...keep in mind that it's our Fall Break this weekend, so the student section is going to look much like it did at the Dome, I would think. Only about 10-12% of our undergrads are from Louisiana.

I guess we couldn't push the conference to give us an away game or bye week during Fall Break (or Voodoo weekend, for that matter) when we were so determined to get a conference road game in week 1 after we had to move SELA from 8/31 to 9/13 because of the Yulman construction schedule. So, don't jump to the conclusion that the students have given up on the program/stadium so soon, they have not.

This post was edited on 10/9 12:42 PM by jjstock2005

Really nice job Guerry. Thanks

Guerry- You've been doing a great job following the football team this year. With the "bye week" and fewer practices, is there any chance you could slip over to Turchin and see what's going on? With the publication of an upgraded baseball schedule, our team needs to be much better than last year.

Thanks

Although Tanner Lee did not practice again today in the hour that I was there, CJ did not close the door on him playing, at lead publicly.

The reality is Lee won't play except in an emergency, but clearly CJ does not want UConn to know for sure. Montana will get the call --he's had an extra bounce in his step all week long--and Powell will be ready if needed.

CJ's telling quote came about a minute after he refused to rule Lee out:

"Tanner has to show me that he can throw it enough to run this offense, and I've seen a couple of plays and nothing to indicate he can run this thing like we want him to."

Offensive coordinator Eric Price toed the party line and professed a little more optimism about Lee, who did not get a single rep in any of the three practices I watched this week. Again, I've never seen a college team that played a quarterback who got zero reps in practice during the week.

"I think Tanner's feeling a lot better," Price said. "He'll be back soon."

Price praised Montana and Powell's performance in practice and said the offense would not change with either of them at the helm.

"We'll tweak the offense a little bit each week based on who we're playing anyway," he said. "The run game and some of the screen game stuff has really helped us this year. It took some pressure off Tanner originally, but it will not necessarily change for any specific quarterback."

Montana and Powell certainly should be ready for UConn. They've gotten all the reps any No. 1 or No. 2 QB get before a game, with the reps divided a little more evenly between them than they were between Lee and Powell in weeks past.

"It's pretty common throughout the country--if the starting quarterback gets hurt, next man up," Price said. "We have a plan. We had a plan before that happened. They've had a good two weeks of practice, so it's kind of business as usual right now."

Powell threw a pretty deep touchdown pass to Xavier Rush against the scout team defense, and Montana threw a nice fade to Devon Breaux for a score a little later on. Montana was good on the fade passes early last year before hurting his throwing shoulder. He was effective at times in the red zone, throwing 14 touchdown passes.

He's raring to go.

"I didn't get any reps before the last two weeks," he said. "I just come out and play and try to do my best and let the cards fall where they are going to fall. I'm trying to make up for lost time as quickly as I can."

In other news, CJ said long snapper Mike Lizanich likely will not play Saturday. That was one significant hamstring pull he had in warm-ups against Duke, and although CJ said replacement snapper Matt Marfisi was getting better every day, I saw at least five terrible field goal snaps on Tuesday and Wednesday, all of which bounced to holder Peter Picerelli.

Nick Montana continue to get most of the reps with the first-team offense Wednesday while Tanner remained an observer, making it even more likely that Montana will start against Connecticut on Saturday. CJ was non-committal after practice, but there's no reason for him tip his plans to the Huskies with Tulane desperately needing a victory against a fellow 1-4 team.

Montana did not have as good a day as he did Tuesday, and Devin Powell looked better than he did Tuesday, but it would be a major shock if Powell got the call over Montana presuming Lee can't go. The coaches appeared very frustrated with Powell at the end of his final possession in relief of Lee during Tulane's 31-6 loss to Rutgers, and they liked the way Montana got rid of the ball on his lone series.

The kicking battle appears clear, too, although, again, CJ was non-committal after practice. Andrew DiRocco had his best day that I have observed, nailing field goals from 35 and 40 yards at the end of a drill while Steven Broccoli was wide right from 35 yards and hit the right upright from 40 yards. After DiRocco's 40-yard kick, defensive backs and special teams coach Jason Rollins shouted words of encouragement, telling him the kick would have been good from 50.

DiRocco said he benefitted from the presence of former Tulane kicker Cairo Santos Tuesday and Wednesday and was in a better place mentally after going home to Florida over the weekend during the Wave's bye week.

"Having Cairo here was a great benefit to our performance in the future," he said. "He was really outstanding with (telling us) the same situations he has been through, most kickers have been through. It's a rough time but he's really just helping keep positive. Letting you know that I am here for a reason.Over the bye week I went home, talked to some old coaches, really got back in touch with being myself the same way I did. It really just helped.

Whatever the reason, his kicks looked a lot better Wednesday after getting

"I showed myself and obviously I can do it because that's how I got here --which I never doubted but it's just nice to hear that from somebody else so I just have to play like I deserve it and I do," he said.

Neither kicker made 42-yard attempts during a 2-minute drill a little later, but both snaps were terrible. DiRocco sent his attempt wide right after Matt Marfisi's snap bounced to holder Peter Picerelli, and Broccoli missed left after an even worse snap bounced to Picerelli. Until Tulane cleans up its snapping operation, the kickers have no shot, and regular snapper Michael Lizanich was unavailable again Wednesday. He hurt his leg in warmups against Duke and has not played since then.

Sam Scofield and Taurean Nixon had interceptions against the scout-team offense for a secondary that wants to atone for a dismal performance against Rutgers. An anemic pass rush did not help, but Scofield, Darion Monroe and Lorenzo Doss (more than once in his case) were flat out beaten for long gains. UConn, though, does not have a quarterback like Gary Nova, who is making up for a previously mediocre career by torching secondaries this year for Rutgers. He threw for 402 yards in a win over Michigan the week after beating Tulane.

"We're excited," Scofield said. "We've been watching a lot of film and running hard at practice. We're definitely ready to get back on the field and show people who we are."

LB Robert Kennedy of the scout team defense wore a red jersey to simulate UConn LB Marquise Vann, who has 16 more tackles than any of his teammates (52). The coaches want to make sure the offense is aware of Vann at all times.

