Memphis is coming off a 10-win season and is the defending American Athletic Conference West Division champions. Third-year coach Mike Norvell is back, too, and that means this program should be aiming for that conference championship — and perhaps a New Year’s Day Six bowl — in 2018.
The Tigers will have to replace some offensive playmakers to do that, but the fact Norvell decided to stay in Memphis rather than take a Power 5 job shows he has faith in this program.
MORE: 2018 Group of 5 conference primer
Memphis fell out of Sporting News' updated way-too-early top 25, but they're in prime position for another successful season in 2018. Here's a closer look at the Tigers' outlook coming out of the spring:
Memphis football schedule 2018
| Date | Opponent | Location |
| April 13 | Friday Night Stripes | Memphis, Tenn. |
| Sept. 1 | Mercer | Memphis, Tenn. |
| Sept. 8 | Navy | Annapolis, Md. |
| Sept. 14 | Georgia State (Friday) | Memphis, Tenn. |
| Sept. 22 | South Alabama | Memphis, Tenn. |
| Sept. 28 | at Tulane (Friday) | New Orleans |
| Oct. 6 | UConn | Memphis, Tenn. |
| Oct. 13 | No. 21 UCF | Memphis, Tenn. |
| Oct. 20 | at Missouri | Columbia, Mo. |
| Oct. 27 | Bye | Off |
| Nov. 3 | at ECU | Greenville, N.C. |
| Nov. 10 | Tulsa | Memphis, Tenn. |
| Nov. 16 | at SMU (Friday) | Dallas |
| Nov. 23 | Houston (Friday) | Memphis, Tenn. |
| Dec. 1 | American championship | TBA |
Memphis football recruiting 2018
Memphis' 2018 recruiting class, ranked 86th in 247Sports' Composite rankings, is led by a pair of JUCO transfers in receiver Antonio Gibson and linebacker Keith Brown. They are the only early enrollees for the Tigers. Three-star athlete Troy Hurst (St. Helena Central, Greensburg, La.) is the highest-ranked recruit high school recruit in this class.
MORE: 18 questions for 2018
Memphis football roster 2018
The Memphis football roster will be updated in the spring and fall here.
| No. | Name | Pos. | Year |
| 1 | O'Bryan Goodson | DL | So. |
| 1 | Tony Pollard | RB | R-Jr. |
| 2 | T.J. Carter | DB | So. |
| 2 | David Moore | WR | R-So. |
| 4 | Josh Perry | DB | R-So. |
| 5 | Sean Dykes | TE | Jr. |
| 6 | Patrick Taylor Jr. | RB | Jr. |
| 7 | Curtis Akins | LB | R-Sr. |
| 7 | Brady Davis | QB | R-Jr. |
| 8 | Darrell Henderson | RB | Jr. |
| 9 | John Williams | WR | Jr. |
| 10 | Damonte Coxie | WR | R-So. |
| 11 | Sam Craft | WR | Gr. |
| 12 | La'Andre Thomas | DB | So. |
| 13 | Kedarian Jones | WR | R-Jr. |
| 15 | Connor Adair | QB | R-Fr. |
| 16 | Nehemiah Augustus | LB | R-So. |
| 18 | Tim Gordon | DB | R-Sr. |
| 21 | Timothy Taylor | RB | R-Fr. |
| 22 | Tyrez Lindsey | DB | R-So. |
| 23 | JJ Russell | LB | So. |
| 24 | Tito Windham | DB | Sr. |
| 25 | Austin Hall | DB | R-Jr. |
| 25 | Tre'Veon Hamilton | WR | Sr. |
| 26 | Cade Mashburn | LB | R-Fr. |
| 27 | Jahod Booker | WR | R-So. |
| 27 | Aidan Daily | P | R-Jr. |
| 29 | Carlito Gonzalez | DB | So. |
| 31 | Quindon Lewis | DB | R-Fr. |
| 32 | Jacobi Francis | DB | R-So. |
| 32 | Marquavius Weaver | RB | R-Fr. |
| 33 | Tamaurice Smith | DB | R-Fr. |
| 34 | Jackson Dillon | LB | R-Sr. |
| 35 | Tim Hart | LB | R-So. |
| 36 | Ladarius Jordan | DB | R-Jr. |
| 36 | Riley Patterson | PK | So. |
| 37 | Brennon Lewis | WR | R-Fr. |
| 38 | Jonathan Wilson | DL | Jr. |
| 40 | Thomas Pickens | DB | R-So. |
| 41 | Sanchez Blake Jr. | DB | R-So. |
| 42 | Deandre Alexander | RB | R-Fr. |
| 42 | Xavier "Zay" Cullens | DB | R-Fr. |
| 43 | Connor Choate | LS | So. |
