There was never any doubt Memphis football would beat North Alabama in the season opener, but it was still a learning experience for coach Ryan Silverfield and the Tigers.

The 40-0 win was the first chance for them to experiment in a live game with helmet technology and sideline tablets, which are new this year in college football. And Silverfield noticed something specific about how it was being used by the Lions.

"North Alabama, and I don't care if our opponents hear this, North Alabama was waiting until about 15 seconds to call in their final play or signal it in, because they knew our helmet communication would go off," Silverfield said Monday. "But that's the great thing about having intelligent guys that are calling the defense."

The new technology allows one player on each side of the ball to wear a helmet with a green dot, which allows coaches to communicate with that player until there are 15 seconds left on the play clock. For Memphis, that was quarterback Seth Henigan on offense and linebacker Chandler Martin on defense.

Silverfield said that for the most part, everything went smoothly. He did say there were times it was hard for players to hear things, not because of crowd noise but because of passing trains outside the stadium.

And a FedEx plane, which Silverfield said he couldn't be upset about.

"I actually did hear the train go by one time during the game, and then a FedEx plane," he said. "Which is a beautiful sight, to see that FedEx plane flying over there."

FedEx, of course, has its fingerprints all over the Tigers and Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. The company is contributing $25 million over five years to name, image and likeness deals for Tigers athletes, and FedEx founder Fred Smith and his family donated $50 million to help kick-start the stadium's $220 million renovation.

Back to the field, though — Silverfield also said he learned during the game that sideline tablets, which players and coaches can use to review game film in real time, meant he could find answers much more easily if he wanted to know what happened on a particular play.

Memphis' offense didn't look drastically different in the opener, and Silverfield said with Troy (0-1), the next opponent on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, ESPNU), having a veteran quarterback meant the communication wasn't necessarily a difference maker.

"I wish it was a year later, because when you have a quarterback like (senior) Seth Henigan, he doesn't need it," Silverfield said. "He'd rather have music playing in his ear. It's one of those things."

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on X @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What Ryan Silverfield learned about helmet communication from 1st game