Freshman tight end Tre Scott, who can get open but has yet to catch a pass this year because of shaky hands, dropped a touchdown in 11-on-11 drills that turned into an interception off his deflection. Either he has started letting his drops in games affect his confidence or he just doesn't have good hands.

For all of CJ's quotes after practice, check the Q&A on the front page.

I wrote it last week and feel even stronger now that Nick Montana will get his first start of the season Saturday against Connecticut. He took most of the reps with the first team today in practice, and Tanner Lee did not get any during seven-on-seven or 11-on-11 drills. Devin Powell got about a third of the reps with the first team.

CJ said he would not make a decision until Wednesday or Thursday, but unlike before the Southeastern Louisiana game, when he was adamant that Lee would play if ready, his word choice has been different this week. I think they know Lee will not be ready but don't want to tip off Connecticut, although nothing is official there.

CJ confirmed Tuesday that freshman LB Zachery Harris is out for the year after having knee surgery last week. Don't believe what you read if you access the depth charts at the Tulane website--it has Harris as the starting strong side linebacker this Saturday.

Freshman linebacker Rae Juan Marbley stood in the corner of the field by himself for the entire practice, but he was not being disciplined for breaking a rule. CJ said he had pink eye and they wanted to make sure no one else got infected. The running backs had the same issue in preseason camp.

ESPN cameras were at practice today because Tulane is participating in an ESPN All-Access feature that likely will air next Tuesday. CJ was miked up for the entire practice. Asked if he had to be careful what he said, he pointed out he never curses anyway so he was OK there.

Cairo Santos attended practice and actually worked with the kickers extensively when they moved to the practice field outside of the stadium to do individual work. I caught up with him after practice and will post the full interview later today.

Here was the full interview we conducted with Montana after practice:

How did practice go?

"It was good. It was good to get back to normal-week preparation. We're obviously pushing tempo and getting guys moving, so it was good."

Is it a blessing that you had two weeks to get ready for UConn?

"Yes, definitely. We're coming off a tough game versus Rutgers, and having a bye week always helps preparation for everyone mentally and physically."

Do you expect to play Saturday?

"I hope so. It's out of my hands, so I'm just always preparing like I am playing but you just never know."

How tough was it to go from starter to third string, and how did you manage to keep a positive attitude?

"No one wants to be in that situation, but you just have to keep playing. You can only control what you can control, so we just have to keep going and keep going every day with the mindset that you might get a shot. I'm just really excited to get the opportunity."

When you get in there and you're playing with the first string, is it like getting back on the horse?

"Yeah, for sure. It's more just excitement. When I got in against Rutgers I was just really excited to be in. I felt good."

You played a lot of games with a damaged shoulder last year. How good does it feel to be back at full strength?

"It definitely gives you a lot more confidence knowing you can make throws now, so I'm just thankful for that."

How tough was it for you last year when you couldn't make all the throws but had to keep playing?

"It's difficult when you're seeing things and just can't get it there all the time. You're trying harder and harder and it's just getting worse and worse."

When did you set up your offseason workouts with Phil Simms, and how did that go?

"Right after spring. I just completely changed my motion. I don't have that long delivery anymore, and compacted it and made everything quicker and smoother."

Usually that's a tough transition. Was it easy for you?

"It was difficult at first, but if you keep doing reps and keep pushing it, it just comes naturally."

Where does the new throwing motion help you the most?

"Definitely on longer balls towards the sideline and down the field. It feels completely different."

How many times did you work with him?

"About three or four times probably. We got after it when I was there (in New Jersey), but a lot of it was just on my own, too, just taking what he had shown me. It was just me and him out there. He was like, try this, try that."

Did you think you would get another chance?

"Well, you see every week unfortunate injuries to people. It's college football. You never know what's going to happen, so you just keep a positive mindset and just keep pushing."

Will you get rid of the ball quicker based on your experience last year?

"Yes. I definitely want to get it out of my hands and not take as many sacks and hits as I did last year."

Cairo Santos was at practice today and was working with the kickers. How much can that help a struggling freshman like Andrew DiRocco?

It's got to be great for Andrew. He's got to soak it up like a sponge hopefully. Hopefully Cairo will work some magic."

This was probably the worst week ever for us as a group, starting with Tulane's disappointing showing at Rutgers. Aside from Temple over Connecticut, the majority was wrong on every game. Ole Miss beat Memphis by 21, hitting the point spread. Everybody gets credit for a half-point there but I'm not listing it in the standings here (have in my official spread sheet in case it matters at the end).

No pick 'em this week with Tulane off.

GretnaGreen 6
dew99 6

LSU Law Greenie 4
Guerry Smith 4
Golfer81 4

winwave 3
DrBox 3
Rcnut 3

MNAlum 2
ny oscar 2
St. Amant Wave 2
captcrown1 2

jjstock2005 1
buck2481 1
p8kpev 1
Wavetime 1

WaveOn 0


OVERALL STANDINGS

dew99 28

GretnaGreen 26

DrBox 23

p8kpev 22

jjstock2005 21
buck2481 21

Golfer81 20 (missed 1 week)

LSU Law Greenie 18
captcrown1 18
winwave 17
Guerry Smith 17
Wavetime 17

WaveOn 15
St. Amant Wave 15

MNAlum 13 (missed 1 week)

Rcnut 11
ny oscar 11 (missed 1 week)

OUG 10 (missed 1 week)

Ressinge 9 (missed 2 weeks)

Let's start by pointing out the horrendous announcing. Somehow, Beth Mowins and Joey Galloway never commented or noticed Tulane getting a holding penalty on the opening kickoff that moved the ball from outside the Tulane 30 to the Tulane 9. I mean, they never noticed it while talking about Rutgers playing without its starting RB. I've never seen anything like it, but Mowins did manage to call Tulane "Temple" in the exchange.

Other points

1) The trend for the day was set on the first play, when Lazedrick Thompson was met by about four red shirts at the 11. Tulane actually ran better than I expected, but aside from Sherman Badie's spectacular 87-yard TD run, the Wave lost the battle at the line of scrimmage most of the time. It was a bad opening possession. A screen on second down had no chance, and a draw to Thompson on third down showed the coaches did not trust the offense. Not saying it was a bad call, but it was a conservative call.

