Saturday night was the coming-out party for two Memphis players. Both guys, freshmen, gave Memphis fans something to get excited about as the Tigers introduce a new era of Memphis Football.

Coming into the season, many wondered what the Tigers offensive unit would look like after losing Brady White. White was the leader of this Tigers offense for several years. No matter the play call, it was ultimately up to Brady White to make the best decision for the Memphis offense. To the Memphis coaching staff, Brady White was just another coach on the field. He wasn’t perfect, but he was the man that Memphis fans and Memphis coaches trusted to lead this program in the games that mattered.

With him gone, many thought the Memphis offensive unit would take a step back, and some said the Tigers would struggle this season to score points.

Well, we’re one week into the 2021 College Football season, and Memphis has a two-headed monster in the backfield ready to pounce at any moment. Both Seth Henigan and Brandon Thomas, true freshmen have taken both the Memphis program and all of College Football with their performances last week in the season opener against Nicholls State.

Starting with Brandon Thomas, the Little Rock, Arkansas native, Thomas came to Memphis looking to make a name for himself and, boy oh boy, did he do that or what on Saturday against Nicholls State. Like many great names before him, Thomas has the pure athletic ability to be the next great Memphis Tiger that goes to the next level. When you go back and watch the film from the game on Saturday, you’ll see a hybrid running back that reminds some of Kenneth Gainwell with his speed, then others of Tony Pollard with his physical nature. Either way, Memphis fans should be excited about the future of this young man.

Now to the quarterback position where the Tigers have a guy by the name of Seth Henigan, another true freshman out of Denton, Texas. Henigan came into the season opener with big shoes to fill; there’s no hiding that, but the poise and leadership he showed on week one was insanely impressive. Henigan commanded his team to keep the first game jitters away, and in all honesty, he played the most complete game of football that Tigers fans have seen in recent years. There was no rushing of passes when the defense applied pressure. There weren’t even any mistakes on any level. Seth Henigan came in and showed the Memphis fans what to expect over the next four years.

Here’s the truth, Memphis fans have no idea how amazing the next four years with these guys will be. There’s no telling where these two guys will take the Memphis program, but if week one was an indication, Memphis fans can and will be excited knowing the future of this program is well taken care of.

Memphis will return to action on Saturday night as they get ready to travel to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to take on Arkansas State.