Back
Opponent |
Time/Date |
Result |
Score |
Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
at Duke |
L |
17-3 |
0-1 |
|
Sou Alabama |
6PM, 9/12 |
W |
28-24 |
1-1 |
@ K-State |
11AM, 9/19 |
L |
31-20 |
1-2 |
Sou Miss |
6PM, 9/26 |
W |
24-21 |
2-2 |
OPEN |
10/3 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
@ Army |
11AM, 10/10 |
L |
20-17 |
2-3 (0-1) |
Memphis |
6:30PM, 10/16 |
W |
31-17 |
3-3 (1-1) |
UTSA |
TBD, 10/24 |
L |
42-19 |
3-4 (1-2) |
@ Charlotte |
6PM, 10/30 |
|||
Tulsa |
11AM, 11/7 |
|||
@ Rice |
TBD, 11/14 |
|||
Nor Texas |
TBD, 11/21 |
|||
@ Sou Fla |
TBD, 11/27 |
Tulane is arguably through the hardest part of their schedule, but let's not jump the gun and say the rest of the season will be easy.
Tulane still has plenty of ways to go before the end of the season, and Charlotte really seems like a get-right game for the Wave at this point in the season.
This is really a 'get-back-on-track' game for the Wave. This team is brimming with talent on both sides of the ball, and we see that through the plays they make (Johnnie Daniels or Anthony Rogers).
Charlotte is probably the worst team in the American right now, even with a win against Temple last week. It'll be a long trip to North Carolina, but the Wave should be able to capitalize on the chance and pull through.
How will they do that? Well, they should be able to dominate the trenches on both sides of the ball, even with the banged up offensive line. The play-calling should be focused on getting it into the hands of Jaylin Lucas out of the backfield on screens and designed plays. Letting Jamauri McClure and Daniels run the rock. Doing so will give your young quarterback some room to breathe.
Speaking of that quarterback, Trace Johnson being freed of that pressure will allow him to thrive in play action and in the passing game. This is a team that gives up a lot of yards through the air (302.3 per game), so taking full advantage of that while making the 49ers worry about the run will do wonders for building and progressing your young quarterback's future.
On the defensive side of the ball, Tulane needs to stack the box and stuff the run. This team isn't great either through the air or on the ground , as they only average a little over 90 rush yards per game, and nearly 180 passing yards per game.
I'm willing to trust the secondary, and let them play aggressive man coverage. Go up to the line with confidence, and I'm sure DC Tayler Polk will be echoing a message across the locker room, that says something along the lines of "our guys are better than your guys."
At the end of the day, Tulane needs to get their season back on track, and it starts this week at Charlotte.
There have been so many "must wins" this year that the term has become cliche. The Army game was a must win. They didn't. The Memphis game was a must win. They did. The UTSA game was must win. Boy, that wasn't even close to winning.
So to say the Charlotte game is a must win for this team is trite. Though coaches will say every game is a must win, which is true, the games Tulane has had a chance to make an impression with this season have fallen by the wayside. Winning one of your three American Conference games puts this team into totally different places than they were just a month ago.
Before the Kansas State game, some fan talk was "Let's see if we can get back into the mix for the College Football Playoffs."
Before the Army game, the conversation changed to "Let's make sure we're competing for the conference championship game again."
After the UTSA loss, it's "Get those six wins and Tulane is bowl eligible."
It's amazing how perspectives have changed in just a few weeks.
This week's "must win" game at Charlotte comes against the bottom of the American barrel, which is why Tulane is favored by double-digits. The truth is, Tulane SHOULD win this game by ten or more, but the truth is also that this team should not have been blown out by UTSA, or had such close games against Sun Belt opponents the way they have.
So, I am flummoxed. I know from what I have seen that this team has potential that has yet to be realized. Do I believe in this potential, or do I go by what I have seen: a team that is in flux? As bad as Charlotte has been over the last two years, I think that Tulane potential is the way to lean this week.