In the aftermath of Memphis football's season-opening win over UNLV on Aug. 29, the Tigers have gotten plenty of national attention.
It makes sense, given they and the Rebels played on FOX during a time slot when there were no other college football games on. Lots of people watched Memphis' defensive line overwhelm UNLV
in the second half en route to a 27-21 road win and were surprised by what they saw from the Tigers.That has made coach Charles Huff a very popular man the past few days and has led to plenty of extra media interviews.
"I don't want to do it, because it's really not about me," Huff said at his news conference on Sept. 1. "But the platform that I'm standing on, I have to give Memphis and these players the ability, availability to be marketed,
to be rewarded, to be advertised, to be talked about. So it's a challenge for me. I don't like birthday gifts. I don't like surprise parties. I don't like awards. It's not me. Because I didn't make any tackles. Actually, I fell down."
Huff is referring to the moments after Memphis' win, when he ran on to the field to chest-bump defensive lineman Jacari Gatling and immediately got knocked to the ground.
After an offseason spent with mostly uncertainty about what the Tigers could become in Huff's first year, they are now getting legitimate buzz as a potential College Football Playoff team. It also has meant positivity in Memphis, which Huff referenced on 901 Day (a holiday in Memphis on Sept. 1 because of the 901 area code).
Memphis head coach Charles Huff was FIRED UP after winning in his debut on the road pic.twitter.com/59BwAUfAvq
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 30, 2026
"We deserve to be, I guess they say 'media darling,' " Huff said. "We deserve to be that. Because we get beat down so much in the media for things that are — some true, but some are magnified out of this world. So if we get an opportunity to be magnified in the positive, I think it's my duty, I think it's Coach (Penny) Hardaway's duty, I think it's the soccer coach's duty, the baseball coach's duty, (athletic director) Ed Scott's duty.
"We have to take that time and give Memphis its just due. Because there are so many times where we get beat down that when we get a chance to be the shining light, we've got to use it."
All the positive momentum will fade, though, if the Tigers don't take care of business moving forward. They are a significant favorite in the home opener against Arkansas State on Sept. 5 (6 p.m. CT, ESPN+), but Huff stressed that the Tigers will have "appropriate fear" for all of their opponents.
"When you're in this type of competitive environment, there is no off days," he said. "There is no, 'Well, this game doesn't matter,' or 'You should win this game.' You've got to have appropriate fear for their ability. And you've got to have appropriate fear for the opportunity."
Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What Charles Huff said about Memphis football becoming 'media darling'
