South Alabama Thundercats @ Tulane Green Wave
TIME: 7:00pm
TV: ESPNU
WEATHER: Thunderstorms before kickoff lessening to game time.

I considered writing a Tulane preview, but decided not too. I will take this opportunity to control my bias and give address the outlook for Tulane in 2022.

Offense-
-Tulane returns 3 year starter Michael Pratt, if your on this board you likely know who he is.
-RB loses Tyjae Spears who was the AAC Offensive POY. There is not another Spears waiting in the wings that I see. However, under Willie Fritz Tulane's Primary Starting RB's have all landed NFL teams(whereas it took 3-4 years for Fritz to find a good QB).The RB should be good.
- The WR room loses its two best possession guys and returns its two best big play guys. The thing to sort out is for the big play guys to prove they can be the chain movers or for chain movers to rise. There is talent there, but not experience BC Tulane plays a lot of TE sets and only uses 4 receivers in rotation most of the time.
- The TE room loses two SRs but returns underclassmen like the one who caught the game winning pass vs USC. They are a solid room, no bad players but no physical freaks. Bauman could develop into a all-conference player.
- The OL returns 4 of 5 and replaces the other with a transfer from LSU who started 11 games at LSU but fell out of favor with the new staff. The position should be a strength and help cushion the new RBs.

Defense-
- D-line. Tulane returns the entire D-line room and gets back a starter from 2021 at NT who was hurt 1st game of the year last year. This position is solid.
- LBs. Here is where Tulane has to make the key replacemtns. ILB/OLB Dorian Williams is now starting for the Buffalo Bills. His replacements are two players that combined for more than 100 tackles last year. They are very fast and athletic but have to prove they can finish the play like DW did. I doubt they can be as good, but they should be good enough to hold the water. Tulane also replaces all conference LB Nick Anderson. Anderson was undersized, but a sure tackler and team leader. Here they got lucky. A two time all CUSA player from La Tech named Tyler Grubbs transferred back to his home town to play for the Green Wave. He may very well be a better player than Anderson.
- DBs Tulane loses its safeties, but returns its corners and cover guys. Tulane also added an ALL Sunbelt Safety Kam Pedescalueax from ULL, Honorable Mention ALL Big Ten DB Aj Hampton from Northwestern, and D2 All-American Darius swanson.

Tulane has done well in the transfer portal and I don't mean by adding highly rated players that didn't see the field at other schools. They have added all conference players.

On the coaching side they officially changed OCs, but that is deceiving because the "new" OC called the plays last year while he was TE coach. Last year's OC simply retired. The DC, Hampton, left and Tulane took Troy's DC. Troy had a top 10 defense last year. In either case Coach Fritz is a Defensive guy and he will have input.

Tulane fans are very exited and very, very, nervous. Being ranked preseason and picked to win the conference is new territory and most are not comfortable with that yet.

The pitfalls could be the OC not changing adapting after everyone has seen what works from last years tape. The no.2-5 WRs dropping passes as they are physically gifted, but have to prove they can make the big catches.
The new DC has a proven record but wants to pressure more. Too much of a sea change in philosophy could cause problems. Last year the team tackled really well. This goes for any team, but they need to keep that play up as well.

We head to the 4Q with Tulane back up by 2TD 31-17

USA has cut it to 7 earlier

clt says tulane is doubling up the fcs usa school

keep it up

I think the Sunbelt fans got the answer tonight who the top dog conference is.

Absolutely demolished them tonight from start to finish. The entire game we looked like a superior program. Loved this game.

Tulane is still the team to beat in the American. Dominant win.

Tulane needs to find the next star RB. Also, the turnovers are an issue.

With that said, we have a QB, OL, and a new DC that knows how to not lose to dangerous Sun Belt teams.

I’m most impressed by how the team played a C+ game and still won 37-17. Ten or more wins is realistic.

Yeah that score wasn’t really reflective of the game. We could have punched it in for another Td but took the victory knee

Nice solid win, great crowd and a very good opponent. Just a great night!

Roll Wave!

(09-02-2023 10:58 PM)Greenwavedrownsacat Wrote:  Yeah that score wasn’t really reflective of the game. We could have punched it in for another Td but took the victory knee

I think that was a mistake by Willie and he’s got to get over that impulse. Nice guys may not finish last but they’re unlikely to get as much love in the polls. Nobody is watching Tulane-South Alabama in the prime time window, they’re just going to look at the score. You have to make those statements when you can.

The best AAC victory of the day, IMO.

(09-02-2023 10:15 PM)oliveandblue Wrote:  Tulane needs to find the next star RB. Also, the turnovers are an issue.

With that said, we have a QB, OL, and a new DC that knows how to not lose to dangerous Sun Belt teams.

I’m most impressed by how the team played a C+ game and still won 37-17. Ten or more wins is realistic.

Agree, good post

(09-03-2023 12:21 AM)Tiger1983 Wrote:  The best AAC victory of the day, IMO.

USA is going to win a lot this year, they’ve clearly got a talented group and will sort out the mistakes. Glad to get out of that one with a W.

Tulane has a team that executes, they are so obviously well coached. The running game is a question mark, and Pratt needs to quit risking it all on meaningless plays, but he got that wake-up call last year, maybe he needed it again?

Wave fans should definitely feel pretty optimistic about this year. Good win.