UofM football opens with youth up front

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - The Memphis Tigers are about to put to bed preparation for their opener against the Mississippi State Bulldogs this weekend.

That means getting their new left tackle up to speed.

The 6′5″, 290 pound redshirt freshman Makylin Pounders, No. 66, earns the job of protecting the quarterback’s blind side.

The Byhalia, Mississippi native is ready to go, according to Tigers Head coach Ryan Silverfield.

“His size and his athleticism are what you want. His footwork is getting there, as his ability to learn and grow,” said Silverfield.

In the immediate future, Florida transfer Chris Howard wins the job as the UofM’s field goal kicker.

He played sparingly with the Gators, but hit 9-11 of his field goal attempts, and was almost perfect on extra points, hitting 42-43 for his career.

Tigers and Bulldogs kick off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Starkville.

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