This is a little late for this, but I was just too busy to do a write-up earlier this week after watching the game again on Tuesday.
Here are some thoughts;
--The first big play of the game--Tyjae Spears' 55-yard run on the second snap--came largely because of his incredible individual ability, but also because of good blocks by tight end Will Wallace and wide receiver Shae Wyatt. Wallace has not been the target of a pass since week 1 as far as I can recall, but he is having a good year as a blocker. And little details like receivers blocking well are the the difference between winning and losing teams. Wallace had another good block to spring Shaadie Clayton-Johnson later in the half, with help from Joey Claybrook, who had a good game.
--Michael Pratt has become much better at reading the defense on running plays. He easily could have handed off to Lawrence Keys on a jet sweep, which would have resulted in a 5-yard loss, but he knew Tulsa's end usually went outside on that look and kept the ball for a 9-yard gain through the hole the end vacated. That likely was the difference between 7 and 3 points on the opening drive.
--Pratt was not sharp overall as a passer in this game, missing Duece Watts for what could have been an easy touchdown among other off-target throws, but he made two gorgeous plays. The first came on his throw through a very tight window to Tyrick James on a slant for the opening touchdown. If it had been behind or in front of James or thrown an instant later, bad things could have happened. His second great play came before Tulane's second touchdown, when he felt heavy pressure on fourth-and-1 from the Tulane 43 and did not panic, scrambling to his right to avoid disaster and waiting for James to improvise a route from a blocking position, hitting him for a 7-yard gain. If Pratt had not avoided the sack or if he had made a panic throw, it would have been a 7-point difference.
--Even though Darius Hodges is not having the same year as in 2021, when he led the AAC in tackles for loss, he is close to that level. I've dubbed him the almost guy this year because there have been a bunch of plays where he almost had a sack or a tackle for loss but did not finish the play. It happened on the first play, when his diving tackle attempt for a loss just missed and Tulsa gained 6 yards. That said, a lot of his almost plays have been effective, forcing quarterback to throw it away or scramble into traffic. Later in the first half, he got to the quarterback, who ran into Dorian Williams for a sack.
--When I covered Steve Spurrier, he used to say a dropped pass was the defense's best friend, and the one Tulsa's Epps dropped near the goal line on the opening possession after beating Larry Brooks likely would have resulted in a TD.
--Willie Fritz was hard on Lummie Young during and after the game (although he did not name him specifically after the game), but he made a really nice tackle on the third-and-long screen at the end of Tulsa's first possession. It looked like it was set up to go a long way--and it needed to on third-and-22--but Young limited it to 9 yards, forcing a field goal. There were very few missed tackles on Saturday, which was the way Tulane played in the first half of the year before some slippage.
--One of my old second guesses of the day came when Tulane ran on third-and-goal from just outside the 3 on its second series. The chance of scoring on a pass from the 3 is better than a run up the middle, even with Spears handling the ball, so when Fritz elected to try a field goal on fourth-and-goal (no quibble with that decision), I wonder why they did not throw on third down if they were not trying to make the fourth down conversions easier.
--Noah Taliancich, the backup nose tackle, had his best game since early September. On one play, he did an excellent fighting off a block to make a tackle. That led to an even better tackle by Jarius Monroe, who is outstanding in that department, on the same series. Tulane's depth showed up again on that series when reserve safety Bailey Despanie broke up a third-down pass.
--On Spears' long TD run off the high snap that Pratt caught with ease (an underrated athletic play), Josh Remetich and Rashad Green had the key blocks, but Spears is such a natural. His cut to the left allowed him to run untouched for a TD. He credited the line for doing all the work, but his natural ability helped.
--The big hitting continued on the ensuing kickoff when DJ Douglas--there's that depth again, slammed a guy to the ground at the 17.
--More depth. Angelo Anderson, who has not a great year but still can be effective, pressured the QB into a harried throw that Carlos Hatcher deflected. Those are two names that have not been called a lot, but they are capable players, too. Hatcher later applied pressure that led to a Nick Anderson sack.
--Dorian Williams, among many other good qualities, is a natural pass rusher. On his sack in the first half, he looped around the line and got to the QB quickly considering the circuitous route he took.
--Pratt's interception came when he threw too early to James, who was about to break open over the middle. The throw was off target, and I'm not sure James touching it changed its route. It might have been an interception either way. But it was Pratt's first interception since the pIck-6 against USM. The only QBs who never throw a pick are the ones who never take chances.
--Young got beaten by JuanCarlos Santana for the TD after the interception, and Fritz blamed him for a mistake, but re-watching the play, sometimes you have to give credit to the opponent, as Travis Jewett used to say repeatedly (I know, I know; most of you don't want to hear that name again). Santana made a nice hesitation news and the pass was perfect. It is hard to be good on every snap.
--Claybrook showed good movement like a pulling guard to spring Iverson Celestine for a nice run in the second half. I feel like Tulane's linemen are running across the line more often than in the past, but Claybrook shot that theory down when I talked to him this week. I guess they've just been more effective when doing it.
--Other than Pratt's fourth down scramble and completion that set up the second touchdown--which I never mentioned in my game story--the unsung play of the day was Lawrence Keys' run on a jet sweep at the beginning of the fourth quarter after Jha'Quan Jackson let a punt roll to the 3. I had flashbacks to the USM game, when Tulane led 14-0 before a similar punt led to a 3 and out and a total change in momentum. This time Tulane led 24-13 and the game was not out of reach. But Keys cut between two defenders when he appeared to have nowhere to go on third-and-7, picking up a first down that allowed Tulane to run a lot more clock and flip the field. He and Dea Dea McDougle have made a tremendous difference in the receiver room.
