Tulsa Hosts #21 Memphis Tonight

Friday, November 3

H.A. Chapman Stadium

7:00 pm

Tulsa

Memphis

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Tulsa Hosts #21 Memphis Tonight

11/2/2017 11:54:00 AM | Football

By: The University of Tulsa copyright

Tulsa Hosts #21-Ranked Memphis Friday Night

GAME 10: TULSA (2-7, 1-4 American) vs. #21 MEMPHIS (7-1, 4-1 American)
Date/Time:	Friday, November 3, 2017, 7:01 p.m. (CT)
Site:	Tulsa, Okla.
Stadium:	Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000)
Coaches:	TULSA – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95), 3rd year MEMPHIS – Mike Norvell (Central Arkansas '05) 2nd year
TV:	ESPN2
Talent:	Adam Amin (pxp), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst), Molly McGrath (sidelines)
Tickets:	To purchase tickets, click here
Gameday Guide:	For gameday guide, click here
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM or Online
Talent:	Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sidelines)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Series:	Memphis leads 16-11
First Meeting:	Memphis 48, Tulsa 12 (Sept. 23, 1961), Tulsa, Okla.
Last Meeting:	Tulsa 59, Memphis 30 (Oct. 29, 2016), Memphis, Tenn.
Game Notes:	Tulsa \| Memphis \| American Athletic Conference

TULSA, Okla. –– It's a Black-Out Game Friday night at H.A. Chapman Stadium as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane hosts the nation's #21^st- ranked Memphis Tigers in a nationally-televised game on ESPN2 with a kickoff time of 7:01 p.m.

All TU fans are encouraged to wear black in support of the Hurricane. Official Black-Out t-shirts are available for purchase at the TU Campus Corner Bookstore on the corner of 11th and Harvard Avenue.

Tulsa (2-7, 1-4 AAC) comes into the game looking to get back into the win column after two close road losses, while Memphis (7-1, 4-1 AAC) comes into the game ranked 21^st in the Coaches' poll, 22^nd in the Associated Press poll and 23^rd in the CFP poll. The Tigers are riding a 4-game winning streak and sit atop the American Athletic Conference's West Division standings, with only one win separating them and SMU (3-1).

For Tulsa's offense, the Hurricane has tried to maintain its balance between the run and pass game, and after 9 games Tulsa averages 260 yards on the ground and has passed for another 186 yards. The Hurricane averages 446 yards of total offense and 32.9 points per game.

However, the wounded Hurricane lost another integral part of its team when freshman running back Shamari Brooks (687 yards, 5.8 average, 10 TDs) went down with a season-ending injury early in last week's contest, making Brooks the 4^th Tulsa running back out for the season.

With the injury to Brooks, senior D'Angelo Brewer will get the bulk of the carries, but that's nothing he's not used to, having 5 games over the last 2 seasons with more than 30 rushing attempts. Fellow senior Rowdy Simon, a former walk-on, will need to step-in and be effective to give Brewer a breather. Brewer leads the nation's 12^th-ranked rushing offense with 980 yards, a 4.9 average per carry, 8 TDs and 122.5 yards per game.

Brewer is ranked second in the AAC for rushing, but is the league's leading running back, only trailing Navy quarterback Zach Abey in yards per game.

Luke Skipper has 3 starts at quarterback under his belt for the Hurricane and has completed 55-percent of his passes for 865 yards and 3 touchdowns in 5 games this year. He has completed 15 of his 47 passes for 20 yards or more this year, including 6 completions going for 50 yards or more.

Chad President, who started the first 6 games, has also played the last 3 games behind center, rushing for 40 yards and 3 touchdowns.

President has gained 405 yards and 8 touchdowns for a 7.2 average per carry for the Hurricane, while throwing for 809 yards and 2 TDs.

Tulsa's line will need to be highly effective for the Hurricane to have success offensively this week. From left to right – Tulsa lines up on the front with red-shirt freshman Waahid Muhammad, in place of the injured Evan Plagg, junior Tyler Bowling, junior Chandler Miller, senior Zac Uhles and junior Willie Wright. Plagg's return to the lineup is questionable this week after missing the last 2 games with an injury.

A young corps of receivers will look to create some plays downfield with junior Justin Hobbs and sophomore Keenen Johnson leading the way. The duo has combined for 78 of Tulsa's 118 receptions and 1,189 yards, while senior Nigel Carter was targeted last week and ended with 4 receptions for 60 yards, including a 41-yard TD.

Hobbs is approaching the 2,00-yard career receiving plateau in his third season, currently with 1,922 yards.

