Memphis football has put together a long line of successful quarterback play, and Marcus Stokes made his first start for the Tigers on Saturday. With so much unknown about the team, Stokes looked solid, and it feels like there won't be much drop of from the successful quarterback play Memphis has had since 2013.
The Tigers have played five starting quarterbacks since 2013, and four of the five previous quarterbacks are in the top five for career passing yards at Memphis. Seth Henigan leads the list with 14,266 career passing yards, while Brady White is second with 10,690 career passing yards.
Danny Wimprine, who played from 2001 to 2004, sits at No. 3, while Paxton Lynch and Riley Ferguson round out the top five. Brendon Lewis, the only quarterback since 2013 who doesn't appear in the top five, ranks No. 12 after just one season and recorded 2,673 yards.
Stokes transferred to Memphis after spending three years at Division II West Florida, and he started with a solid outing against UNLV . After the win, it's time to look at how Stokes' fist start wit the Tigers stands among the previous starters.
Paxton Lynch (2013 vs. Duke)
Stat line: 14-24 (58.3%), 148 passing yards, 29 rushing yards
Result: 28-14 loss
Lynch redshirted his first season, and he made his first start at home against Duke. He threw for 148 yards and completed more than 50 percent of his passes, but he didn't pass or run for a touchdown.
Duke put together a nice season after that and won 10 games and played in the ACC conference championship game against Florida State.
Riley Ferguson (2016 vs. SEMO)
Stat line: 26-40 (65%), 295 yards, 3 touchdowns, two interceptions, -11 rushing yards
Results: 35-17 win
Ferguson had an interesting road to Memphis. He started his collegiate career at Tennessee, but suffered an injury as a freshman and stepped away from the game.
After leaving Tennessee, he spent time detailing cars and powder-coating fences, but after a season away from the game, he returned and played for Coffeyville Community College. He signed with the Tigers the next season.
In his first game in a Memphis uniform, he threw for 295 yards and completed 65 percent of his passes, but he threw two interceptions.
Brady White (2018 vs. Mercer)
Stat line: 22-28 (78.6%), 358 yards, 5 touchdowns, 20 rushing yards
Result: 66-14 win
After two seasons at Arizona State, White transferred to Memphis to reunite with his former offensive coordinator Mike Norvell. He threw for the most yards and touchdowns of the six quarterbacks in his debut as the Tigers ran up the score against FCS Mercer.
While he threw for five touchdowns, Memphis still played three quarterbacks in the 66-14 victory.
Seth Henigan (2021 vs. Nicholls)
State line: 19-32 (59.4%), 265 yards, 1 touchdowns, nine 9 rushing yards
Results: 42-17 win
Henigan is the only quarterback on this list to start for the Tigers as a true freshman, and he left Memphis as the program leader in passing yards, touchdowns, competitions and games played. In his first game with the Tigers, he threw for 265 yards and a touchdown in a 25-point win over FCS Nicholls.
Brendon Lewis (2025 vs. Chattanooga)
Stat line: 22-28 (78.6%), 199 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 81 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown
Results: 45-10 win
Lewis joined the program after spending time at Colorado and Nevada, and he put together a nice season with the Tigers. The quarterback struggled with injuries throughout the season, but he finished the year with 2,673 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
In his first game at Memphis, he threw for 199 yards and a touchdown, and he added a touchdown with his legs in a 35-point win over Chattanooga.
Marcus Stokes (2026 @ UNLV)
Stat line: 15-26 (57.7%), 223 yards, 2 touchdowns, 45 rushing yards
Results: 27-21 win
Stokes spent his first three collegiate seasons at West Florida, but there were questions about how it would look in his first game at the FBS level. He won the quarterback battle over South Carolina transfer Air Noland, and he played well against UNLV .
After a slow start, he threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns and added 45 yards on the ground.
UNLV is one of the toughest first games on this list, and it looked like a positive start for the new quarterback. Stokes will take the field again for Memphis' home opener on Saturday against Arkansas State.
