodden Tigers program in 2012. After a 3-9 mark in 2013, Memphis went 10-3 last season, won the American Athletic Conference title for the program’s first league crown in more than 40 years and beat BYU in double overtime at the Miami Beach Bowl.

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2015/sep/10/zenger-beaty-familiar-memphis-fuente/

Entering Saturday night’s game at KU’s Memorial Stadium, Memphis has won its last eight games, dating back to the 2014 season — the fourth-longest win streak in FBS Football. Heading into this week, only Ohio State (14), Boise State (10) and TCU (nine) have longer win streaks. You might have heard of those programs.

Fuente’s teams are known for having creative offenses that can fool and burn defenses in a number of ways. The bad news for the Jayhawks: Memphis didn’t have to show much of anything in its season-opening, 63-7 dismantling of Missouri State.

The Tigers utilized six running backs who helped account for 317 rushing yards. Memphis’ 63 points against Missouri State ranked seventh in the nation, while the Tigers’ defense also put up some stellar numbers, nationally: rushing defense (18 yards, sixth), total defense (125 yards, fifth), turnover margin (+3, fifth)

Although Memphis put up 519 yards of total offense (35th) in its opener, KU actually fared better, with 576 yards (19th).

While Memphis and Kansas are in very different places as programs right now, Memphis has lost 19 straight games to schools which currently reside in the so-called Power 5 or BCS conferences. The Tigers’ last victory over a program from a major league came in the 2004 season opener against Ole Miss.

Fifteen of the Tigers’ 19 such losses in the past 11 seasons came against either ACC, SEC or Pac-12 opponents — six to Ole Miss and four to Tennessee. Four more came against current ACC program Louisville.

Interesting note: Memphis assistant head coach Darrell Dickey played QB for Kansas State from 1979-82

FIVE TIGERS TO WATCH

No. 12: QB Paxton Lynch | 6-7, 245, jr.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDVgFu-DKzA

• Pulled from the opener late in the first half, Memphis star quarterback Paxton Lynch completed eight of his 12 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown vs. Missouri State.

• In his career, Lynch has started 26 consecutive games, completed 60.7% of his 774 throws, racked up 5,165 yards and 32 touchdowns through the air and rushed for 15 more scores.

• At the Miami Beach Bowl, Lynch played a part in seven total touchdowns (four passing, three rushing) — tying an NCAA bowl game record — and was named MVP.

• On watch lists for Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien National QB Award.

No. 11: RB Sam Craft | 6-0, 210, jr.

Memphis running back Sam Craft (11) runs against Cincinnati in the seconc half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

• Though Jarvis Cooper led Memphis with 102 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns last week, he was one of many backups to see extensive playing time. No. 1 RB Craft still went for 72 yards on 12 carries.

• Last week’s 12-touch game figures to be an anomaly this season for the junior, and Craft as recently as last season against Cincinnati tallied 38 carries in one game. He rushed for a career-high 170 yards against Cincy.

• The speedy junior also serves as a kickoff returner for Memphis.

No. 39: FS Reggis Ball | 5-11, 210, sr.

• The Tigers’ leading returning tackler has 95 in his career — 68 unassisted — in 38 games.

• Ball is capable of doing a bit of everything on defense and will be counted on to do so as a senior defensive back. He has 3.0 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, two pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and two blocked kicks during his time at Memphis.

• Returned an interception 93 yards in 2013 vs. SMU.

No. 40: TE Alan Cross | 6-1, 235, sr.

Alan Cross arrived at Memphis as a walk-on long-snapper. He enters his senior year as one of the nation's top TEs: http://t.co/BJGUQppGeJ

— Tom Schad (@Tom_Schad) August 9, 2015

• Don’t let the 0 receptions vs. Missouri State fool you. Cross earned first-team all-AAC honors in 2014 for a reason.

• The tight end caught three passes for 69 yards and a TD in the Tigers’ bowl win over BYU to close 2014.

• On the John Mackey Award watch list for the nation’s top tight end.

No. 46 : PK Jake Elliott | 5-10, 165, jr.

• Not many college programs are fortunate enough to have a real weapon in their place kicker, but Memphis does in Jake Elliott.

• In 2014, Elliott made 21 of 32 field goals. Of the 11 he missed, eight came from more than 45 yards out.

• The kicker set a new school record by hitting 57 extra points, going perfect in the process.

• Eight of Elliott’s 10 kickoffs went for touchbacks in the season opener.

• Named the American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year in 2014.