Tulane conducted a light practice today before getting the rest of the weekend off for the last time until a bye week at the end of September. The workout ended at 9:40 a.m, and coach Willie Fritz said he wanted the players to use their free time wisely.
"I told them let's rest, let's recover, let's stay off our feet," he said. "We do a campus move-in today from 1 to 3, and then basically they've got the rest of Friday, all day Saturday and all day Sunday off. We have a student-athlete welcome back, and then on Sunday evening Steve Gleason is going to speak to everybody, so that will be outstanding as well. We just need to be refreshed and ready to go on Monday."
Operating against the scout-team offense, defensive end Peter Woullard turned in one of the plays of the preseason, reading quarterback P.J. Hurst's eyes, taking a step back then leaping to deflect a pass that he intercepted as he fell to the ground. The Saints' Cameron Jordan made a similar play against Ben Roethlisberger a few years ago, and it was impressive to watch. Woullard won't start, but he should play significant downs as a backup at a position that demands breaks for the starters. If he continues to make plays like today, he will help Tulane win.
The pass of practice (and I was there for just the last 15 minutes) came from freshman Khalil McClain, who threw a deep strike to Jaetavian Toles against the scout-team defense. Toles is not competing for a starting spot, but he's the one true freshman receiver who will be in the mix at the start of the year. Wide receivers coach Curtis Conway said a couple of weeks ago Toles had the speed to contribute right away, separating him early from Kevin LeDee and Travis Tucker. McClain looks like a keeper at QB. He can do everything the Fritz and Doug Ruse offense requires of a quarterback.
With real game-week preparation beginning Monday, I talked to Fritz about the outcomes of what appeared to be the closest position battles entering preseason practice:
1) Redshirt freshman Coby Neenan winning the kicker job.
Fritz: "He's got a lot of ability. He has some natural advantages. He's got long levers and he's learning how to use them. We've got a really good snapper in Geron Eatherly and a really good holder in Glen Cuiellette. They've both been excellent in what they're doing, and we've shored up our protection. The last three or four days have really been good for (Neenan)."
2) Quinlan Carroll taking firm control of the defensive end spot opposite Ade Aruna.
Fritz: He's just a smart player. At that defensive end position you need to have a little size, and he's got quite a bit of it at 225 (pounds, compared to Larry Bryant at 210). He's quick, can get off blocks and then with our zone blitz package, he really can bring it."
3) Jabril Clewis having a slight edge as the third receiver in what remains a close competition.
Fritz: "Yeah, but we're getting a lot of push. Jacob Robertson's had a good camp. Chris Johnson's come on the last couple of practices. The big thing for us next week, and I told our coaches, is let's figure out by Wednesday or Thursday who's not going to make the mistakes. Who is going to line up right? Who knows the calls offensively, defensively and in the kicking game? In the first game that is just so important. We say around here we are trying to eliminate pre-snap and post-play penalties, the Wave doesn't beat the Wave. Every once in a while Tanzel (Smart) would jump offsides in his exuberance to beat the snap, and you had about 10-plus plays for that one minus. You better have that kind of ratio to have a pre-snap penalty. Otherwise, there's nobody we can have that's putting us five yards in the hole."
My note: Based on what I've seen at practice, Jacob Robertson deserves to start. But receivers rotate in and out so much that it hardly matters who starts anyway.
4) Corey Dublin, Dominique Briggs and Leeward Brown competing for two starting guard spots.
Fritz: "It's still a close battle. All three of them are going to play a lot. You use those first few games for evaluation as well, to see who can do it when live bullets are flying."
My note: Briggs and Dublin have gotten more first-team reps than Brown this week, but the performance in the opener of all three guys will determine the lineup. Dublin, who is poised to become Tulane's first opening-game starter on the offensive line since Andrew Nierman (right guard) in 2007, has to prove he can handle the load as a true freshman.
NOTES
---Zach Harris sat out practice again today. We'll see whether he is ready to go Monday.
---Tight end Kendall Ardoin has a stomach-muscle issue that kept him out of practice. I'll check on his status Monday.
---Tulane has a new walk-on offensive lineman. Yesterday when I wrote down the numbers of the linemen on the scout team, my roster did not include the No. 70 I listed. Today, I learned it is Timothy Shafter, a Massachusetts product whose dad approached Fritz at AAC Media Days in Newport, Rhode Island and told him about his son wanting to walk on. He played at Hingham High and listed himself as 6-2, 230 pounds on his Hudl page during his senior year.
I talked to Neenan for the first time ever after practice. He did not say a whole lot, but here's what I got:
How confident are you?
"Me and the unit have been working this whole summer, this whole fall camp. If we get a good snap, a good hold and a good kick with good protection, we'll have a good season."
You were a punter and kicker in high school. Did you have a preference at the time?
"At the time I did whatever the team needed most, and right now the Green Wave needs a placekicker, so that's what I'm doing."
How much did you benefit from last year's redshirt experience?
"That was a great learning experience, getting to travel with the team (he went on every road trip but the UConn season finale), learning how everything goes. I really appreciate that redshirt year."
Coach Fritz says he wants anything 40 yards or shorter to be made, and that didn't happen last year. Do you feel comfortable from that range?
"I feel confident. We have a good snapper, Geron Eatherly, Glen Cuiellette, he's holding. Get a good snap, good hold, good kick, that's all you have to say, man."
What is your range?
"I had a 48-yarder today in practice. I feel comfortable from 50 and in with my leg strength."
What do you need to get better at?
"I definitely have to work on concentration and being consistent, making sure it is the same kick every time."
A couple of your kicks were low in one of the live drills. Is that something you've worked on?
