As the last week of August gets underway, game week is finally here for the Memphis Tigers as the Coach Charles Huff era officially begins this week when the Memphis Tigers head out west on Saturday night to take on the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels in one of the biggest Group of Six games of the year. In what could very well be an early College Football Playoff elimination game, the start of the Coach Huff era might be one of the most anticipated season openers in recent Memphis football history, certainly dating back to the magical 2019 season when the Tigers welcomed and beat Ole Miss inside the Liberty Bowl that saw the magical ride end in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl as champions of the American Conference with a matchup agaisnt the powerful Penn State Nittany Lions. 

Since the hiring of Coach Charles Huff in early December, the environment around Memphis football has been one of great excitement and optimism, as Coach Huff has said and done all the right things in the offseason, starting with his opening press conference, carrying over into spring ball, and then into fall camp, for the first time since 2019 the Tigers look the part of a team ready to compete for a conference championship all while earning a potential trip to the College Football Playoffs for the first time in school history. All of the optimism comes from a process that Coach Huff has implemented, a similar process to how Coach Saban ran his programs, or that of Coach James Franklin, where Coach Huff learned the importance of no detail being too small, and all the small things done well lead to winning championship games on the field. When one sits back and listens to Coach Huff talk, you can hear those two coaches, or even the same coach that helped someone like Saquon Barkley realize his true potential, and now he’s one of the best running backs in the NFL. Now, as the Tigers shift from preparing for the whole season to game-week reps, it’ll be interesting to see that process in full showcase during game week. 

As for the team itself, no matter the player, on any given day during this offseason, the guys on the roster have all embraced and bought into the process and motto of suffering well. Everywhere you turn inside the football facilities, the saying “ Suffer well, CFP” has grown legs of its own, and now, as game week is upon Memphis, the intangible environments around the program have reached this melodic tune that has conversation around the team to that of a business trip this weekend before even considering the next opponent. Unlike in years past, the focus is on the opponent ahead and trusting the process rather than the bigger picture of what’s at stake. Mentally, this Memphis team will be ready to spot the ball and not only play hard, but play for the city of Memphis. Since 2019, Memphis as a whole hasn’t bought into playing for a higher purpose as the city’s team. 

Coming into the first game week of the season, there’s one outstanding storyline to monitor this week as the Tigers prepare for UNLV on Saturday night. Who will be the starting quarterback come Saturday night for the Tigers? Will it be the West Florida transfer, Marcus Stokes, or the South Carolina transfer, Air Noland? Both guys have had strong offseasons, showcasing their strengths without causing a rift between them, and whoever Coach Huff and his staff choose to lead the offense will have full support from the coaching staff and the entire team. One of the biggest problems in college football is depth, and with Marcus Stokes and Air Noland on the roster, the Tigers have talent and depth at the most important position this season. Another thing to watch is a two-quarterback system in which Coach Huff uses both guys and their strengths as situations arise, with packages geared toward each guy. 

Now that it’s game week for the Memphis Tigers, all the talk, all the work, and expectations for the first year of the Coach Charles Huff era in Memphis now come down to execution and going out to Las Vegas and taking care of business, further positioning Memphis for another magical season, a season that could end with an American Championship trophy, and likely a bid to the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. Not to mention, Memphis will be playing on national television during week zero, with an audience on Fox; all eyes will be on the Tigers on Saturday night, and a win would not only look good down the road but would be another massive win on the national stage, further proving the legitimacy of Tigers football. 

Memphis and UNLV will get Saturday night underway in Las Vegas, with kickoff slated for 9:00 P:M and a national television audience on Fox. 

Photo credits- Memphis Football on X