MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tigers football completed the comeback this weekend against South Florida, but what comes next is very much in question.
Memphis is scheduled to play at Navy Saturday, but a COVID-19 outbreak within the Midshipmen program has left the game in limbo.
According to the Capital Gazette, the positive case numbers are described as "minimal," and contact tracing reflects the bulk of those in quarantine. The Tigers hope to get some clarity soon.
"I truly hope we have an answer within the next 24 hours, but we need to plan accordingly like we we're playing regardless," Ryan Silverfield said. "So if we don't have an answer one way or the other, even if it's Wednesday, we still have to be ready because they present a lot of different challenges, that's for sure."
That infamous Navy triple option requires full attention in game week prep, especially for a Tigers defense that surrenders an average of over 35 points per game.
"If you're not exactly where you're supposed to be, Navy can make you look silly," Silverfield said. "That is the challenge they present. Just constantly harping on 'Here's where you need to be at this point, here's where you need to be with your assignments.' If we do that, we'll be fine, but if you see one of those long runs break or something occur, it's because we weren't keying our assignments."
If the game cannot be played, the conference faces challenges in rescheduling Memphis-Navy. The Tigers are scheduled to play every Saturday through Dec. 5. The Army-Navy game is scheduled for the following Saturday, Dec. 12.