Memphis football: How to judge success for Ryan Silverfield in 2023

Another Memphis football season is almost here, and there's plenty of intrigue after back-to-back underwhelming regular season campaigns.

Coach Ryan Silverfield is appearing on national hot seat lists, conference realignment has set the sport ablaze again, and the new-look American Athletic Conference seems as wide open as ever ahead of the Tigers' 2023 opener against Bethune-Cookman Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN+) at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

To figure out what's what, The Commercial Appeal convened a Memphis football roundtable with new beat writer Jonah Dylan and columnist Mark Giannotto to debate the most important questions entering this pivotal fall.

Dylan: The Tigers have to be in the conversation for the AAC championship going into the Nov. 18 matchup with SMU. Ideally, of course, they'll be competing for and winning the conference title. But being near the top of the league standings towards the end of the season is an absolute must, especially when you look at the advantageous schedule. A win against Missouri, Boise State or both could also come in handy down the stretch when we’re looking back and trying to judge the season’s success.

Giannotto: This answer is multi-faceted, but it all leads back to generating momentum for the program again. To do that, Memphis must rejoin the AAC championship mix for the first time since 2019. Eight wins feels like the bar, but won't be enough to re-ignite excitement within the fan base. Anything less than that would be a disappointment and further fuel speculation about Silverfield's future. Nine or more wins would be an unqualified success.

Dylan: Because it has to be. Frankly, this season will define his tenure. The entire program’s back is against the wall going into this season, as Memphis tries to posture in conference realignment talks while competing in a new-look AAC that lost three major programs. Silverfield and quarterback Seth Henigan are both readying for career-defining seasons, whether or not they deserve that kind of pressure. And the pieces are all there – there’s absolutely no reason the Tigers can’t win the conference and go to a New Year’s Six bowl this season.

Giannotto: Silverfield has a third-year starting quarterback and the same offensive and defensive coordinator in the first year of a watered-down league. Though there will be plenty of new faces playing for Memphis when the season starts, there's still a decent blend of continuity. And the Tigers got a favorable schedule to boot. The stars do feel like they've aligned better than in Silverfield's previous three seasons. If not now, when?

Dylan: Sutton Smith. The sophomore running back has drawn rave reviews from coaches this offseason, even though he’s part of a crowded running back room that includes more proven players. But Smith is ready to move into a bigger role in 2023, and there’s legitimate belief he can be the player that restarts the flow of elite Memphis running backs from the Bluff City to the NFL. Smith can play as a traditional back but is also a weapon in the return game and as a pass catcher, so he’s got the ability to be a part of multi-back sets. Expect to see his role grow as the season develops.

Giannotto: Henigan relied on Calvin Austin III as a freshman and tight end Caden Prieskorn last year. This season, he's looking for a new security blanket. Demeer Blankumsee, a transfer from Toledo, was the most productive of the newcomers last season and has been flashing big-play ability since arriving at Memphis in the spring. His quickness in space should play well with Henigan's strengths as a distributor.

Dylan: It feels a little obvious, but … it’s Henigan. The talk throughout the offseason has been about everything else on the offense – new weapons for Henigan, a new tight end, an offensive line that needs to improve. But Henigan is still Memphis’ most important player. This team is going to go as far as he can take it. He’s certainly got the ability to be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, and he’s going to need to be if the Tigers are going to win the conference title.

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Giannotto: This might be the best Memphis defense since Silverfield became head coach. The unit, led by coordinator Matt Barnes, came on strong at the end of last season, finishing No. 51 in the country in total defense. That's the best ranking for Memphis since 2014, and there are key starters back along the defensive line, at linebacker and in the defensive backfield.