| 44 | Steven Enis | TE | R-Jr. |
| 44 | Ashton Merrett | DB | R-Fr. |
| 45 | Bradley Jones | DB | R-Fr. |
| 45 | Dylan Parham | TE | R-Fr. |
| 46 | Alex Gaca | DB | R-Fr. |
| 46 | Carson Short | TE | So. |
| 47 | Colton Cochran | DB | R-So. |
| 48 | Adam Williams | P | R-Fr. |
| 49/79 | Scottie Dill | TE | R-Jr. |
| 49 | Tyler Garvey | LB | R-Fr. |
| 51 | Barrett Brown | DL | R-Fr. |
| 52 | Jacoby Hill | DL | R-So. |
| 52 | Peyton Jones | OL | R-Jr. |
| 53 | Dustin Woodard | OL | Jr. |
| 54 | Drew Kyser | OL | Sr. |
| 55 | Mikhail Hill | OL | R-Fr. |
| 55 | Bryce Huff | LB | Jr. |
| 56 | Fred Walls | LB | R-Jr. |
| 57 | Hayden Ferrari | LB | R-Jr. |
| 58 | Preston Brady | LS | R-Fr. |
| 59 | Brytain Peddy | OL | R-Jr. |
| 59 | Chandler Stump | LB | R-So. |
| 60 | Tim Belles | LS | R-Jr. |
| 63 | Ryan Young | OL | R-So. |
| 64 | Daly Cull | OL | R-Fr. |
| 65 | Josiah Perry | OL | R-Fr. |
| 66 | Roger Joseph | OL | Sr. |
| 70 | Harneet Gill | OL | R-Sr. |
| 72 | Trevon Tate | OL | R-Sr. |
| 74 | Michael Joseph | OL | R-Fr. |
| 75 | Tauvaga Ho Ching II | OL | R-Jr. |
| 76 | John Hassell | TE | R-Fr. |
| 77 | Obinna Eze | OL | R-Fr. |
| 80 | Coye Fairman | WR | R-Fr. |
| 81 | Mechane Slade | WR | R-Jr. |
| 82 | Hunter Hill | WR | R-So. |
| 83 | Nick Robinson | TE | R-Fr. |
| 83 | Calvin Austin III | WR | R-Fr. |
| 86 | Joey Magnifico | TE | R-Jr. |
| 88 | Tyce Daniel | TE | R-Fr. |
| 90 | John Tate | DL | R-So. |
| 93 | Desmond Hawkins | DL | R-Jr. |
| 94 | Joseph Dorceus | DL | R-So. |
| 96 | Khalil Johnson | DL | R-Jr. |
| 97 | Emmanuel Cooper | DL | Sr. |
| 98 | Jared Gentry | DL | R-Jr. |
| 99 | Braylon Brown | DL | R-Fr. |
| Keith Brown, Jr. | LB | Jr. | |
| Chase Burdette | So. | ||
| Jared Edwards | TE | Fr. | |
| Antonio Gibson | WR | Jr. | |
| Shane McFarland | So. | ||
| Brady White | QB | R-Jr. |
What to watch in 2018:
1. Will Brady White win the starting job?
The battle to replace star quarterback Riley Ferguson is on, and Arizona State graduate transfer Brady White will be in the thick of that race. Norvell recruited White to Arizona State as an assistant coach in 2015, so that familiarity should help White in his bid to win the starting job. Redshirt-sophomore David Moore, Memphis' backup last season, will also challenge for the job. Look for redshirt-junior Brady Davis, redshirt-freshman Connor Adair and incoming freshman Brady McBride to get their chances in fall camp as well. Whoever wins has big shoes to fill, considering Paxton Lynch and Ferguson were the last two star quarterbacks for the Tigers.2. What will Tony Pollard do for an encore?
All-American receiver Anthony Miller is gone, but All-American returner Tony Pollard is back. The 5-11, 200-pound running back returned four kickoffs for touchdowns in 2017 and averaged 11.6 yards per touch from scrimmage as a running back and receiver. He's an exciting playmaker who should be an even bigger part of the game plan for Memphis next season.3. Can the Tigers win the American?
Memphis took UCF to two overtimes in the American championship game last season, falling short in a 62-55 loss. Still, it showed the Tigers had made significant progress since their 40-13 regular-season loss to the Knights. A one-point loss To Iowa State in the Independence Bowl showed how competitive these Tigers can be, but they'll be measured against UCF in preseason prognostications. The next step for Norvell is to lead the Tigers to a conference championship.