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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Memphis

Previous 15 Notes

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09/13/21 - Calvin Austin III, rSr/2022, Memphis + More +

SEPT 13 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Calvin Austin III, Sr., WR, Memphis,...Austin had six receptions for 239 yards - the most by an NCAA FBS player in a game this season - and three long touchdowns to lead Memphis to a 55-50 win at Arkansas State. Austin had touchdown receptions of 55, 50 and 75 yards, including a fourth-quarter TD that stood up as the gamewinner. - American Athletic Conference Football

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WR Calvin Austin III, Memphis
News Source: American Athletic Conference Football
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09/12/21 - Calvin Austin III, rSr/2022, Memphis + More +

True freshman Seth Henigan threw five touchdown passes, three to Calvin Austin III, who had a career night with 239 yards, and Memphis held off Arkansas State 55-50 on Saturday night. The teams combined for 1,361 yards of offense - with the Red Wolves (1-1) outgaining Memphis (2-0) by just a yard - with 1,001 coming through the air. James Blackman relieved Layne Hatcher at quarterback for the Red Wolves late in the third quarter and went 19 of 28 for 308 yards passing and four touchdowns, including two in the final four minutes to get Arkansas State close before a final Hail Mary failed as time ran out.

Henigan was 22-of-33 passing for 417 yards while redshirt freshman running back Brandon Thomas rushed for 191 yards and two touchdowns for Memphis. Sean Dykes had 143 yards receiving and two scores. Jeff Foreman had eight catches for 198 yards and Te'Vailance Hunt nine for 123 for Arkansas State. There were seven touchdowns in the game that covered 50 yards or more. Austin's 55-yard TD early on gave Memphis a lead it would keep, going up 34-23 at halftime and 41-30 after three quarters. - Memphis/AP College Football

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WR Calvin Austin III, Memphis
News Source: Memphis/AP College Football
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09/06/21 - Caden Costa, Sr/2025, Memphis + More +

SEPT 6 SEC CO-FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Caden Costa, PK, Ole Miss,...Drilled three field goals, including a 47-yarder, in his Rebel debut, helping Ole Miss past Louisville...The 47-yarder marked the longest by a Rebel kicker since 2017, and the three FGs are the most since 2018...Added four PATs and a special teams tackle...Also averaged 62.0 yards on seven kickoffs. - SEC Football

Sr/2025

K Caden Costa, Memphis
News Source: SEC Football
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09/06/21 - Joe Doyle, rSr/2023, Memphis + More +

SEPT 6 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Joe Doyle, Jr., K, Memphis,...A transfer from Tennessee, Doyle accounted for 18 points to lead the Tigers to a 42-17 win against Nicholls. Doyle made all five of his field goal attempts, connecting from 26, 33, 24, 38 and 25 yards and was 3-for-3 on PATs. - American Athletic Conference Football

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P Joe Doyle, Memphis
News Source: American Athletic Conference Football
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09/06/21 - Brandon Thomas, rSr/2025, Memphis + More +

SEPT 6 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE HONOR ROLL: Brandon Thomas, Fr., RB, Memphis,...Rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in a 42-17 win against Nicholls. - American Athletic Conference Football

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RB Brandon Thomas, Memphis
News Source: American Athletic Conference Football
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09/04/21 - Brandon Thomas, rSr/2025, Memphis + More +

Joe Doyle connected on all five of his first collegiate field-goal attempts, Brandon Thomas rushed for 147 yards and true freshman quarterback Seth Henigan had a successful debut as Memphis opened the season with a 42-17 victory over Nicholls on Saturday night. Doyle, a redshirt junior, transferred to Memphis after serving as a punter then field-goal holder at Tennessee. He peppered the Colonels with five field goals, the longest 38 yards. Nicholls scored first on Lindsey Scott's 10-yard pass to KJ Franklin but the Tigers responded with 32 straight points. Doyle had four field goals during that run with Thomas, Rodrigues Clark and Marquavis Weaver rushing for touchdowns.

After Scott rushed for a touchdown in the third quarter for Nicholls, Doyle added his final field goal and Calvin Austin III scored on an 11-yard pass from Henigan, the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Memphis since 2011. Henigan finished 19 of 32 for 265 yards. Javon Ivory had 106 yards receiving. Memphis won its 16th straight game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and its 21st in a row over nonconference opponents. Dai'Jean Dixon had 107 yards receiving for Nicholls. - Memphis/AP College Football

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RB Brandon Thomas, Memphis
News Source: Memphis/AP College Football
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08/27/21 - R.J. Adams, rJr/2025, Memphis + More +

Six University of Kentucky football players charged with burglary in Fayette County had their cases waived to a grand jury on Wednesday. R.J. Adams, JuTahn McClain, Andru Phillips, Earnest Sanders, Vito Tisdale and Joel Williams all appeared in Fayette District Court for preliminary hearings on Wednesday. Judge Bruce T. Bell granted a request by their attorneys to waive those hearings to a grand jury. The detective who wrote the criminal summons for each player was present in the court room. Attorneys representing the players all declined comment.

No date was set for the grand jury proceeding, which will be closed to the public. According to the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy, prosecutors have up to 60 days to present a case to a grand jury, which does not judge innocence or guilt; a grand jury will be presented with evidence to determine whether charges should be dismissed or an indictment should be returned. Nine of 12 jurors must be in agreement to return an indictment. All six players last Thursday were charged with first degree burglary stemming from a March 6 party hosted at a private residence by Alpha Sigma Phi, a campus fraternity. Tisdale, who is on probation for marijuana possession in Warren County, also was charged with first degree wanton endangerment. - Herald Leader

rJr/2025

C R.J. Adams, Memphis
News Source: Herald Leader
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08/23/21 - Julian Barnett, rSr/2025, Memphis + More +

Julian Barnett followed Grant Gunnell's eyes and stopped before jumping and grabbing a one-handed interception during Memphis' preseason football scrimmage Saturday. The highlight stood out in the one-minute clip the Tigers' football Twitter account released Monday. It also was a reminder of Barnett's introduction to fans in the spring game with an interception. During an interview after the practice, the sophomore cornerback yelled, "Julian Barnett is here!" The brash welcome made it easy to forget he had been on campus for three months. So why is the Michigan State transfer turning heads with his play? Maybe it's his personality and presence. "He brought another energy that we need in the back end," cornerback Jacobi Francis said. "He talks just like me. He has fun out there. He brings the swag. Everything that I have myself, he just added." Barnett didn't adjust to Memphis right away. During his first practice, somebody told him to pick his energy up. He also found the Tigers' playbook harder to grasp. "Here, we run an NFL-type defense so I have to stay in the book a lot more than I used to at Michigan State," Barnett said. "Now that I'm staying in the playbook, it's helping me learn the plays and formations and recognize stuff that's going on in the field." - Memphis Commercial Appeal

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CB Julian Barnett, Memphis
News Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal
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08/06/21 - Sean Dykes, rSr/2022, Memphis + More +

UCF received the remaining two first place votes. Memphis defeated UCF last season 50-49 in one of their biggest wins of the season and also defeated Houston 30-27 for their fifth consecutive win over the Cougars. The poll was released during the conference's media day. The Tigers were picked to finish third in the AAC in last season's poll and they did, going 5-3 in conference play to be tied with UCF. This is the lowest that Memphis has been picked in the preseason poll since they were sixth in total votes in 2016. Memphis was picked to win the AAC West for three consecutive years (2017-19) before the conference eliminated divisions in 2020. - Memphis Commercial Appeal

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FB Sean Dykes, Memphis
News Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal
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07/30/21 - Calvin Austin III, rSr/2022, Memphis + More +

Two seasons ago, Calvin Austin III hoped to make the Memphis football team as a walk-on. Now the Memphis native might be the Tigers' best returning player. Austin led the AAC in receiving yards (1,053) and touchdowns (11) last season. Both marks were top-10 nationally and helped him make the All-AAC first team. His success was noted as he made the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award (nation's best player) and Biletnikoff Award (nation's best wide receiver). But Memphis will need more production from their 5-foot-9 dynamo this season if it wants to win its second AAC championship in three years.

Austin's speed will be used on punt returns and should make him among the conference's leaders in all-purpose yards. Staying healthy is a must, of course, especially because there's limited depth behind him after Tahj Washington transferred to Southern Cal. Can Javon Ivory be a consistent No. 2 option after a solid freshman year? Are freshmen Khi Mathieu, Kobe Webster and Marcayll Jones ready to contribute after limited action last season? - Memphis Commercial Appeal

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WR Calvin Austin III, Memphis
News Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal
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07/29/21 - Sean Dykes, rSr/2022, Memphis + More +

Sean Dykes has been at Memphis so long, it wouldn't be a shock if younger teammates called him "Mr. Dykes" or "Unc." He's caught touchdowns from Riley Ferguson, Brady White and even former All-American running back Darrell Henderson. He's been a part of two of the greatestcomebacks in school history. Now in his sixth season, the tight end can add more memories before looking to chase professional goals. "The NFL will always be there no matter what when you come out," he said in the spring. "I just wanted to take advantage of a great opportunity." He's already the Tigers' all-time leader in receiving yards by a tight end. But can Dykes build on a career-best season (47 catches, 581 yards, seven touchdowns) and finally be the all-AAC caliber player he's hinted at becoming?

