TIGER FOOTBALL

Memphis football on pace to rewrite school record books

Mark Giannotto
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Memphis teammates (from left) Anthony Miller, Doroland Dorceus and Riley Ferguson celebrate a 30-27 victory over Navy on Oct. 14.

Now that the Memphis football team has won the American Athletic Conference West division title and its spot in the AAC championship game is secure, the Tigers' assault on history is easier to decipher.

With three games remaining, several players, particularly on offense, are in the process of rewriting the school record books. 

More:Memphis football going for undefeated season at Liberty Bowl for first time

With the Tigers' (9-1, 6-1 AAC) 2017 regular-season finale against East Carolina (3-8, 2-5) coming up on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, ESPNU), here's a sampling of the records that could fall in the coming weeks.

Team records

Memphis needs ...

  • 76 points to break the team record for points in a season (522 in 2015).
  • Five more touchdowns to break the team record for most touchdowns in a season (64 in 2015).
  • Nine more rushing touchdowns to break the team record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season (33 in 1961).
  • Five more passing touchdowns to break the team record for passing touchdowns in a single season (34 in 2016).
  • Seven more extra points to break the team record for most extra points in a single season (63 in 2015).
  • One more first down achieved via penalty to break single-season record (29).
  • On pace to shatter total offense record by more than 400 yards.

 

WR Anthony Miller

Memphis receiver Anthony Miller (left) grabs a touchdown catch against SMU on Saturday.

Where Miller stands at Memphis

  • Already has most receptions in a game in school history (15 in 2016 vs. Houston, 2017 at UConn).
  • Already has most receiving yards in a game in school history (250 vs. Tulsa in 2016).
  • Set school record with four receiving touchdowns at UConn on Oct. 6.
  • Already set school record for most receptions, reception yards and TDs in a single season last year (95 catches for 1,434 yards, 14 TDs). Needs 21 catches, 367 yards and two touchdowns to break own record this year.
  • Already owns school records for career receptions (217), receiving yards (3,196) and receiving touchdowns (32).
  • Already has more 100-yard receiving yard games (15) than any player in school history
  • Needs two touchdowns to move into second all-time in school history in touchdowns scored behind DeAngelo Williams.

Where Miller stands nationally 

  • Receiving TDs: 13, 2nd
  • Receiving yards: 1,068, 8th
  • Receptions: 75, 7th
  • Receiving yards/game: 106.8, 4th
  • Receptions/game: 7.5, 5th

QB Riley Ferguson

Memphis quarterback Riley Ferguson (middle) breaks away from the Tulane defense Oct. 27.

Where Ferguson stands at Memphis

  • Set school record for most passing yards in a game with 471 at Houston on Oct. 19.
  • Tied school record with seven touchdowns at UConn on Oct. 6.
  • On pace to break school record for completions in a season set by Paxton Lynch (296) in 2015.
  • On pace to shatter own school record for pass attempts (443) in a season.
  • On pace to break own school record for TD passes (32) in a season.
  • On pace for 4,161 passing yards, which would be the first 4,000-yard season in school history and set school record for a single season.
  • On pace to break school record for total offense (4,015) in a season.
  • Has most 400-yard and 300-yard passing games in school history.
  • Needs two touchdowns to break own school record for most touchdowns responsible for in a season.
  • Already third all-time in school history in career passing yards, completions, attempts and total offense behind only Danny Wimprine and Lynch. He's second all-time in career touchdown passes behind Wimprine. 

Where Ferguson stands nationally

  • Completion percentage: 61.9, 40th
  • Completions per game: 23.9, 11th
  • Passing efficiency: 152.2, 19th
  • Passing TDs: 29, T-6th
  • Passing yards: 3,201, 13th
  • Passing yards/game: 320.1, 5th
  • Passing yards/completion: 13.39, 22nd
  • Pass yards/attempt: 8.29, 21st

RB Darrell Henderson

Memphis running back Darrell Henderson (front) scrambles past the Louisiana-Monroe defense for a touchdown Aug. 31.

Where Henderson stands at Memphis

  • Already ranks eighth all-time in school history for rushing yards in a season. Needs 317 yards to have the most rushing yards in school history by a running back not named DeAngelo Williams.
  • If he rushes for more than 1,000 yards this season, Memphis would have a 1,000-yard rusher, 1,000-yard receiver and 3,000-yard passer in the same season for the first time.
  • On pace to break the school’s yards-per-carry record set in 1971 (7.6).
  • If he rushes for more than 100 yards vs. ECU, would become just the fourth player in school history to rush for more than 100 yards in four consecutive games. Only Williams has done it more than four times.

Where Henderson stands nationally

  • Rushing yards: 923, 43rd
  • Rushing yards/game: 92.3, 36th
  • Rushing yards/carry: 8.79, 3rd

LB/DE Genard Avery

  • Tied for third all-time in school history in tackles for loss in a season (17). Needs five more to break record.
  • Currently fifth all-time in career sacks (18.5). Needs 4.5 more to set school record.
  • Currently third all-time in tackles for loss (40.5). Needs two more to move into second place.

KR Tony Pollard

  • On pace to shatter NCAA record and school record for kickoff return average in a single season. He's averaging 40.7 yards/return through 10 games.
  • Already set school record for kickoff return TDs in a single season (3) and a career (5).

RB Patrick Taylor 

  • Tied school record for most touchdowns in a single game with four at Houston on Oct. 19.

RB Doroland Dorceus

  • Became just the eighth player in school history to eclipse 2,000 career rushing yards (2,031) this season.