2) Tulane's defense should have stopped Rutgers on its opening drive. Ater stuffing a run on the first play, the Wave got victimized by a dump-off to a running back when Nico Marley lost his balance going for a sack and Eric Thomas had to cover two receivers in the flat. He chose the tight end and ignored the RB, allowing him to gain 18 yards. After another first down run went nowhere, Royce LaFrance got pushed out of the way on an 7-yard run to set up a third-and-1. Marley had terrific penetration to bust up the third-down play. The Wave had the fourth-down play stuffed, too, but Parry Nickerson bounced off a tackle after knifing through, allowing Rutgers to pick up the first down. A nice throw and catch on a comeback route on Lorenzo Doss moved the ball to the 10, where Marley blew up another play to create a second-and-13, but Ade Aruna and Edward Williams were blocked effectively on a sweep that gained 10 yards, setting up third-and-goal at the 3. Doss should have been in position to stop the third-down pass, but he moved forward, apparently hoping for an interception, and watched the ball sail over his head for a touchdown.

Analysis: at the time I thought Tulane's D was going to have a good day. It gave up a few plays but was getting good penetration and blew an opportunity to stop Rutgers on fourth-and-1 and blew another opportunity to force a field goal when Doss made his mistake. Boy, was I wrong.

3) Thompson picked up a first down with a nice hard run on third-and-short on Tulane's second series. A screen to Badie would have picked up more if Colton Hanson had not inexplicably stopped to block an inside guy instead of continuing to run outside. Chris Taylor then got beat badly for a sack, killing that possession. Badie then almost converted a first down on a short dump off, but as he tends to do at times, he made himself too easy to tackle after making two guys miss. He needed to gather himself and lunge forward. The thing is, no one else would have come even close to getting the first down.

Analysis: It had the potential for a good drive, but Taylor's whiff ruined it.

4) Tulane's defense began to break down quirky. After a 9-yard run on 1st down, Rutgers beat Darion Monroe deep down the sideline when he took a poor angle and did not have as much speed as the guy he was covering. Nothing much else needs to be said. Monroe just misplayed it. On the next snap, Sam Scofield let a guy get past him when he played to shallow and could not catch up to him as Gary Nova made a nice throw on the run for a touchdown. Too easy.

Analysis: This wasn't youth. Monroe and Scofield got beaten on consecutive plays, and Tulane already was in T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

5) On Tulane's next snap, two Rutgers linemen were virtually untouched to blow up first down. No idea what happened there. Lee was pressured into a throwaway incompletion before throwing a gorgeous rope down the middle of the field to Teddy Veal, who broke three tackles before being dragged down at the Rutgers 39. This was Lee at his best, making a throw few recent Tulane QBs could make while under heavy duress. Hanson pulled and made a nice block to spring Thompson for 5 yards. Veal then was called for an illegal block in the back that was 1 yard past the line of scrimmage before Badie gained 12 on a screen, stepping out of bounds a yard short of the first down as the first quarter ended. A Rutgers DT then split Hanson and Nathan Shienle to stuff Thompson on third down before Sean Donnelly drove his guy to the ground on fourth down, clearing the way for Thompson to get a first down. Lee hit James for 13 yards, moving the ball to the 12 before another flag hurt Tulane. Matt Marfisi and Veal were called for a chop block away from the ball on a Badie run to the 5, moving the ball all the way back to the 24. A pass into coverage in the end zone wasn't close, and Lee held the ball far too long on third down, taking a sack all the way back at the 36. Still not sure exactly when Lee got hurt.

Analysis: Another penalty killed Tulane. Without that chop block, it would have been third-and-3 at the 5 with a real chance for a touchdown. Instead, the Wave had to punt.

6) After a Peter Picerelli punt was downed at the 1, Tulane stuffed the first play and had Rutgers in third-and-4 before the play that ended the day, with Doss letting a receiver get inside of him and then making little effort to tackle him at the 22. Good-bye. Everyone in the Tulane secondary was clearly slower than Andrew Turzilli, the receiver, who created more separation with each step on his way to a 93-yard TD.

Analysis: Another DB got beaten inside, but then Doss made an even bigger mistake, flailing with one arm instead of going for the tackle. A preseason All-America candidate can't make a mistake like that.

When Devin Powell went out on the field for an injured Lee on the next series, the rest of the game became irrelevant. Tulane had no chance, but immediately, Shienle was called for a snap infraction.

7) On Rutgers' next possession, which started at the Tulane 41, the defense finally came up with a stop. Doss busted up a screen for a loss. Nico Marley then made a nice open-field tackle to force a punt.

Analysis: The defense was playing pretty well, except of course, when it wasn't on the three huge pass plays in a row that created TDs No. 2 and 3. That's what made this performance even more frustrating. Tulane's reputed strength became its weakness.

8) Let's pause for a moment to recognize Badie's awesomeness in the open field. Taking a simple handoff from the 14, he cut outside and was gone by the time he got past a defender at the Tulane 30. No one was catching him as he accelerated past everyone with ease. Then, of course, Andrew DiRocco banged the extra point off the left upright despite a good snap and hold.

Analysis: Badie received good blocks from fullback Dante Butler, guard Chris Taylor and Donnelly to spring him.

9) Rutgers ran well early on its next drive, but Scofield timed a blitz perfectly to get a sack and Nico Marley blew up a short pass unblocked. Nova then threw a pass after going two yards past the line of scrimmage. That set up a Tulane 2-minute drill that featured by far the best run of Powell's career, a 23-yarder that was 13 yards longer than his previous career best, prompting an unintentionally humorous comment from Galloway that Powell provided a running threat unlike Lee. Well, on that play he did.

Analysis: When I say that DiRocco saps the energy of everyone around him, this is what I'm talking about. Tulane should have been down 21-10 at the half, but instead the score was 21-6 after his missed extra point and his terrible 36-yard field goal attempt right before the half. Mowins called him DiRicco before the field goal. His kick was at least five yards wide left and never had a chance, so Tulane entered the locker room disappointed rather than happy.

