What Memphis football must do to keep from falling further behind with AAC realignment looming

At AAC Media Day in August, Ryan Silverfield shrugged off the preseason media poll that had Memphis ranked fifth. The coach chose to let the Tigers' results speak for the regular season.

“Let’s talk about it in January and see where we end up in the poll,” Silverfield said at the time.

Well as January approaches and the 2021 season is over, Memphis (6-6, 3-5 AAC) finished tied for seventh in the AAC. The five conference losses were the most since going 1-7 in 2013, the AAC’s first season.

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A season that began with little preseason buzz ended with the Tigers as Hawaii Bowl champions despite the game being canceled due to COVID-19 issues in the Hawaii program. There could be worse endings than warm weather, luaus and beaches.

It just didn’t cushion the disappointment of the Tigers’ fewest wins in eight years and Silverfield knew it.

“Every part of our program needs to improve from the head coach down to the janitors,” he said in his final press conference of the season last week. “Every part of our program, everything we can do can improve and we got to strive to do that every single day."

So where should Memphis start? There are obvious answers. Hire a solid defensive coordinator. Revamp the run game. Find playmakers who’ll produce explosive plays.

Another six- or seven-win season is unlikely to satisfy fans. The Tigers’ announced attendance of 27,416 for their final home game against Tulane was their smallest crowd of the season. It was a season that lacked excitement outside of wins over Mississippi State and SMU.

Quarterback Seth Henigan returns but who will be the star skill-position weapon on offense? Can the next defensive coordinator fix a unit ranked 96th in total defense? Can Memphis convince fans it's not sliding back to 2009-13 when it won just 12 games in five seasons?

Those are surface level worries. But the biggest reason Memphis must improve in 2022? Realignment.

Nov 19, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Memphis Tigers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (4) breaks the tackle of  Houston Cougars cornerback Jayce Rogers (16) in the third quarter at TDECU Stadium. Houston Cougars won 31 to 13. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Memphis Tigers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (4) breaks the tackle of Houston Cougars cornerback Jayce Rogers (16) in the third quarter at TDECU Stadium. Houston Cougars won 31 to 13. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Houston, UCF and Cincinnati are expected to leave the AAC after next season. The conference will add six new teams from Conference USA to fill that gap. So that means Memphis must remain one of the AAC’s best instead of just another team.

If the Tigers struggle again, they’ll lose even more momentum from their Cotton Bowl run in 2019. Instead of being attractive to a Power Five conference, they’ll be less desirable as an average program in a conference that’ll be weaker in 2023.

Think about what Memphis sold from 2017-19. An innovative offense that looked cool, scored points and produced dynamic players that reached the NFL. Not only did the Tigers compete for AAC championships, they looked fun and made for good television.

That was enough to make them attractive candidates for a move into a bigger conference. But that appeal is waning. The Tigers averaged their fewest points (30.1) since 2013 and fewest rushing yards per game (137.1) since 2011.

“We did a lot of great things. You talk about the win versus Mississippi State, beating a ranked SMU opponent and finishing off the win versus Tulane to get to here,” Silverfield said. “But in reality, I want to compete for championships every single year and I’ve got to do a better job."

Injuries and starting a freshman quarterback played a role in Memphis’ struggles, but it won’t matter to fans who fear their team is slipping from relevance. It also won’t matter to outsiders who see a team go from 12 wins in 2019 to eight and six wins in the last two seasons.

With a changing AAC landscape looming, the Tigers must get better or risk being left further behind. That's where Memphis stands going into a new year and it's up to Silverfield to make significant strides this offseason to change that.

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You can reach Evan Barnes on Twitter (@Evan_B) or by email at evan.barnes@commercialappeal.com

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis football, Ryan Silverfield at crossroads as AAC realignment looms