The University of Memphis is mourning one of the most important figures in its football history. Kippy Brown, an M Club and Tennessee Sports Hall of Famer and the first Black quarterback in Memphis football history, died Aug. 31 at the age of 71.
Brown’s impact on the Tigers stretched far beyond the numbers, though those were impressive too. He played at Memphis from 1974-77 and helped guide a program that never finished with a losing season during his four years on campus.
As the team’s starting quarterback in his first season, he led Memphis to one of its signature wins, a 31-20 upset of No. 7 Auburn, while the Tigers finished 7-4.
His place in Memphis athletics was formally recognized in recent years. Brown received the Billy J. Murphy Award and was inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2016, then entered the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Brown’s football life didn’t end when his playing days were over. He built a long coaching career with stops at Memphis (State), Louisville and Tennessee, and later worked for eight NFL teams: the New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks.
He finished that run on Seattle’s staff during the Seahawks’ 2014 Super Bowl season, and along the way coached a list of star players that included Dan Marino, Andre Johnson, Calvin "Megatron" Johnson, Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse and Marshawn Lynch.
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Charles Huff Just Drew A National Comparison Memphis Fans Will Notice
Memphis opened the Charles Huff era with a win, and the first impression around the new coach has already traveled well beyond the local fan base. One national voice took a direct look at Huffs approach and drew a comparison that Tigers followers will understand right away, putting Huff in the conversation with one of the sports most visible head coaches.
Jason Whitlock framed Huff as the opposite kind of program builder from Deion Sanders, pointing to Huffs grind and coaching path while questioning how Sanders has balanced attention and results at Colorado. For Memphis, the bigger takeaway is simpler: Huffs start has put a spotlight on the way he operates, and its the kind of early validation that can matter as he tries to build something lasting in a place that has seen plenty of coaching turnover. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State May Have Found Its Next Difference Maker At Running Back
Week 0 brought a few early signs of who might matter this fall, and Florida State got one of the more intriguing ones from its backfield. Among the college football players who stood out in the opening slate, a running back emerged as a potential difference maker for the Seminoles, adding another layer to a team looking for reliable playmakers as the season gets underway. The early slate also featured strong showings from backs such as Kendre Miller and Jaylin Carter, a reminder that the first weekend can quickly separate the names to watch from the rest of the pack.
There were plenty of other opening-week storylines around the country, from Pribula's career-best performance for Virginia to North Dakota State making a successful FBS debut, but Florida State's backfield development may end up being one of the more relevant ones for the Tigers' broader conference watch. When a young runner flashes in an opener, it can change how a staff rotates touches and how opponents prepare in the weeks ahead, and Florida State now has a reason to see whether that performance was a one-night burst or the start of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]