The University of Memphis football team will honor 35 graduating seniors during the Tigers' Saturday conference showdown against UAB at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Six of those graduates are offensive linemen, so the Tigers will have to rebuild their front sooner rather than later.
But Malachi Breland, a redshirt freshman, is the one piece Tiger fans can be confident will return next season.
Due to transfer portal opt-outs, Breland made his first start for Memphis in last year's Liberty Bowl and impressed head coach Ryan Silverfield; "I think he has a very, very bright future here."
Breland locked up the starting left guard spot in the Tigers' week eight matchup against North Texas and has been a promising young piece in this otherwise veteran Memphis offensive line.
Gabe Kuhn, a former Tiger offensive lineman, called Breland "the most well-kept secret on this Memphis team."
"Dominating. Coming in every game prepared, ready to win the fight," Breland said about what he liked about playing offensive line. "The contact. Just going out there and imposing your will on another person. Just straight dominating."
Breland, a product of Laurel High School in Laurel, Mississippi, committed to Memphis before his senior year despite a heavy recruiting push from the Texas Longhorns, a blue-blood college football program.
"The best thing about being a Memphis Tiger? It's a lot of good things." Breland said, "But my favorite part is the Tiger walk, you know, all the fans, little kids; everyone's just happy to see the Tigers."
Although Breland is seeing success early in his college career, there was quite the adjustment period.
"In high school, when you're pulling, the D-end won't really try to blow you up. But I remember it was our first day of pads when I first got here for spring (training), and I went to pull, and the D-end just like, unloaded." Breland exasperatedly explained that Cormantae Hamilton and William Whitlow Jr. had helped him realize that "College football is a different game."
"They're all good players, man; everybody good in their own way. But the guy I like going up against and look forward to is William Whitlow. He's a shorter guy, but he's real good with his hands so you have to be good with your feet and be good with your hands because he has that 'twist' to him."
Breland learned early in his college career what can set him apart from his prep football days.
"The biggest thing I learned in my transition to college is that you have to watch film, like have to. In high school, you know, you can get away with not watching as much film, but you have to watch film." Breland said, "Day by day, getting comfortable, just come to compete and learn."
But Breland's quick learning was not purely his own. He credits longtime Memphis center Jacob Likes, a fifth-year senior during Breland's true freshman season, for much of his development.
"It was great. When I first got here, I had Jacob Likes. Playing beside a lot of older guys, it takes a little off of me," Breland said. "Getting up there and they make the calls and everything. Learning on film makes my job easier. It's been real good for me, helping me grow, and be a better player."
To some Memphis fans, Breland may be an unknown. So what makes Malachi, Malachi?
"Aggressive, very smart, quick thinker, I do things on the fly. I'm a team player, doing whatever is best for my offense," Breland said, "Staying under control, just executing the play. Every play doesn't have to be a kill shot."
With three years of eligibility remaining after the current one ends, Breland's college career is just getting started.
"As my career goes on here (in Memphis), it's just staying the course, being a consistent player, working my way up to being a leader."
Breland, a sports management major, loves football. "I want to stay around the sport. I could be a trainer or anything related to the sport. I love the game of football, and obviously, it's going to end one day, and I'm going to still have love for it, so I want to still be around it."
Whether it's his aggressive nature, love for the sport or quick-thinking, Malachi Breland will be a staple on Memphis' offensive line for as long as the program can keep him.
Reach Rivals contributor Sam Shoemaker on X @s_shoemaker52 or email sjshmker@memphis.edu
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