The second half was uneventful, except for Powell maybe playing himself out of the backup role, which will be significant if Lee is not ready to play against UConn. Nick Montana may not be done yet. The defense wore down a little earlier than you'd like to see but did not break down, allowing 10 points while the offense never picked up two first downs on the same drive after the break.



















This post was edited on 10/1 4:41 PM by Guerry Smith

Nola.com broke this story last night, with RB Nigel Anderson of East St. John committing to Tulane. Anderson (6-0, 202) had offers from Arizona State, East Carolina, ULL and La Tech among others and will join former East St. John players Darion Monroe, Daren Williams and Leonard Davis at Tulane. He is rated the No. 50 RB in the country by Rivals.com. Of the players on the roster, only Darion Monroe (23), Edward Williams (27), Kenneth Santa Marina (34), Chris Taylor (38) and Rae Juan Marbley (43) were rated higher at their position when they signed with Tulane.

Anderson had 18 carries for 187 yards in a 50-19 win over South Lafourche last Friday, including an 85-yard TD run. He also rushed for 105 yards and the winning TD in a 15-14 victory over Scotlandville while also getting action at QB in that game due to an injury to the starter. East St. John is 2-2, but its losses came to the top-ranked team in Class 3A, John Curtis, and the top-ranked team in Class 5A, Rummel. Anderson had 62 yards on 15 carries in the 39-0 loss to Rummel, which has a stout defense.



This post was edited on 10/2 3:12 PM by Guerry Smith

This post was edited on 10/2 3:18 PM by Guerry Smith

With Tulane off, this is a good weekend to sit in front of the television and watch what is easily the best weekend of college football so far. Whether the wife and kid actually let me do that is another story entirely, but here's my quick take on the biggest games.

1) LSU-Auburn

I like Auburn because LSU's defense is suspect against the run, but I will say this--no one has defended Gus Malzahn's spread option better than LSU's staff. LSU beat Auburn fairly comfortably last year and its only loss in recent years was to the unstoppable Cam Newton national champion. One other thing. While I agree with the consensus the SEC West is loaded like no division in recent memory, it's still conjecture at this point. The best non-conference wins from those seven teams are LSU over Wisconsin, Alabama over West Virginia and Auburn over Kansas State. They haven't played a truly elite team.

2) Mississippi State-Texas A&M

I like Mississippi State but I'm not sure whether either of these teams are legit West contenders despite their impressive starts. Texas A&M is better defensively but still mediocre and can't possibly be as good offensively without Johnny Football. The Aggies should have lost to Arkansas at home last Saturday. Mississippi State was very impressive at LSU, but that was a rare big skin for coach Dan Mullen. I've always been skeptical of his Bulldog teams, and this would be a good time for him to shut me up.

3) Ole Miss-Alabama

I like 'Bama but am not convinced about this one. Even though Ole Miss has been erratic offensively, I think the Rebels are better than Mississippi State and Texas A&M, with more speed on both sides of the ball. The Rebels D is nasty. Alabama put up awesome number against Florida but this will be a much better test for the new QB.

4) Notre Dame-Stanford

I'm glad I'm not doing an official pick 'em this week because all of these game are hard. I guess I like Notre Dame because of Golston at QB, but Stanford is more talented from top to bottom and has an outstanding D. I've always felt the Stanford coach was far too conservative, keeping teams in games that the Cardinal should beat easily, and when in doubt, I usually go with the more dynamic offense. That's Notre Dame, but I wouldn't be surprised if Stanford won like 24-9, either.

5) Oklahoma-TCU

If TCU is legitimately good, I think it shocks Oklahoma tomorrow. The Sooners survived a tough road game at West Virginia and now have another on, I think. It's hard to gauge TCU considering its levee of competition, but if the defense is back to what it was a few years ago, Oklahoma's offense will have issues.

6) Arizona-Oregon

I have a hunch the Wildcats will win, something like 31-24. Oregon has two tackles out with injuries and the lousy Pac-10 refs will find a way to hurt the Ducks even though its contrary to the conference's interests, giving RichRod his second consecutive win over the league's top program.

This isn't coming from CJ or Montana or any source.

It's coming from my eyes and common sense. While Tanner Lee sat out practice today with the shoulder injury he sustained against Rutgers (CJ would not reveal the extent of the injury, specifically saying he wants UConn to be uncertain what will happen), Montana took almost all of the reps with the first-team offense today while Devin Powell worked with the scout team.

Although CJ and QB coach Aaron Price were non-committal, CJ did say Montana graded out better than Powell against Rutgers in his one series at the end of the game and Price heaped praise on Montana for his improved arm strength since the start of spring practice.

Reading between the lines, which is pretty easy to do after observing practice, Montana will start if Lee is not ready, and I don't think Lee will be ready.

We're on the verge of cracking this list.



http://m.espn.go.com/ncf/story?storyId=11619393&sr

Read the sports info story on the front page for the details, but here's Tulane's 2015 baseball schedule.

Link

It's Taron Oliver, a 6-9, 250-pound center who is rated three stars by ESPN but has not been assigned any stars by Rivals.com yet. He plays AAU ball for Team Takeover in Maryland. One of his teammates, Franklin Howard, is a 4-star commit to Syracuse. Another, Justin Jenifer, is a 3-star commit to Cincinnati. South Florida offered all five starters scholarships more than a year ago.

EDIT Oliver played for three high schools. As a freshman he was at Bell Multicultural in Maryland before transferring to private school Montrose Christian for his sophomore year, then moving on to Riverdale Baptist as a junior. Rivals has him listed at Montverde Academy in Florida for his senior year, but that's wrong and I will try to get it corrected. His dad says he is back at Montrose Christian.

He averaged 13.4 points as a freshman. His dad says he averaged 9.5 points or so as a junior.

The fall signing period is from Nov. 12 to Nov. 19.

Here's an interesting link to a Washington Post story about his high-powered AAU coach.


