Despite losing a significant portion of the personnel that has made them successful over the past two seasons, the Memphis Tigers enter the 2025 season with high expectations. The program is coming off an 11-2 campaign in 2024, a #1 American Conference recruiting class, and a favorable schedule featuring home games against Navy, South Florida, and Tulane. With a solid coaching staff under Ryan Silverfield and a deep transfer portal haul that features 30 new faces, these position groups are poised to drive Memphis toward a potential American title and a Group of Five playoff berth. Today, we rank and break down the top five position groups to watch heading into the 2025 campaign.
1. Linebacker
Analysis: The linebacker unit is the heart of Memphis’s defense, led by senior transfers Sam Brumfield (81 tackles at Middle Tennessee, 60 at Virginia Tech) and Everett Roussaw Jr. (75 tackles at UAB) and Drue Watts. Brumfield’s versatility as a pass rusher and run-stopper, combined with Roussaw’s sideline-to-sideline tackling, makes this group elite. This unit’s 2024 performance (opponents averaged just 108.4 yards on the ground for dominance.
Key Storyline: Can the linebackers anchor a top 25 defense nationally? With Memphis facing a manageable schedule (only Georgia State and Troy as road tests), this group’s ability to shut down run-heavy teams like Navy and versatile attacks like South Florida could propel the Tigers to a 10-win season and an American title game berth.
Impact on 2025: Their speed and physicality will be important in maintaining the Tigers’ 7-0 home record at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, setting the tone for a defense that forced 15 fumbles last season.
2. Running Backs
Analysis: The running back trio of Greg Desrosiers Jr. (transfer from UMass), Frank Peasant (former Middle Tennessee leading rusher), and Sutton Smith offers a blend of power, speed, and experience. Desrosiers’s 2024 late-season stride and Peasant’s recovery from a 2024 injury make this group dynamic. Depth from Makari Bodiford adds insurance. Memphis’s run-heavy offense (187.6 yards per game in 2024) thrives with this versatility.
Key Storyline: Will the running backs carry Memphis through early-season challenges? With road games at Georgia State (September 6) and Troy (September 13), this group’s ability to control tempo and exploit weaker defenses could prevent early upsets, setting up a strong campaign within the conference.
Impact on 2025: A dominant ground game will complement new QB Brendon Lewis, reducing pressure on the passing attack and sustaining Memphis’s 33:14 average time of possession.
3. Defensive Line
Analysis: Anchored by All-American Conference senior William Whitlow Jr. (4 sacks in 2024) and transfer JaQuentin Madison (23 high school tackles for loss), the defensive line is a disruptive force. Former Kennesaw State DT, Pooda Walker (26 tackles in 2024), bolsters the Tigers’ interior. This unit’s ability to generate pressure (Memphis’s 28 sacks in 2024) and stop the run makes it a cornerstone of Jordon Hankins’ defense.
Key Storyline: Can the defensive line elevate Memphis against a Power 4 opponent? With a huge out-of-conference matchup against Arkansas (September 20), this group’s pass rush and run defense will be tested. A strong showing could boost Memphis’s national profile and CFP case.
Impact on 2025: Their disruption will be vital in conference games against pass-heavy teams like Rice and versatile offenses like UTSA, keeping Memphis in contention for the conference title.
4. Wide Receivers
Analysis: The receiving corps, led by sophomore Brady Kluse and freshman’s Xavier Johnson (1,349 yards, 15 TDs in high school) and Jordan Johnson, steps up to replace 2024 stars Roc Taylor, DeMeer Blankumsee, and Koby Drake. Senior Jadon Thompson’s experience provides leadership. Despite losing significant contributions from last year’s stars, this group’s speed and playmaking potential are undeniable.
Key Storyline: Can the receivers become a deep-threat weapon? With Brendon Lewis’s dual-threat ability opening passing lanes, Hutchins and Johnson’s big-play potential could stretch defenses, especially in key home games against South Florida and Navy.
Impact on 2025: A breakout passing game (Memphis averaged 247.3 passing yards in 2024) could balance the offense, making the Tigers unpredictable.
5. Secondary
Analysis: The secondary, featuring Arizona State transfer Kamari Wilson and returning starter Kourtlan Marsh (5’10”, 188 lbs, redshirt senior), brings athleticism and experience. Wilson’s Power 4 pedigree (Florida and ASU) and Marsh’s 2024 production (3 pass breakups) anchor a unit that allowed 219.7 passing yards per game last season.
Key Storyline: Will the secondary lockdown the league’s best offenses? Facing pass-heavy teams like Rice and UAB, this group’s ability to limit big plays and force turnovers (Memphis had 10 interceptions in 2024) could be the difference in winning and losing games this season.
Impact on 2025: A formidable secondary will complement the team’s defensive front, ensuring the Tigers remain a top unit in the Group of Five, critical for matchups within the conference, where limiting big plays is vital.
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