Memphis likely to lose defensive coordinator before Hawaii Bowl

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Memphis defensive back Rodney Owens (30) and JJ Russell (23) combined to tackle Houston tight end Christian Trahan on Nov. 19 in Houston. Russell leads the Tigers with 123 total tackles and Owens is third with 78.

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The Memphis football team is expected to have a new defensive play-caller when it faces Hawaii in the EasyPost Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve.

Last week, Mike MacIntyre, who was hired as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator in January, accepted the head coaching job at Florida International. Signs point to MacIntyre not coaching the Tigers in the bowl. At today’s news conference, Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield is expected to announce an interim replacement for MacIntyre.

As a head coach at San Jose State and then Colorado, MacIntyre is 2-2 against the Rainbow Warriors. Despite MacIntyre’s absence, defensive end Wardalis Ducksworth expressed confidence “we’ll be good.”

In 12 games this season, the Tigers are ranked 92nd among 130 FBS teams in points allowed (29.3 per game), 96th in total defense (418.2 yards per game), and 125th in defensive time on the field (33 minutes per game).

After two weeks of rest and moderate training, the Tigers began practicing this week for the Warriors’ new-look offense and expected accelerated pace. Two of UH’s offensive starters — quarterback Chevan Cordeiro and running back Dae Dae Hunter — have transferred. Brayden Schager, a true freshman who is 2-1 as a starter, has been promoted to No. 1 quarterback. Dedrick Parson, who rushed for 618 yards and eight touchdowns this season, is poised to start in the bowl.

“We’re just preparing like they’ll be starters,” linebacker Thomas Pickens said of Schager and Parson. “We’re going to go out there and play hard and do what we gotta do.”

The Tigers also are wary of the Warriors’ aspirations to play at a quick tempo. Against Colorado State in the penultimate regular-season game, the Warriors ran a play every 22 seconds.

“Our offense runs a fast tempo all the time (in practices),” Pickens said. “We start every practice with a tempo period that gets the lungs going, gets the legs moving, gets the blood flowing, gets the mind working. I think we’ll be well prepared.”

As for Hawaii’s humidity, Ducksworth dealt with steaminess growing up in Mize, Miss. “My whole life,” Ducksworth said of the sweltering conditions. “It’s pretty hot out there (in an) open field (and) no trees. I’m used to it.”

This will be the Tigers’ 15th bowl appearance. After defeating Florida Atlantic 25-10 in the 2020 Montgomery Bowl, the Tigers are seeking to win bowls in consecutive years for the first time in the program’s history.

“We’ve got a chance to be one of the first (Memphis) teams to go back-to-back winning bowl games,” Pickens said. “The goal is to win the bowl game and end the season in the right way.”