Players from Tennessee with no earlier college roster elsewhere in the data filled 35% of roster spots in 2016 and 11% on the 2026 roster.
In 2016, 39 of 111 roster spots were filled by Tennessee players not previously rostered elsewhere in the data. On the 2026 roster, 12 of 107 fit the same definition. The number of players previously rostered elsewhere changed from 0 to 50.
The median hometown distance moved from 284 mi in 2016 to 347 mi on the 2026 roster.
Before and during the portal era
2016–18 compared with 2021–25
- In-state, not rostered elsewhere
- Previously rostered elsewhere
| Measure | 2016–18 | 2021–25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state, not rostered elsewhere | 32.7% | 22.8% | |
| Previously rostered elsewhere | 1.2% | 24.3% |
The 2026 roster
- 451 miAverage hometown distanceAverage hometown distance among 102 located players.
- 16.8%In-state16.8% of players with a known home state are from Tennessee.
- 10.8%Backyard10.8% of players with a located hometown grew up within 100 miles of campus.
- 46.7%Previously rostered elsewhere46.7% of the roster appeared on another college roster in an earlier season.
Where Memphis ranks
Homecoming Radius over time
The median hometown-to-campus distance, by season. The dotted line is the FBS median.
Roster composition over time
Where the in-state lens draws the line: home-state players with and without an earlier college roster, out-of-state players with and without one, and players with unknown geography. This chart begins where stable athlete IDs make transfer detection possible; the radius chart above carries the official-archive geography farther back.
Where do Memphis's players come from?
| Season | Roster | In-state | Rostered elsewhere | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 107 | 16.8% | 46.7% | 347 mi |
| 2025 | 121 | 22.3% | 33.1% | 343 mi |
| 2024 | 129 | 23.3% | 30.2% | 329 mi |
| 2023 | 116 | 28.7% | 30.2% | 295 mi |
| 2022 | 115 | 36.8% | 17.4% | 197 mi |
| 2021 | 101 | 32.0% | 10.9% | 206 mi |
| 2020 | 123 | 30.1% | 5.7% | 199 mi |
| 2019 | 118 | 36.4% | 5.1% | 195 mi |
| 2018 | 112 | 36.6% | 3.6% | 194 mi |
| 2017 | 121 | 27.3% | 0.0% | 300 mi |
| 2016 | 111 | 35.1% | 0.0% | 284 mi |
| 2015 | 113 | 30.1% | 0.0% | 295 mi |
| 2014 | 105 | 28.6% | 1.0% | 332 mi |
| 2013 | 120 | 34.2% | 1.7% | 326 mi |
| 2012 | 113 | 39.3% | 0.9% | 212 mi |
| 2011 | 99 | 33.3% | 1.0% | 191 mi |
| 2010 | 102 | 36.3% | 0.0% | 186 mi |
| 2009 | 97 | 38.1% | 0.0% | 195 mi |
In-state shares use players with a known home state. Radius uses located hometowns.
Where the roster grew up
Located hometowns on the 2026 roster, with campus marked and the Homecoming Radius circled.
Homecoming Radius: 347 mi