This post was edited on 9/30 12:50 PM by Guerry Smith

This post was edited on 10/3 10:03 AM by Guerry Smith

This post was edited on 10/3 10:04 AM by Guerry Smith

Link

Brace yourselves for a 2-10 season, if we get lucky in a game. We will lose to UCF, Cincinnati, Houston & ECU. We may have a chance against UConn, Memphis & Temple, but don't hold your breath. TU is a poorly coached, listless, & uninspired football team that embarrasses itself and TU every time it takes the field. This coaching staff has done little to correct the mistakes and it is necessary to make some sweeping changes to this staff @ the end of the season. Special teams are a complete fiasco and need to be completely retooled @ season's end with scholarships being
pulled and certain people being sent on their way. CJ had better quit trying to be a nice guy and get tough on the coaches and especially players. Wonder what any future recruits think about TU @ this time? If this keeps up, in 2 years, Yulman will be too large.

I still believe in Tulane's potential to have a good year despite its 1-3 start, but here are a few concerns that have arisen this week other than the obvious nightmare in the kicking game:

1) Kansas rushed for 204 yards against Duke the week before Tulane gained 231 yards on the ground against the Blue Devils.

A lot of us are hanging our hat on Tulane's drastic offensive line improvement from last year. While there's no doubt the group is better, it's also clear that Duke stinks at stopping the run. Rutgers is very good against the run, having held Navy to 171 yards a few weeks after the Middies rolled through Ohio State for 370 yards on the ground. If there are no holes tomorrow, Tanner Lee will be in a lot of second-and-long situations, which isn't good. I love his ability and self-belief, but his confidence has to be shaken a little bit by what has happened the past few weeks.

2) On a related note, when I asked CJ about Lazedrick Thompson establishing himself as a big-time back against Duke, he was less than glowing in his response. Granted, coaches don't always give an honest answer, nor should they. They have to consider how the particular player reacts to getting a lot of love and respond accordingly, but here was CJ's entire response:

"I'm pretty confident with him as a player, but sometimes we get in these games where it's just not his game. He's a runner, he's a battering ram, he's the hold-the-clock, keep-the-possession fo the ball and bleed the clock, and sometimes we're playing from behind. I always felt he was one of those guys in the right situation. The Tulsa game everything was so open, it was Sherman's game. Each of those guys will have games. I just like what the running backs are doing. David's doing a great job with them."

That's right out of the Sean Payton spread-the-wealthy playbook when it comes to running backs, but I'm trying to figure out if there ever has been a game in history that did not call for a guy who could explode between the tackles with authority and run people over. Plus, Tulane was behind for almost the entire game Saturday and still used Thompson heavily. Seems to me he needs the ball at least 10 times every single game and probably more.

3) Darion Monroe was really, really good when he talked to us at the Tuesday luncheon. You can see most of his Q&A on the Nola.com website because Tammy posted it. In fact, if I were to draw up a model of the perfect student-athlete, Monroe would be that guy. He's a good player, he's smart, he gets it, he cares and he keeps everything in the right perspective. But when I asked him about Duke's 50-yard run on its opening drive when it inserted its wildcat QB, here's what he said:

"(The QB) made a good play. The play was where the guards pull and Nico was reading this guard and I was also reading the guard, if the guard pulls, we go to the guard and there was a hole that opened up on the backside and instead of going to the hole and following his back, he went to the backside and he found a hoel and it was open. He made a great play. But we all were where we were supposed to be, that was our guys."

I don't know. I saw three guys (Monroe, Marley and defensive end Tyler Gilbert) get suckered inside by a good play fake from a guy they had to know was probably going to keep the ball, the sole reason he was in the game. Monroe showed excellent effort to run him down to keep the play from going all the way, but good defenses should never give up that long a run on the opening possession if everyone is playing his assignment correctly, as Monroe asserted. This Tulane defense simply is not as stout as last year's.

4) Southeastern Louisiana lost to SE Missouri State last Saturday. Relying on comparative scores is unreliable because teams do not play the same way each week, and the Lions had to have some of their confidence taken away from them when Tulane absolutely stuffed their read option, but still. SE Missouri State had lost to Southern Illinois 50-23 a week earlier before driving the length of a field for a late TD to edge SLU 24-23. I knew the talk about SLU being the most talented team Tulane would face was hogwash, but it was easier to call that a good win before the Lions fell flat on their face against SE Missouri St. Using even sillier comparative scores, we could point out SLU beat McNeese State 41-7 last year and McNeese State nearly took Nebraska to OT earlier this year. There's a chance SLU is average this year, even at its own level.

If Tulane plays relatively mistake-free football tomorrow, we'll get a much better read on the Green Wave's status. I'm just not confident that will happen.

What are your thoughts? Are you confident? Concerned? Pessimistic?

As always, the point spreads are from VegasInsider.com, the home teams are listed first and the Tulane game counts double.

Rutgers (-12) Tulane
Connecticut (+6) Temple
South Carolina (--5) Missouri
Texas A&M (-9.5) Arkansas
Miami (-7) Duke
Ohio State (-17) Cincinnati
Ole Miss (-21) Memphis
Georgia (-17) Tennessee

Congrats to buck2481 for getting eight points a week when most of us got four. Also, a couple of you missed picking a game. Make sure you have eight picks each week.

buck2481 8
GretnaGreen 6
dew99 6
Wavetime 6
DrBox 5
Golfer81 5
MNAlum 4
WaveON 4
jjstock 2005 4
winwave 4
OUG 4
St. Amant Wave 4
p8kpev 4
captcrown1 4
Ressinge 3
LSU Law Greenie 3
Guerry Smith 3
Rcnut 3


OVERALL STANDINGS

Dew99 22

p8kpev 21

jjstock 2005 20
buck2481 20
Gretna Green 20
DrBox 20

captcrown1 16
Wavetime 16
Golfer81 16 (missed 1 week)

WaveOn 15

LSU Law Greenie 14
winwave 14

St. Amant Wave 13
Guerry Smith 13

MNAlum 11 (missed 1 week)

OUG 10

Ressinge 9 (missed 1 week)
ny oscar 9 (missed 1 week)

Rcnut 8

This one will be short because I got a call from my 4-year-old's school this morning that he was sick and had to be picked up. Couldn't find any relatives to take him on short notice, so he got a tour of Yulman Stadium during practice and was in my arms during the CJ interview. Special thanks to Carlos Wilson, who before leaving practice a few minutes early to go to class handed a football to my son and played "catch" with him for a minute, then let him keep the football for the rest of the practice. Wilson is a class guy.

