Memphis has 12 players on Lindy’s 2018 All-ACC first and second teams compared to one for us. And of course, that’s Ed Oliver. It sounds like Coach Briles is going to have to open up the offense and Coach D’Onofrio clamp down on defense. Lindy’s goes on to say - “It’s going to seem like a waste of Ed Oliver’s great career if UH doesn’t win an AAC title during his time there.”
So, all of the prognosticators that I have read say that Memphis has more overall talent then UH. Yet, many of our people think we have far superior talent and should win the AAC and if we don’t, then CMA should be tossed. Could it be that the prognosticators are right? Regardless, there are those who think we should win it every year because we always have better talent and all the prognosticators are wrong. Maybe just putting on a UH uniform transforms one’s talent.
Well, I am on record as saying we will run the table which is my annual prediction. On the other hand, I won’t call for the head of CMA if we don’t. Yes, we have gotten a few transfers and folks are getting giddy. Except for Deontay Anderson and Terrance Williams, the transfers are here mainly because they weren’t going to start where they were, or their previous team wasn’t a good fit. So, I temper my expectations for them.
We have always had a hard time with Memphis – especially on the road. So, I’m going to have to sweat that one out.
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We almost beat Memphis last year with our crap offense. Unless their defense improves significantly, I don’t think they beat us this year.
They lost their best QB the program has ever had. I think we beat Memphis.
I would change “almost” to "should have "…
…otherwise I agree !
This seems more realistic, I like what the money boys say.
Odds to win American via @LVSuperBook:
UCF 5/4
Houston 2/1
Memphis 5/2
Navy, USF 10/1
SMU, Temple, Tulane 40/1
Cincinnati, Tulsa 100/1
UConn 300/1
East Carolina 500/1
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So how is Memphis recruiting more talent than UH? Is it more talent or better PR or coaching last year?
The difference is in the recent transfers we picked up in the spring and summer that some of these publications may have not picked up on.
The one before him was a first round draft pick.
Memphis is Houston. Houston is Memphis. Very similar recruiting, coaching, and area. The only place we edge them is on facilities.
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I think we do more than edge them on facilities. We don’t blow them away but we have a pretty good advantage now that the Fertitta Center is opening, IMO.
Memphis plays in an NBA building. And they just opened their own basketball practice facility this past November.
The only edge we have is TDECU >>>>> Liberty Bowl.
They play in an NBA arena 20 min away from campus. It would be like us choosing to rent Toyota Center. I’ll take Feritta Center but that’s just me.
Our football facilities crush theirs. The Liberty Bowl is old and off campus (although really close). And, they don’t have practice facilities nearly as good as ours.
I think Memphis gets a lot more support from the community and local government. They have civic pride in Memphis to a degree UH does not. We have too many aggies and sips putting us down whenever they can and we are generally dismissed by the local media to a degree not experienced by Memphis, IMHO.
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Memphis is not a major city, that’s the difference. My question is still where do they get their recruits. If they recruit SEC territory they’re clearly 2nd best.
Phil Steele has the Cougars third in the West after Memphis and Navy. UCF, Temple, and USF in the East. I think we’ll beat Memphis…
They lost their best ever QB and their two top senior receivers and play makers. I think we can beat them.
Memphis with Tony Pollard (welp), Darrell Henderson and an outstanding coach at home will be tough as nails. We play a bruiser in Tulane before this roadie. Comes down to conditioning and injuries, and I think home field advantage puts them over the top with the AAC west on the line.
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Well, we had home field advantage last year…how’d that work out ?
Memphis to me is one those schools who i look forward to playing. Because they’re consistent. They’re consistently competing for the top spot in our conference and our games are always close. The past five years we’ve gone W 25:15 (2013) W 28:24 (2014) W 35:34 (2015) L 48:44 (2016) L 42:38 (2017). They’ve reached the championship game last year and were one win away the past two years before that I think from reaching it. While we’ve lost most of our games we were expected to win. They also recruit well and don’t have major drop offs in talent ever. To me they’re our biggest rivals aside from Navy. Those games are brought down to execution and conditioning. Talent is on both teams
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