Memphis football has survived a back-to-back road trip, as they come back to the Bluff City with a 3-0 record. In the end, the Tigers shut down the Trojans, 28-7, behind a masterful defensive game plan and execution. In addition to how this unit played, we at 4 Star Sports learned many more about this program. With this, we have narrowed this list to a trio, as we provide you with three things we learned in the Memphis win against Troy.
Three Things We Learned In Memphis’ Win Versus Troy
Run First
In what has become a trend across three games, the Memphis offense is run-first. In all honesty, this has really been the case since offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey came to Memphis, but this season, at least so far, feels different. On Saturday, the Tigers gashed the Trojans for 217 yards on 45 rushes. This equated to an average of 4.8 yards per rush against what was a large Troy defensive line.
Leading Memphis on the ground was Sutton Smith with 113 yards on 13 rushes, including two touchdowns. His final score of the day, a 50-yard scamper, was the longest of his career, surpassing a 35-yard run against Chattanooga in week one of this season. In the end, Cramsey leaned on the run as his play calls were 45 to 27, run to pass ratio, in the postgame. Smith is also the first Tiger to eclipse 100 yards this season, and the last to accomplish this was Mario Anderson Jr, against Tulane, when he rushed for 177 yards.
Physical In Trenches
We spoke of the physicality in the run game, and this starts with the offensive line. This unit has been rebuilt, and so far, through three games, has played well. We spoke of the surge up front to open holes for over 200 yards of rushing offense, but the pass protection has been elite as well. Through three games, Memphis has only allowed two sacks, both coming against Troy. Keeping Brendon Lewis upright will be vital for the success of the Tigers’ offense.
Not to be outdone by the offense, the defense was dominant in its pursuit. In a game controlled in the trenches, the Tigers were relentless on the Trojans’ offense. In our pregame discussions, we mentioned that pressure on “Goose” Crowder, Troy quarterback, was the number one focus. Well, this is when the game shifted drastically. In the first drive for the Trojans, Memphis got pressure and accounted for one of its four hurries on the quarterback, and sent Crowder down.
In the end, the third-year signal caller would not return. In addition to the hurries, the Tigers sacked the Trojans on four occasions and will be on film in the backfield for weeks with eight tackles for loss. With this, the offense for Troy also did not make any more appearances, as Memphis forced six three-and-outs. In fact, Memphis did not allow the Trojans to cross midfield until the 12th and final possession for Troy. The Trojans were held to just 40 yards total through their first 11 possessions.
Confidence In Change
With every new season comes a change in some way. With Memphis, this change happens to be at the quarterback position, as Lewis is now the leader under center. This change, initially questioned by some fans, has been a welcome one for us. We now see how Cramsey cannot only put Lewis in the best position to be successful, but also the offense. In the opening quarter, Lewis threw for 101 yards, his highest single stanza of the year. In addition, Lewis had two passes of over thirty yards in this quarter after only having two total plays of thirty or more through two games this season.
As Memphis fans may have noticed, a major change is what Lewis brings to the offense: a dual threat. Before everyone takes one line from this entire article and runs with it, we are not saying that former Tiger quarterback, Seth Henigan, was not athletic.
What we are saying is this: Lewis adds an element to this offense that has not been seen since Riley Ferguson. The element is that the defense has to prepare for the Memphis quarterback as a threat through the air and on the ground. Speaking of through the air, Lewis passed for over 200 yards for the first time as a Tiger as wide out Jamari Hawkins snagged a 16-yard reception to put him over.
In closing, this win was big for Memphis for confidence as the season moves forward. With a dominant running game, trench control, and continuing to grow through change, this 2025 season has the potential to be special for Memphis. Up next for Memphis, a nationally televised game at 11 am on ABC against the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Hogs enter Memphis on the back end of a back-to-back road game slate and fresh off a 41-34 loss at Ole Miss. We will have much more on this game on the ‘Tigers Den’ and in written analysis.