Tulsa's offense goes up against a Tigers defense that has been opportunistic this year with 21 takeaways to rank third nationally for turnovers gained. Memphis has intercepted 9 passes and recovered 12 fumbles on the season.

Linebackers Austin Hall and Genard Avery cause havoc for opposing offenses as the two have combined for 114 tackles, 19.5 TFLs for -70 yards, 5 sacks, 3 interceptions, 7 quarterback hurries and 2 fumble recoveries.

True freshman nose tackle O'Bryan Goodson, at 6'1", 315 pounds, is a load in the interior of the defensive front, along with Jonathan Wilson at the other inside slot. Ends Christian Johnson and Bryce Huff have been able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

The Memphis secondary is anchored by senior free safety Jonathan Cook and true freshman TJ Carter, who looks like a seasoned veteran. Cook and Carter have each totaled 50 tackles, while Cook has a team-high 8 pass break-ups and the newcomer Carter has a team-best 4 interceptions.

For consecutive weeks, the Tulsa defense will face an offense that puts up over 500 yards of total offense and scores more than 42 points per game.

Memphis has the American's top passing offense, averaging 329 yards per game with 24 touchdowns, while scoring 42.5 points per game. Senior Riley Ferguson engineers the Tigers offense, completing 59 percent of his passes for 2,583 yards and throwing for 23 of Memphis' 24 touchdown receptions.

Ferguson has connected with 14 different receivers, but his favorite target has been senior and Memphis' all-time receiving leader Anthony Miller, who has caught 61 passes for 859 yards and 10 TDs this year. Sophomore Tony Pollard and senior Phil Mayhue each have over 300 yards receiving.

Two sophomores lead the Memphis ground attack as Darrell Henderson and Patrick Taylor have combined for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns, running behind an offensive front that measure 6'4" tall and 297 pounds.

The Tulsa defense has been hit hard with injuries this year, but has shown resilience on the field. A total of 7 Tulsa defenders have missed at least one game this year and 21 different players taking on a starting role this year for the Hurricane defense. Tulsa lost both starting safeties earlier, Jordan Mitchell in the 3^rd game and Manny Bunch in the 6^th game, and has seen starting linemen Kolton Shindelar, Jesse Brubaker and Garrett Flanary as well as cornerback Kerwin Thomas miss games as well.

End Jeremy Smith has been the leader of a young Hurricane defensive front, while totaling 43 tackles and 7 TFLs for -60 yards. Brubaker starts opposite Smith and the two seniors are backed up by sophomore Trevis Gipson and senior Frankie Davis.

Tulsa has used seven players at the two interior spots this season with the true freshman Flanary, Shindelar and sophomore Shemarr Robinson taking most of the snaps early in the season. With Flanary and Shindelar battling injuries, Robinson has been joined in the starting lineup by junior Myles Mouton, who moved inside from his end spot. Mouton has started the last three games and has totaled 10 tackles.

Red-shirt freshman Tyarise Stevenson has moved into a more consistent rotation at the tackle spot as well, and has been credited with 19 stops.

Three linebackers are ranked 2-3-4 for tackles this year. Sophomore Cody Edmiston and senior Petera Wilson have shared playing time at the MIKE linebacker spot. Edmiston has totaled 73 tackles with two fumble recoveries and one interception, while Wilson has 53 tackles, 5.5 TFLs for -24 yards, 3 sacks for -17 yards and 2 fumble recoveries, including one for a 3-yard TD run.

Senior Craig Suits has been active from his WILL linebacker spot, having totaled 52 stops, 7.5 TFLs and has intercepted a team-high 2 passes. Diamon Cannon is the other starting linebacker and has totaled 41 tackles and 4.5 TFLs.

Junior McKinley Whitfield moved over from his STAR linebacker spot to safety when Mitchell went down with the injury, while Cristian Williams and Keidrien Wadley, who moved over from corner, have shared starts the last 3 weeks at the other safety spot in place of Bunch. Whitfield has team-highs of 87 tackles and 6 pass breakups, while returning his one interception for 51 yards. Williams has been credited with 29 stops and Wadley has 9 tackles and one pick-off.

The corner slots have seen three different starters for the two positions this year –– the senior Thomas, sophomore Reggie Robinson and true freshman Akayleb Evans, while another true freshman Allie Green IV has also seen time at corner. Robinson has 8 starts, Evans has started the last 6 games and Thomas has 4 starts.

Fans can still pick up a $5 ticket voucher for the Tulsa-Memphis game from any of the area PhoneDoctors locations for Faith & Family Night.

A fireworks show is in store for fans following the game.

The game will be televised on ESPN2 and can be heard on the Golden Hurricane Radio Network, Big Country 99.5 FM locally, as well as nationally on the Tulsa Tune-In App.