Why is Dykes important? Dykes is one of the few proven skill position players returning on offense. As the Tigers' second-leading returning receiver, he should be a favorite target for whoever wins the starting quarterback job. However, Dykes has struggled with inconsistent play. Last year, he had two games with over 100 receiving yards and two games with just one catch. It's been a trend since he arrived where he'll have brilliant performances scattered among quiet ones. - Memphis Commercial Appeal

rSr/2022

FB Sean Dykes, Memphis
News Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal
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07/24/21 - JJ Russell, rSr/2022, Memphis + More +

There were two reasons Memphis linebacker JJ Russell wanted to return after the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He wanted to put more film on tape to help his chances of playing in the NFL. But he was also unsatisfied with how last season unfolded despite the Tigers going 8-3 and winning the Montgomery Bowl. "In my head, I didn't really achieve the goals that I set out. And that was to bring back the old Memphis defense that won games here," Russell said. The Tigers' defense often played a supporting role in past years. This season, they'll have to step up to starring role with an offense searching for a new quarterback and lead running back, Memphis will need to lean on its defense early and often.

But for Russell, a three-year-starter, it's pressure he doesn't mind for his senior season. The Tigers' defense, which returns eight starters, was ranked 45th in the country last season - their highest ranking since 2015. Those numbers have to match early while the Tigers break in a new quarterback. Russell was second on the team with 58 tackles and he'll help lead the linebacker corps with fellow senior Thomas Pickens. Russell, however, wasn't worried about the burden placed on his unit or on him. "Knowing that we're all experienced makes it easier. That trust is there. That trust is already built because a lot of our guys have experience," he said. - Memphis Commercial Appeal

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ILB JJ Russell, Memphis
News Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal
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07/22/21 - Dylan Parham, rSr/2022, Memphis + More +

Three years ago, Dylan Parham was settling into his first season on the Memphis offensive line after being recruited at tight end. Now he's the most tenured member of the group. Parham is still getting used to being a veteran voice instead of learning from past linemen like Drew Kyser or Dustin Woodard. "I'm definitely just trying to learn how to take the lead role. Use what the older guys taught me in the past and just plan on being more vocal," Parham said this spring. "That's a goal for me this year. Displaying how to be a leader and be more open." The junior is moving to right guard after starting at right tackle last season. It's another part of the changing Tigers offensive line that added three transfers, including left tackle Devontae Dobbs. But if the Tigers' line play improves this season, Parham - the only guaranteed starter, per coach Ryan Silverfield - will be a key reason why.

Parham started at left guard from 2018-19 before moving to tackle and now is back as an interior lineman. With 39 games under his belt, he's the anchor the Tigers will rebuild the line around with at least three new starters. The shakeup is needed after Memphis was the third-worst rushing team in the AAC last season (145.18 yards per game). Parham also added more weight, going from 285 pounds last season to 304 this spring. The added weight fits the Tigers' plan to be more physical this season under second-year offensive line coach Jim Bridge. - Memphis Commercial Appeal

rSr/2022

C Dylan Parham, Memphis
News Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal
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07/21/21 - Devontae Dobbs, rJr/2024, Memphis + More +

One of the reasons Memphis' offense was prolific from 2017-19 was due to great line play. But the Tigers lacked firepower in 2020 and the offensive line struggled as well. Now the line will be revamped in 2021. Gone is left tackle Obinna Eze, who started all 25 games over two seasons but has transferred to TCU. Who replaces him will be critical with the Tigers in the middle of a quarterback competition. That's where Devontae Dobbs comes in. The Michigan State sophomore transfer saw some reps at tackle in spring practice and is the leader to replace Eze, one of the highest-rated recruits in program history. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound Dobbs didn't play in 2020 after playing four games, with one start, in 2019. - Memphis Commercial Appeal

rJr/2024

OG Devontae Dobbs, Memphis
News Source: Memphis Commercial Appeal
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06/06/21 - Brian Thomas Jr., rSr/2022, Memphis + More +

Memphis junior offensive lineman Brian Thomas has entered the transfer portal, according to Rivals. Thomas, a former three-star recruit, didn't play in the 2020 season. He appeared in three games in 2019 and started at left tackle in the Cotton Bowl during the Tigers' loss to Penn State. Thomas committed to the Tigers in 2018 while at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Memphis added several offensive linemen this offseason via the transfer portal, including Devontae Dobbs from Michigan State. The Tigers also have Austin Myers from TCU and Jakari Robinson from Cincinnati, both of whom enrolled this summer. - Memphis Commercial Appeal

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