GoTigers247's Tigers on Tap Ep 7: Memphis vs Mississippi State Game Preview

Tigers in 20: A Memphis Tigers Athletics podcast

In Episode 7 of Tigers on Tap, TJ and Trey preview the Tigers' week one matchup against Mississippi State. The Tigers are heading to Starkville to play a team that has revenge on their mind after last year's hard fought 31-29 loss to the Tigers at the Liberty Bowl.

In the first segment, Trey and TJ discuss the two-deep depth charts that were announced by both teams. TJ discusses which players on the depth chart he was most surprised to see on the Tigers' depth chart. They were both expecting to see Asa Martin in the second position in the running back slot, but Northern Illinois transfer, Jeyvon Ducker, filled that place. Silverfield and Co has expressed throughout the offseason that they were looking for a consistent threat at the running back position, instead of resorting to a running back by committee. Clearly, Jeyvon has recovered from an offseason injury and has learned the playbook to a point that the coaches feel comfortable having him get a lot of touches throughout the game. They also discuss Iowa State transfer, Joseph Scates, and the role he will fill for the Tigers at the wide receiver position. They see Joseph as a deep threat to spread out the field for Seth Henigan. They transition to discuss redshirt freshman, Makylan Pounders, starting at right tackle on the offensive line. Both guys believe that Silverfield and Cramsey are investing into their future with Makylan, who will have four years of eligibility coming into this year.

Trey and TJ discuss the overall age of the depth chart. Ryan Silverfield has mentioned 42% of his starters will be freshman and sophomores. But Trey and TJ believe that their age does not negate the level of experience the Tigers will have on the field. Mississippi State brings a veteran-laden team to the field on Saturday. Their team is littered with 5th-year seniors and transfers. The guys believe this will be a major part of the storyline for this game. The Tigers' youth versus Mississippi State's experience.

Rain is in the forecast for the game on Saturday. The guys discuss how that will impact both Mississippi State and Memphis. Mississippi State is a pass-oriented offense and if the game is sloppy then Memphis can grind out the Mississippi State defense. The guys focus in on the offensive and defensive lines for Memphis and Mississippi State as the matchups they are looking at the most. Mississippi State has an extremely athletic and physical defensive line, and the Tigers' offensive line will have to keep them away from Seth in the backfield. Emmanuel Forbes, an all-SEC cornerback for the Bulldogs, will more than likely be matched up against Eddie Lewis, so they expect the Tigers to stay away from his side of the field.

In the second segment, Trey and TJ talk about both teams' offense. The Bulldogs and Tigers are in the same boat with their receivers. Both teams have lost their major playmakers in Makai Polk and Calvin Austin III. Which receivers will step up and prove themselves worthy of being the go to guy for their respective team's offense. Both offensive lines have had major shifts in positions. LIke the Tigers, Mississippi State has linemen that have switched positions from where they played last year. Both TJ and Trey are interested in seeing how the offensive lines will be able to protect their respective quarterbacks.

Both teams look to have revamped their special teams this year. Mississippi State fans experienced the same woes in the kicking game that the Tigers felt last year. Chris Howard, a transfer from Florida, assumes the field goal kicking role for the Tigers while Massimo Biscardi will have the honors for Mississippi State.

To end the episode, Trey and TJ give their predictions on the final result of the game with projected scores.

About Tigers on Tap

Tigers on Tap is a podcast for fans by fans. Trey Lasley and TJ Willis are lifelong Memphis fans and share their perspective of the happenings in Tiger athletics from a fan perspective.

To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices