Memphis News: Six Memphis Tigers Football Players Earn Pro Football Network Preseason All-Conference Honors
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- Aug 11
- 6 min read
Direct Answer: Six University of Memphis football players earned recognition on Pro Football Network’s 2026 Preseason All-American Conference teams: J’Mond Tapp, Ian Foster, Manny Covey, Riley McGehee, Anthony Richard Jr., and Ahmere Foster. Three Tigers: Tapp, Ian Foster, and Covey: received first-team honors as head coach Charles Huff begins his first season in Memphis.
The recognition gives Memphis fans an early reason for hope, but it is not a prediction of the final standings. Preseason honors identify players who have earned respect before the season begins; the Tigers must now convert individual expectations into disciplined, unified team performance.
By Dr. Layne McDonald, Founder of Memphis News with a Purpose
Beat: Sports
What the Preseason Honors Mean for Memphis
The University of Memphis announced Monday that six football players were selected to Pro Football Network’s 2026 Preseason All-American Conference teams. The American Conference is the current branding for the league commonly known by fans as the AAC.
The Tigers’ six selections reflect strength across every major phase of the roster:
J’Mond Tapp : First Team, Defensive Lineman
Ian Foster : First Team, Safety
Manny Covey : First Team, Running Back and Punt Returner
Riley McGehee : Second Team, Offensive Lineman
Anthony Richard Jr. : Second Team, Cornerback
Ahmere Foster : Third Team, Safety
For Tapp, the selection marks his fourth first-team preseason all-conference honor. Ian Foster has received five total preseason honors, including four first-team selections and one third-team recognition as a kick returner.
Covey brings versatility to the Tigers after transferring from Cincinnati. During his first two seasons with the Bearcats, he demonstrated the ability to contribute as a runner, receiver, and return specialist. In 2025, he recorded 436 all-purpose yards, including 198 rushing yards, 82 receiving yards, and 156 punt-return yards.
That kind of flexibility could become especially valuable for a Memphis team facing a demanding early schedule.
Six Players, Three Position Groups, One Team Challenge
Preseason awards often focus attention on individual players. Football, however, quickly exposes the limits of individual achievement when players are not connected by trust and execution.
The Tigers’ honors are spread across the defensive line, secondary, offensive line, running back room, and special teams. That distribution is encouraging because it suggests that Memphis has experienced or highly regarded talent in multiple areas rather than relying on one star position.
Defensive Leadership
Tapp enters the season with a strong reputation along the defensive front. His recognition places him among the conference’s most respected defensive linemen before the first snap.
In the secondary, Ian Foster and Ahmere Foster give Memphis two preseason-recognized safeties. Anthony Richard Jr. adds another decorated player at cornerback. Richard previously played for Charles Huff at Marshall and Southern Miss and recorded four interceptions last season for a Golden Eagle defense that ranked first in the FBS in total interceptions.
That familiarity with Huff’s expectations could help Richard become a stabilizing presence as the Tigers install a new system.
Offensive and Special-Teams Versatility
McGehee’s second-team recognition highlights the importance of the offensive line. Quarterbacks and skill-position players may receive more attention, but sustained offensive success begins with protection, communication, and physical consistency up front.
Covey’s first-team selection as both a running back and punt returner points to the value of players who can affect the game in more than one way. Field position, hidden yardage, and explosive plays can shape a close game long before the final possession.
Memorable insight: Talent draws attention; teamwork turns potential into progress.
Charles Huff Begins a New Memphis Chapter
The honors arrive as Charles Huff prepares for his first season as Memphis head coach. A new coaching era brings opportunity, but it also brings a long list of practical challenges: installing systems, establishing trust, defining leadership roles, and building a shared identity among players from different backgrounds and programs.
Memphis’ 2026 roster includes significant change, making communication and culture especially important. A talented roster can still struggle if players are learning separate versions of accountability. Conversely, a team with clear standards and strong relationships can often exceed early expectations.
Memphis News with a Purpose previously examined Huff’s approach in our report on the Tigers opening fall camp with championship standards. That coverage emphasized discipline, unity, and preparation: qualities that will determine whether preseason recognition becomes regular-season production.