It is amazing to me how many played have to to leave practice early for classes. CJ insists it is not an issue, and the players have said the same thing. Today, Ed Williams left about 20 minutes early for a test. So did Nick Montana, Tristan Cooper and Wilson, but at least that trio is not slated to play.

Look for a joint feature with the Rutgers site tomorrow with us answering about six questions apiece previewing the game with a prediction.

Here's the transcript of the interview Tammy and I had with CJ:

How was practice today and overall this week?

"I thought it was really good. We had another good week of practice. I really liked yesterday. On Tuesday I didn't think we hustled as much on the offensive line and different positions. Yesterday and today I thought we really hustled, we really played and practiced well, we caught the ball well. These freshmen are catching it well. (Terren) Encalade and Leondre (James) are doing a great job. Ed Williams had another good week of practice."

How much more comfortable do you feel now than you did when coached your first game here against Rutgers?

"I feel a lot more comfortable with what we are doing. That was the first game ever. I didn't know half the players' names back the, so this is a little bit different."

Last year you had a rough fourth game against Syracuse where a lot of self-inflicted errors distorted the score just like on Saturday against Duke. You then won four in a row. Are there some parallels there?

"Here's the difference with last year's team and this year's team. Last year's team was a little bit older and more mature. You had (Chris) Davenport and (Julius) Warmsley and guys that had been in the program. Even Jordan Sullen had been in the program for a long time. You had a bunch of guys that were in the program, so you had some strong leadership. One of our best leaders now, (Darion) Monroe, is a young kid, (Nico) Marley is a young kid. You have to say Tanner is a leader, he's the quarterback, very, very young kid, not only on the field but young kid as a player, so we have a bunch of young kids that are trying to do something major."

Charles Jones has not had a catch the past two games. What is happening with him?

"The last game wasn't his game. I thought he did outstanding blocking. He's one guy that you want to do play-action and do stuff like that, but when you fall behind and have one-tight personnel or no tight ends, it was just one of those games where it wasn't his call."

Does Rene Fleury have a minor injury?

"He had a little hamstring. He ran down on special teams and pulled a hamstring on the first kickoff, so he's probably out this one."

Can you experiment with tempo a little bit on offense and go faster?

"No, I thought it was good. I thought the tempo was great today. I don't want to give my game plan out, but I thought the tempo was really, really good. We had to run a couple of plays over because the defense wasn't set where we wanted, but the tempo has been good all week."

Your receivers have done a good job in packages getting on and off the field. Can you talk about that?

"They are playing well, especially these young kids are starting to understand their role. Encalade and Leondre James are really catching the ball well for us. They are doing a great job getting in and out and they are blocking very well, too, so I like what these young kids are doing."

Who are some Rutgers players to watch?

"Look, the two defensive ends for sure. Both of those guys, they are sack leaders. This No. 3 (linebacker Steve Longa) is an outstanding player. This little back is a pretty good player. The receivers are good. The quarterback is going to manage the game and he's very accurate. Defensively, if you look at the two defensive ends and the linebacker, they are a great team."

How did Tanner look?

"He looked good. He looked real good."

Special teams?

"Looked pretty good. We didn't miss a kick today. The operation was really good. Matt (Marfisi) snapped well. (Mike) Lizanich didn't snap with the team, but hopefully we can see if he can do something tomorrow. If not, then it will be Matt."

... wishing for a speedy and complete recovery

This post was edited on 9/9 9:26 PM by DaveyButtons

2014 Fall Girl's Skills Clinics

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Over the past 10 years Maximum Exposure Basketball has helped thousands reach their dream of playing college basketball. Our girls clinics are for 9th graders - Post Grad players. Will you join our impressive list of event alumni? Don't miss your chance to participate in one of the top exposure events in the country!

FALL CLINICS INCLUDE

- Every Clinic is run by a former or current College Coach!

- Each player gets valuable recruiting information, participates in an advanced skill session development workout, and is evaluated by our staff with those evaluations along with your contact information being sent out to EVERY coach in the country!

- Put yourself through a college level workout... learning what it takes to make it to the next level and what you need to improve on.

- Have a chance to play your way into our Summer Invitational Events. Last year over 200 Division I coaches were present at these events including coaches from almost every Division I conference in the country as well as numerous Division II, III, and NAIA coaches

- These events will fill up extremely fast and the only way to secure a spot is by getting your deposit in! Last year we turned away over 150 players because they waited too late to register!

Register Online HERE!

Mail in Registration Form




WHY OUR EVENTS INSTEAD OF OTHERS?
WHAT PARENTS & PLAYERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR EVENTS
WHAT COLLEGE COACHES ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR EVENTS


2014 Fall Clinic Dates & Locations



Sat. Aug. 30 - Charlotte, NC
Sat. Sept. 6 - Atlanta, GA
Sun. Sept. 14 - Orlando, FL
Sun. Sept. 21 - Columbus, OH
Sat. Sept. 27 - Chicago, IL
Sun. Sept. 28 - Indianapolis, IN
Sun. Sept. 28 - Washington, DC
Sat. Oct. 4 - Dallas, TX
Sat. Oct. 4 - Kansas City, MO
Sun. Oct. 5 - St. Louis, MO
Sun. Oct. 12 - Philadelphia, PA
Sun. Oct. 12 - Atlanta, GA
Sat. Oct. 18 - Southern California
Sat. Oct. 18 - Greensboro, NC
Sun. Oct. 19 - Denver, CO
Sun. Oct. 19 - Bay Area, CA
Sat. Oct. 25 - Portland, OR
Sat. Oct. 25 - Phoenix, AZ
Sun. Oct. 26 - Las Vegas, NV
Sun. Oct. 26 - Seattle, WA


Clinic Cost is $85.00 per player. A $45.00 deposit is required to reserve a spot. There is a $25.00 late registration fee (if spots are still open) if you are not registered 10 days prior to the event, thus increasing the total cost to $110.00 per player. All deposits / payments are non-refundable.



Questions? Email us at info@maximumexposurebasketball.com or call or text our office at (704) 664-9845
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON OUR REFERRAL PROGRAM!



Click Here for a list of former participants in our Events and the schools they have signed with!
[/B]
Click here for a list of College's that have attended our Events!


