It’s been well documented by the Tiger BluePrint staff that we have big expectations for Tiger football in 2024. I had the chance to ask Anthony Landphere, Memphis‘ starting tight end about those expectations.
The Journey
Anthony Landphere, the Tiger’s second-year starting tight end, began his career at San Diego State with a redshirt. Furthermore, he went on to transfer to his hometown junior college San Mateo. Although the process was delayed because of Covid, Landphere showed out and had the opportunity to transfer back to the division one level. One of those schools was Florida State – who even had him in on a visit. In the end, he enrolled at Memphis in preparation for the 2022 season.
As a JUCO transfer, there was a transition period. In his first year as a Tiger, Landphere was buried on the depth chart behind Caden Prieskorn – who transferred to Ole Miss the following year. However the lack of opportunity didn’t mean Landphere was not learning.
“My first year here was a year of development and working hard to be in the position that I am in now. Being around Caden Prieskorn that first year I was constantly watching what he was doing and working with him. He taught me a lot about football and developing habits to be as successful as possible“
Q/A with Anthony Landphere
Expectations
Q: “There is a lot of preseason hype around the Tigers making a run, what is your expectation for the team?”
A: “My expectation for the team is to win the conference and earn a spot in the College Football Playoffs. We have all the right pieces to be a great team. With a lot of key players returning as well as a lot of good transfers, I expect nothing less than greatness for us.”
Q: “What are your expectations for yourself for the upcoming season?”
A: ”To put my team in the best position to win. I want to make history here at Memphis so I plan on doing whatever is asked of me to the best of my abilities so that as a team we can be as successful as possible”
In regards to his future:
A: ”Selfishly, this being my last year I am also thinking about my future and the NFL. I have displayed the traits of a great tight end and am slept on at a national level. I am excited to show how much I have grown from last year and the type of player I am. Overall, I’m not looking for stats or individual glory, I just want to win and be the best teammate I can be.”
Measuring Success
Landphere’s success off the field is just as impressive as what he’s done on it. A member of the AAC All-Academic Team, Landphere believes “how you do anything is how you do everything.”
“I am constantly striving to be the best version of myself. You’re only as good as your habits. How you live off the field correlates to how you perform on the field.”
Q: With this being your third year in the 901, how has the city had an impact on you and what impact do you hope to leave on the city?
A: Being in Memphis for three years has motivated me to be my best and to put on for the city. The fan base is amazing. Through my time here I’ve felt a strong sense of support and I want to leave my mark on Memphis Football by being a part of the long list of great tight ends. I want to positively impact as many people as possible.
In 2023, Landphere recorded 29 catches for 260 yards and three touchdowns. The six-foot-five, 248-pound red zone threat will see plenty of opportunities in 2024.
The Tigers, and Landphere, kick off their season on August 31st against North Alabama.
