Although the Memphis Tigers just put a 40-0 beat down on North Alabama last Saturday, there is one question Tigers fans can not stop asking. What is running back Sutton Smith's status moving forward?
After starting the game and seeing a significant role, Smith went down late in the fourth quarter and had to be helped off the field. His coach, Ryan Silverfield, said, "It doesn't look great" regarding Smith's lower-body injury.
Later in the post-game presser, Silverfield was asked about the next man up if (when) Smith misses time.
First, he mentioned Mario Anderson, the five-year college football veteran who is now the Tiger's clear number-one option. He also mentioned senior backs Greg Desrosiers and Brandon Thomas.
But Silverfield made sure to mention true freshman, 17-year-old Makari Bodiford, in both his post-game presser and his Monday media availability.
So, I asked Silverfield about Bodiford, and he had this to say: “(Bodiford) Runs the ball really, really well, but has to work on his pad level…He was able to join us in January, so he has a good grasp of our offense...very, very pleased with his growth so far.”
A fun fact of note on Bodiford (per Ryan Silverfield), both he and Sutton Smith attended Walton High School in Marietta Georgia.
Standing at 5 foot 11 and 221 pounds, Bodiford's measureables are similar to that of former Memphis Tiger Antonio Gibson.
Bodiford took three carries for a total gain of zero yards against North Alabama - yet they weren't entirely his fault. He was hit before the line of scrimmage on two of the carries.
Unsuprisingly, Silverfield hit the nail on the head. Bodiford looked okay - but I would have liked to see him get his pad-level down and powered through the first defender.
If the remaining running back room can stay healthy, Bodiford's role should be minimal.
But Coach Silverfield hinted at it. Whether it's Seth Henigan, Greg Rubin, or Sutton Smith, the Tigers usually have a true freshman who plays a large enough role to burn their redshirt.
If there is one freshman on the roster who breaks through in 2024, I would bet on Bodiford.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
•Talk about it on the Memphis Message Board
--------------------------------------------------------------