Over 200 coaches attended our 2013 Events!!!




Follow us on Twitter!

Like us on Facebook!

2014 Fall Clinics

Over the past 10 years Maximum Exposure Basketball has helped thousands reach their dream of playing college basketball. Our clinics are divided into 2 Divisions, one for 5th-8th graders and one for 9th grade ? Post Grad players. Will you join our impressive list of event alumni? Don't miss your chance to participate in one of the top exposure events in the country!

FALL CLINICS INCLUDE

- Every Clinic is run by a former Division I Coach!

- Each player gets valuable recruiting information, participates in an advanced skill session, plays 3 games in front of college coaches and recruiting services, and is evaluated by our staff with those evaluations along with your contact information being sent out to EVERY coach in the country!

- See how you match up against some of the top players in your region and across the country!

- Have a chance to play your way into our Summer Invitational Events. Last year over 200 Division I coaches were present at these events including coaches from almost every Division I conference in the country as well as numerous Division II, III, and NAIA coaches

- These events will fill up extremely fast and the only way to secure a spot is by getting your deposit in! Last year we turned away over 150 players because they waited too late to register!

REGISTER ONLINE HERE![/B]



MAIL IN REGISTRATION FORM




WHY OUR EVENTS INSTEAD OF OTHERS?
WHAT PARENTS & PLAYERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR EVENTS
WHAT COLLEGE COACHES ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR EVENTS


2014 Fall Clinic Dates & Locations
Click on Event for directions, times, hotel information, etc. (Coming soon!)

Sat. Aug. 30 - Charlotte, NC Sun. Aug. 31 - Baltimore, MD

Sat. Sept. 6 - Atlanta, GA Sun. Sept. 7 - Nashville, TN

Sat. Sept. 13 - Miami, FL Sun. Sept. 14 - Orlando, FL

Sat. Sept. 20 - Houston, TX Sun. Sept. 21 - New Orleans, LA
Sat. Sept. 20 - Detroit, MI Sun. Sept. 21 - Columbus, OH

Sat. Sept. 27 - New York, NY Sun. Sept. 28 - Washington, DC
Sat. Sept. 27 - Chicago, IL Sun. Sept. 28 - Indianapolis, IN

Sat. Oct. 4 - Kansas City, MO Sun. Oct. 5 - St. Louis, MO
Sat. Oct. 4 - Dallas, TX Sun. Oct. 5 - Austin, TX

Sat. Oct. 11 - Boston, MA Sun. Oct. 12 - Philadelphia, PA
Sat. Oct. 11 - Columbia, SC Sun. Oct. 12 - Atlanta, GA

Sat. Oct. 18 - Southern California Sun. Oct. 19 - Bay Area, CA
Sat. Oct. 18 - Greensboro, NC Sun. Oct. 19 - Birmingham, AL
Sat. Oct. 18 - Denver, CO Sun. Oct. 19 - Denver Skills Cam

Sat. Oct. 25 - Portland, OR Sun. Oct. 26 - Seattle, WA
Sat. Oct. 25 - Phoenix, AZ Sun. Oct. 26 - Las Vegas, NV




Questions? Email us at info@maximumexposurebasketball.com or call or text our office at (704) 664-9845
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON OUR REFERRAL PROGRAM!


[/B][/B]
Click Here for a list of former participants in our Events and the schools they have signed with![/B]
[/B]
[/B]
Click here for a list of College's that have attended our Events!

Over 200 coaches attended our 2013 Events!!

2014 Summer Showcases
Maximum Exposure Basketball is in its ninth year of offering showcases for High School, Prep School, and Junior College basketball players that are looking to move on and play at the next level. Players that attend our showcases will be placed on to teams and play 3 games in front of college coaches. Each player will also be evaluated by the Maximum Exposure Basketball staff. Evaluations will then be sent to every college in the ENTIRE country!



*** College Coaches and recruiting services will be invited to and present at each event. ***

*** Each Showcase is NCAA Certified and Division I Coaches can attend. ***

Boys Register online HERE!
Girls Register online HERE![/B]





2014 Men's Summer Showcase Dates & Locations

July 19 - Dallas, TX - Sportsplex at Valley View (12:00 PM - 5:00 PM)
July 23 - Kansas City, KS - Kansas City KS CC (4:30 PM -10:00 PM)
July 25 - Louisville, KY - LaGrange Comm. Center (12:00 PM - 5:00 PM)
July 27 - Lake Wales, FL - Warner University (11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

Click the links above for starting times, directions, hotel information, etc. (coming soon!)


2014 Women's Summer Showcase Dates & Locations

July 23 - Kansas City, KS - Kansas City KS CC (11:30 AM - 5:00 PM)
July 26 - Dallas, TX - Cedar Valley College (11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

Click the links above for starting times, directions, hotel information, etc. (coming soon!)

Boys Register online HERE!
Girls Register online HERE!

Boys Register via Mail HERE!
Girls Register via Mail HERE![/B]

Players can register online or through the mail. Showcase cost is $85.00 per player. A $45.00 deposit is required to reserve your spot. The price increases to $110.00 per player within 10 days of the event (if spaces are still available).

COLLEGES THAT HAVE ATTENDED OUR SHOWCASES

SHOWCASE ALUMNI

Questions? Email us at info@maximumexposurebasketball.com or call our office at (704) 664-9845



Complete Game Film & Highlight Videos Available
CaptainU can film your games in HD! They are offering affordable professional HD college recruiting video and complete game film to make it easier than ever to get quality footage in front of college coaches click here to learn more.
Orders for highlight packages must be made prior to the event and are limited based on the availability of videographers. Please sign up or inquire right away. If you have any questions, please contact Rich at video@captainu.com or 415-200-1264.

2014 Summer Showcases
Maximum Exposure Basketball is in its ninth year of offering showcases for High School, Prep School, and Junior College basketball players that are looking to move on and play at the next level. Players that attend our showcases will be placed on to teams and play 3 games in front of college coaches. Each player will also be evaluated by the Maximum Exposure Basketball staff. Evaluations will then be sent to every college in the ENTIRE country!