Here are some thoughts;
--The first big play of the game--Tyjae Spears' 55-yard run on the second snap--came largely because of his incredible individual ability, but also because of good blocks by tight end Will Wallace and wide receiver Shae Wyatt. Wallace has not been the target of a pass since week 1 as far as I can recall, but he is having a good year as a blocker. And little details like receivers blocking well are the the difference between winning and losing teams. Wallace had another good block to spring Shaadie Clayton-Johnson later in the half, with help from Joey Claybrook, who had a good game.
--Michael Pratt has become much better at reading the defense on running plays. He easily could have handed off to Lawrence Keys on a jet sweep, which would have resulted in a 5-yard loss, but he knew Tulsa's end usually went outside on that look and kept the ball for a 9-yard gain through the hole the end vacated. That likely was the difference between 7 and 3 points on the opening drive.
--Pratt was not sharp overall as a passer in this game, missing Duece Watts for what could have been an easy touchdown among other off-target throws, but he made two gorgeous plays. The first came on his throw through a very tight window to Tyrick James on a slant for the opening touchdown. If it had been behind or in front of James or thrown an instant later, bad things could have happened. His second great play came before Tulane's second touchdown, when he felt heavy pressure on fourth-and-1 from the Tulane 43 and did not panic, scrambling to his right to avoid disaster and waiting for James to improvise a route from a blocking position, hitting him for a 7-yard gain. If Pratt had not avoided the sack or if he had made a panic throw, it would have been a 7-point difference.
--Even though Darius Hodges is not having the same year as in 2021, when he led the AAC in tackles for loss, he is close to that level. I've dubbed him the almost guy this year because there have been a bunch of plays where he almost had a sack or a tackle for loss but did not finish the play. It happened on the first play, when his diving tackle attempt for a loss just missed and Tulsa gained 6 yards. That said, a lot of his almost plays have been effective, forcing quarterback to throw it away or scramble into traffic. Later in the first half, he got to the quarterback, who ran into Dorian Williams for a sack.
--When I covered Steve Spurrier, he used to say a dropped pass was the defense's best friend, and the one Tulsa's Epps dropped near the goal line on the opening possession after beating Larry Brooks likely would have resulted in a TD.
--Willie Fritz was hard on Lummie Young during and after the game (although he did not name him specifically after the game), but he made a really nice tackle on the third-and-long screen at the end of Tulsa's first possession. It looked like it was set up to go a long way--and it needed to on third-and-22--but Young limited it to 9 yards, forcing a field goal. There were very few missed tackles on Saturday, which was the way Tulane played in the first half of the year before some slippage.
--One of my old second guesses of the day came when Tulane ran on third-and-goal from just outside the 3 on its second series. The chance of scoring on a pass from the 3 is better than a run up the middle, even with Spears handling the ball, so when Fritz elected to try a field goal on fourth-and-goal (no quibble with that decision), I wonder why they did not throw on third down if they were not trying to make the fourth down conversions easier.
--Noah Taliancich, the backup nose tackle, had his best game since early September. On one play, he did an excellent fighting off a block to make a tackle. That led to an even better tackle by Jarius Monroe, who is outstanding in that department, on the same series. Tulane's depth showed up again on that series when reserve safety Bailey Despanie broke up a third-down pass.
--On Spears' long TD run off the high snap that Pratt caught with ease (an underrated athletic play), Josh Remetich and Rashad Green had the key blocks, but Spears is such a natural. His cut to the left allowed him to run untouched for a TD. He credited the line for doing all the work, but his natural ability helped.
--The big hitting continued on the ensuing kickoff when DJ Douglas--there's that depth again, slammed a guy to the ground at the 17.
--More depth. Angelo Anderson, who has not a great year but still can be effective, pressured the QB into a harried throw that Carlos Hatcher deflected. Those are two names that have not been called a lot, but they are capable players, too. Hatcher later applied pressure that led to a Nick Anderson sack.
--Dorian Williams, among many other good qualities, is a natural pass rusher. On his sack in the first half, he looped around the line and got to the QB quickly considering the circuitous route he took.
--Pratt's interception came when he threw too early to James, who was about to break open over the middle. The throw was off target, and I'm not sure James touching it changed its route. It might have been an interception either way. But it was Pratt's first interception since the pIck-6 against USM. The only QBs who never throw a pick are the ones who never take chances.
--Young got beaten by JuanCarlos Santana for the TD after the interception, and Fritz blamed him for a mistake, but re-watching the play, sometimes you have to give credit to the opponent, as Travis Jewett used to say repeatedly (I know, I know; most of you don't want to hear that name again). Santana made a nice hesitation news and the pass was perfect. It is hard to be good on every snap.
--Claybrook showed good movement like a pulling guard to spring Iverson Celestine for a nice run in the second half. I feel like Tulane's linemen are running across the line more often than in the past, but Claybrook shot that theory down when I talked to him this week. I guess they've just been more effective when doing it.
--Other than Pratt's fourth down scramble and completion that set up the second touchdown--which I never mentioned in my game story--the unsung play of the day was Lawrence Keys' run on a jet sweep at the beginning of the fourth quarter after Jha'Quan Jackson let a punt roll to the 3. I had flashbacks to the USM game, when Tulane led 14-0 before a similar punt led to a 3 and out and a total change in momentum. This time Tulane led 24-13 and the game was not out of reach. But Keys cut between two defenders when he appeared to have nowhere to go on third-and-7, picking up a first down that allowed Tulane to run a lot more clock and flip the field. He and Dea Dea McDougle have made a tremendous difference in the receiver room.