The balanced view is important: six preseason honorees are meaningful, but they do not guarantee victories. The positive interpretation is that Memphis has several players whom outside evaluators already respect. The caution is that awards earned in August must be defended through performance, health, preparation, and team chemistry.
The Road Ahead Is Immediate and Demanding
Memphis opens the 2026 season on the road against UNLV on August 29. The Tigers then return home to host Arkansas State on September 5 at the new-look Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
The schedule will test Memphis quickly. The official team announcement notes that eight of the Tigers’ 11 FBS opponents earned bowl berths in 2025. In addition to UNLV, Memphis faces Boise State on the road, along with challenging American Conference opponents such as Tulane, South Florida, and Navy.
The Tigers’ six-game home slate includes:
Arkansas State : September 5
UT Martin : September 19
UAB : October 10
East Carolina : October 22
Army : October 31
Temple : November 27 or 28
Fans can follow conference developments through the American Conference’s official website and obtain season information through Memphis Tigers Athletics.
The early road games make preparation especially important. A new coaching staff does not have the luxury of waiting until October to discover its identity. Memphis will need dependable fundamentals, clear communication, and emotional discipline from the opening kickoff.
Why Preseason Recognition Should Be Handled Carefully
It is natural for fans to celebrate when local athletes receive national or conference attention. Recognition honors hard work and creates positive momentum for a program. It can also encourage younger athletes across Memphis to see discipline and perseverance as pathways to opportunity.
But preseason lists are not final judgments. They are informed projections based on prior performance, reputation, position value, and expected opportunity. Injuries, changing roles, new schemes, and the unpredictability of college football can alter every projection.
A healthy perspective celebrates the honor without turning it into pressure that overwhelms the players. The Tigers do not need six individuals to carry an entire season. They need all 11 players on the field to fulfill their assignments, and they need the full roster to prepare as one.
That is where Christian character can shape sports culture. Excellence does not require arrogance. Confidence does not require disrespect. Competitive fire can coexist with humility.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Memphis Tigers earned Pro Football Network preseason honors?
Six Memphis players were selected to the 2026 Preseason All-American Conference teams.
Which Memphis players were named to the first team?
J’Mond Tapp, Ian Foster, and Manny Covey were selected to the first team. Covey was recognized as both a running back and punt returner.
Who received second-team honors?
Riley McGehee was named to the second team as an offensive lineman, and Anthony Richard Jr. was selected as a cornerback.
Who was Memphis’ third-team selection?
Ahmere Foster was named to the third team as a safety.
Who is Memphis’ head football coach?
Charles Huff is entering his first season as the Tigers’ head coach.
When does Memphis open the 2026 season?
The Tigers open on the road against UNLV on August 29. Memphis’ first home game is against Arkansas State on September 5 at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
Do preseason honors guarantee a successful season?
No. Preseason honors recognize expected individual performance, but team success depends on health, preparation, coaching, execution, and unity throughout the season.
Christian Takeaway
Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
That verse does not promise that every effort will produce a trophy, a starting position, or a winning record. It does remind us that faithful work has value even before the results are visible.
For student-athletes, that may mean practicing fundamentals when no one is watching, accepting correction without resentment, encouraging a teammate after a mistake, and using a public platform responsibly. For fans, it means celebrating achievement without making athletes’ identities depend on statistics.
The Tigers’ preseason honors offer a lesson in stewardship. Gifts are received, but they must be developed. Opportunity is given, but it must be answered with responsibility.
How to Pray and Engage
Peacemaker’s Perspective
Memphis sports can bring together people who may disagree about nearly everything else. On game day, families, students, alumni, pastors, business leaders, and longtime fans can share one place, one conversation, and one hope for their city.
That unity should not disappear when the scoreboard disappoints us.
A peacemaker does not avoid competition. A peacemaker competes without contempt, corrects without humiliation, and celebrates without belittling the opponent. The Tigers’ season can become more than a series of scores if players and fans use the platform to model courage, respect, and service.
Peacemaker’s reminder: A season can build more than a record; it can build a community.
Call to Action
What are your expectations for Charles Huff’s first season with the Memphis Tigers? Share your thoughtful prediction, encourage a Tigers player or coach, and send this article to a Memphis football fan. Follow Memphis News with a Purpose for balanced, Christian-perspective coverage throughout the 2026 season.
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