*** College Coaches and recruiting services will be invited to and present at each event. ***

*** Each Showcase is NCAA Certified and Division I Coaches can attend. ***

Boys Register online HERE!
Girls Register online HERE![/B]





2014 Men's Summer Showcase Dates & Locations
July 9 - Philadelphia, PA - TBA (4:30 PM - 10:00 PM)
July 12 - Washington, DC - TBA (11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
July 13 - Greensboro, NC - Proehlific Park (11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
July 16 - Augusta, GA - TBA (4:30 PM - 10:00 PM)
July 19 - Dallas, TX - TBA (11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
July 23 - Kansas City, MO - TBA (4:30 PM -10:00 PM)
July 25 - Louisville, KY - TBA (11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
July 27 - Lake Wales, FL - Warner University (11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

Click the links above for starting times, directions, hotel information, etc. (coming soon!)


2014 Women's Summer Showcase Dates & Locations

July 6 - Orlando, FL - Rollins College (11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
July 23 - Kansas City, MO - TBA (11:30 AM - 5:00 PM)
July 26 - Dallas, TX - TBA (11:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

Click the links above for starting times, directions, hotel information, etc. (coming soon!)

Boys Register online HERE!
Girls Register online HERE!

Boys Register via Mail HERE!
Girls Register via Mail HERE![/B]

Players can register online or through the mail. Showcase cost is $85.00 per player. A $45.00 deposit is required to reserve your spot. The price increases to $110.00 per player within 10 days of the event (if spaces are still available).

COLLEGES THAT HAVE ATTENDED OUR SHOWCASES

SHOWCASE ALUMNI

Questions? Email us at info@maximumexposurebasketball.com or call our office at (704) 664-9845

To Register Online for Boys' Camps Click HERE!

To Register Online for Girls' Camps Click HERE!

For Information on July NCAA Certified Showcases Click Here

2014 Elite Summer Camps

*** Each location will feature both a Boys and Girls Camp (separate events) ***

*** Click on Links below for locations, directions, etc. *** (gyms not posted will be VERY SOON)


June 7-8 - Atlanta, GA
June 7-8 - Dallas, TX
June 7-8 - Baltimore, MD
June 7-8 - New Orleans, LA

June 14-15 - Charlotte, NC
June 14-15 - Los Angeles, CA
June 14-15 - Houston, TX
June 14-15 - Philadelphia, PA
June 14-15 - Kansas City, MO

June 21-22 - New York, NY
June 21-22 - Columbia, SC
June 21-22 - Seattle, WA
June 21-22 - Miami, FL

June 28-29 - New Jersey
June 28-29 - St. Louis, MO
June 28-29 - Raleigh, NC
June 28-29 - Detroit, MI

July 5-6 - Nashville, TN
July 5-6 - Lake Wales, FL
July 5-6 - Bay Area, CA
July 5-6 - Boston, MA
July 5-6 - Washington, DC

August 2-3 - Fort Lauderdale, FL
August 2-3 - Dallas, TX
August 2-3 - Indianapolis, IN
August 2-3 - Birmingham, AL
August 2-3 - Las Vegas, NV

August 9-10 - Atlanta, GA
August 9-10 - Moreno Valley, CA
August 9-10 - Austin, TX
August 9-10 - Denver, CO
August 9-10 - Chicago, IL

August 16-17 - New York, NY
August 16-17 - Wilmington, NC
August 16-17 - Jacksonville, FL
August 16-17 - Phoenix, AZ

These camps are ONLY for those players, who are serious about playing college basketball. All Camps are for Boys and Girls (separate events) and only rising 8th graders and older. The two-day camp format will be intense and players will be instructed by many of the top individual instructors in the country. Please visit our staff page for other coaches who will be running these events, all of which have coached at the Division I level.Some of the top players from each camp will be invited to our NCAA Invitational Events taking place during July of 2014. These events are Invitation only and feature many of the top college coaches in the country (we had over 200 last July).Instruction will be given by ONLY current and former college basketball coaches. Campers will perform drills and skill work that they would be doing if they were current college players.The Camp will include but not be limited to on court instruction (speed dribbling and full court moves off the dribble; half court and transition shooting; passing with a purpose; using and defending screens; ball screen actions; 3 on 3; controlled scrimmages); detailed discussion on how to put yourself in the best position to get recruited; nutrition and diet; academic evaluation and goals; and the various basketball opportunities at all collegiate levels.At the end of each Camp, every participant is given a detailed evaluation of what they do well and what they need to work on in order to reach their dreams of playing collegiately. We will then send these evaluations out to every college coach in the country. This can be a huge help to your recruiting.There will be games played during the event (the end of the day Saturday and Sunday) and college coaches as well as recruiting services will be invited to attend.Each Camp is Two Days long, hotels and meals are the responsibility of each camper. A player may decide to attend just one day; however we highly recommend attending both if possible.Every camper will receive an official Maximum Exposure Basketball T-Shirt.Camp cost is $165.00 per player (for both days) or $100.00 per player (if you just attend one day). An $85.00 deposit is required to reserve your spot. These camps will fill up extremely fast! Make sure to register now so you don't miss your chance to participate!
Sample Itinerary
Saturday
Noon Check in/Registration
1:00 PM Lecture "Putting yourself in the best position to be recruited"
1:30 PM On court development
2:15 PM Playing in the full court
3:00 PM Break / Q and A
3:15 PM Playing in the half court (2 on 2; 3 on 3)
4:15 PM Lecture "strength, conditioning and diet"
4:45 PM Controlled Scrimmage
6:00 PM Dismissal
Sunday
10:30 AM Registration and Instruction for one- day campers who didn't attend Saturday
11:00 AM Lecture "Opportunities in the various levels of basketball"
11:30 AM On court development
12:30 PM College basketball drills
1:30 PM Break/ Q and A
1:45 PM Lecture "How are you working out?"
2:15 PM On court development
2:45 PM Controlled scrimmages
4:00 PM Dismissal

To Register Online for Boys' Camps Click HERE!

To Register Online for Girls' Camps Click HERE!

To Register via Mail for Boys' Camps Click HERE!

To Register via Mail for Girls' Camps Click HERE!

If you have any questions please contact us: info@maximumexposurebasketball.com or 704-664-9845

We hope to see you this Summer!