MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ryan Silverfield spoke to reporters at Tuesday's media luncheon ahead of Tigers training camp, which begins next Friday. Here are some of the highlights from the news conference.
On college football conference realignment:
"We knew it was coming. Is it going to occur, and how will it affect the University of Memphis? I don't know. Have I had some conversations with Dr. Rudd and Laird Veatch? At very minimum. It does me no good to stress about what is going to happen in 2025. I'm trying to get through tomorrow and make sure our guys show up for workouts and do what they're supposed to be doing. Am I a fan of it? I'll let you know in 2025. How does that sound (Laughs)?"
On strength of American Athletic Conference:
"I think we are as strong of a conference as we have ever been. You look over the history of what has occurred, even since I have been at Memphis. From what Houston was able to do for a couple of years, from UCF to Memphis to Cincinnati. There's enough quality teams. There is nobody that looks at our conference and says 'Wow, that's a cupcake team in the conference.' Look what some of these schools are doing in recruiting and beating some of these quote Power 5 programs. .. I'm really pleased with where our conference is at and whatever direction we head as a conference, I'll support and figure it out as it all unfolds."
On the quarterback battle:
"I'm excited to see what they've been able to do the last two months in conditioning and in the weight room, especially in that quarterback room, to see what unfolds in training camp. The reality is, it's a true quarterback competition. The good news is I'm not scrambling to the transfer portal when we end this press conference to go try to find a new quarterback. I like what we have on our roster. I feel comfortable with all four guys that are competing. As far as naming a date, if within two weeks of training camp, or the first week, we know who it is, great, I'll be happy to. ... If it takes three weeks, or if we just want to surprise you guys the day of the game when we open up the Liberty Bowl, that may be the case. (Laughs) No, the reality is that we're going to throw them out there and see what shakes up, and I'm excited to watch that battle."
On expectations:
"Our Number One goal should be to compete for the conference championship every year. As long as I am the head football coach that's going to be our expectations and our goals. But to compete for a bowl game, we should be in a bowl game every year. Is that a 13-win season? I don't know. Whatever that looks like, we'll see as the season goes on. And we do have some question marks, that's for sure. It was always easier when you could say we got Paxton Lynch, we got Riley Ferguson, we got Brady White. Cool, at least we can roll our dice and see out there. I do think the cupboard is not bare. We like what we have. We'll know a lot about this team just in the non-conference games."