Memphis should enter its open week encouraged, not satisfied. A 49–22 victory over Army supplied a productive offensive standard: 554 yards, 11 third-down conversions and touchdowns on every red-zone trip. It also left 320 rushing yards on the other side of the ledger.
Memphis Has a Standard to Preserve and a Run Defense to Repair
The assignment is not to drain the confidence from a complete win. It is to distinguish what the Tigers should preserve from what could make the next game more difficult.
Diagnose the Rushing Gains Without Blaming the Scheme Alone
Army’s ground game creates a distinct assignment. That context belongs in the evaluation. It cannot become permission to ignore 320 yards on 51 attempts. The Black Knights averaged 6.3 yards per rush and generated 15 rushing first downs. The first homework assignment is identifying why.
Which gains came from an assignment problem? Which came from leverage, pursuit, or missed tackles? Where did Army create an advantage that another opponent could reproduce through a different approach? The box score cannot answer those questions. The film must.
Memphis also needs to separate ordinary rushing efficiency from explosive damage. Different problems require different corrections. The goal is not producing a blanket declaration that the defense played poorly. The goal is identifying the snaps and responsibilities that need repair. A 27-point victory gives the Tigers room to review honestly. It should not give them a reason to review casually.
Preserve the Process Behind the Offensive Efficiency
Memphis went 11-of-15 on third down and scored touchdowns on all 6 red-zone possessions. Those outcomes are worth celebrating. The open week should identify the repeatable work behind them. How manageable were the third downs? Which protections held up? Which passing answers remained available after Army adjusted? The receiving distribution provides a useful starting point. Seven players caught passes, and 4 finished with at least 50 receiving yards.
That is something to preserve without turning the next game plan into a copy of the previous one. The rushing complement matters, too. Carter, Covey and Stokes combined for 183 yards and 3 touchdowns. The homework is not simply “keep doing that.” It is establishing which elements can survive a different opponent, different pressure and a game that does not unfold as favorably.
Make the Closing Standard Travel
Memphis outscored Army 14–0 in the 4th quarter. The Tigers finished a 92-yard touchdown drive, then added another scoring possession that consumed 3:33. That is the closing standard to carry forward: stay productive instead of becoming passive because the scoreboard looks comfortable. Ball security belongs in that assignment. Memphis fumbled twice and lost one, giving the review another specific correction even on a strong offensive night.
So does discipline. The Tigers committed just 2 15-yard penalties. They should identify what helped keep avoidable setbacks out of the operation and preserve that approach. The open week offers time to sharpen those details without preparing for an immediate Saturday opponent. Use it. Memphis does not need to reinvent the offense or manufacture dissatisfaction to stay focused.
It needs to protect what made Army a complete performance and address what could prevent the next one. The Tigers have shown the ceiling of a more controlled afternoon. The homework is making that performance less exceptional—and more like the expectation.