"We had an issue with that to begin with, but I've worked with coach (Shane) Meyer (a Fritz placekicker at Central Missouri, Meyer is director of football operations) and he's helped me get better elevation on my kicks. Fall camp has really been a great learning experience."
How eager are you to show what you can do?
"I'm super-excited. I can't wait for September 2nd against Grambling. It will be a heck of a time."
"I told them let's rest, let's recover, let's stay off our feet," he said. "We do a campus move-in today from 1 to 3, and then basically they've got the rest of Friday, all day Saturday and all day Sunday off. We have a student-athlete welcome back, and then on Sunday evening Steve Gleason is going to speak to everybody, so that will be outstanding as well. We just need to be refreshed and ready to go on Monday."
Operating against the scout-team offense, defensive end Peter Woullard turned in one of the plays of the preseason, reading quarterback P.J. Hurst's eyes, taking a step back then leaping to deflect a pass that he intercepted as he fell to the ground. The Saints' Cameron Jordan made a similar play against Ben Roethlisberger a few years ago, and it was impressive to watch. Woullard won't start, but he should play significant downs as a backup at a position that demands breaks for the starters. If he continues to make plays like today, he will help Tulane win.
The pass of practice (and I was there for just the last 15 minutes) came from freshman Khalil McClain, who threw a deep strike to Jaetavian Toles against the scout-team defense. Toles is not competing for a starting spot, but he's the one true freshman receiver who will be in the mix at the start of the year. Wide receivers coach Curtis Conway said a couple of weeks ago Toles had the speed to contribute right away, separating him early from Kevin LeDee and Travis Tucker. McClain looks like a keeper at QB. He can do everything the Fritz and Doug Ruse offense requires of a quarterback.
With real game-week preparation beginning Monday, I talked to Fritz about the outcomes of what appeared to be the closest position battles entering preseason practice:
1) Redshirt freshman Coby Neenan winning the kicker job.
Fritz: "He's got a lot of ability. He has some natural advantages. He's got long levers and he's learning how to use them. We've got a really good snapper in Geron Eatherly and a really good holder in Glen Cuiellette. They've both been excellent in what they're doing, and we've shored up our protection. The last three or four days have really been good for (Neenan)."
2) Quinlan Carroll taking firm control of the defensive end spot opposite Ade Aruna.
Fritz: He's just a smart player. At that defensive end position you need to have a little size, and he's got quite a bit of it at 225 (pounds, compared to Larry Bryant at 210). He's quick, can get off blocks and then with our zone blitz package, he really can bring it."
3) Jabril Clewis having a slight edge as the third receiver in what remains a close competition.
Fritz: "Yeah, but we're getting a lot of push. Jacob Robertson's had a good camp. Chris Johnson's come on the last couple of practices. The big thing for us next week, and I told our coaches, is let's figure out by Wednesday or Thursday who's not going to make the mistakes. Who is going to line up right? Who knows the calls offensively, defensively and in the kicking game? In the first game that is just so important. We say around here we are trying to eliminate pre-snap and post-play penalties, the Wave doesn't beat the Wave. Every once in a while Tanzel (Smart) would jump offsides in his exuberance to beat the snap, and you had about 10-plus plays for that one minus. You better have that kind of ratio to have a pre-snap penalty. Otherwise, there's nobody we can have that's putting us five yards in the hole."
My note: Based on what I've seen at practice, Jacob Robertson deserves to start. But receivers rotate in and out so much that it hardly matters who starts anyway.
4) Corey Dublin, Dominique Briggs and Leeward Brown competing for two starting guard spots.
Fritz: "It's still a close battle. All three of them are going to play a lot. You use those first few games for evaluation as well, to see who can do it when live bullets are flying."
My note: Briggs and Dublin have gotten more first-team reps than Brown this week, but the performance in the opener of all three guys will determine the lineup. Dublin, who is poised to become Tulane's first opening-game starter on the offensive line since Andrew Nierman (right guard) in 2007, has to prove he can handle the load as a true freshman.
NOTES
---Zach Harris sat out practice again today. We'll see whether he is ready to go Monday.
---Tight end Kendall Ardoin has a stomach-muscle issue that kept him out of practice. I'll check on his status Monday.
---Tulane has a new walk-on offensive lineman. Yesterday when I wrote down the numbers of the linemen on the scout team, my roster did not include the No. 70 I listed. Today, I learned it is Timothy Shafter, a Massachusetts product whose dad approached Fritz at AAC Media Days in Newport, Rhode Island and told him about his son wanting to walk on. He played at Hingham High and listed himself as 6-2, 230 pounds on his Hudl page during his senior year.
I talked to Neenan for the first time ever after practice. He did not say a whole lot, but here's what I got:
How confident are you?
"Me and the unit have been working this whole summer, this whole fall camp. If we get a good snap, a good hold and a good kick with good protection, we'll have a good season."
You were a punter and kicker in high school. Did you have a preference at the time?
"At the time I did whatever the team needed most, and right now the Green Wave needs a placekicker, so that's what I'm doing."
How much did you benefit from last year's redshirt experience?
"That was a great learning experience, getting to travel with the team (he went on every road trip but the UConn season finale), learning how everything goes. I really appreciate that redshirt year."
Coach Fritz says he wants anything 40 yards or shorter to be made, and that didn't happen last year. Do you feel comfortable from that range?
"I feel confident. We have a good snapper, Geron Eatherly, Glen Cuiellette, he's holding. Get a good snap, good hold, good kick, that's all you have to say, man."
What is your range?
"I had a 48-yarder today in practice. I feel comfortable from 50 and in with my leg strength."
What do you need to get better at?
"I definitely have to work on concentration and being consistent, making sure it is the same kick every time."
A couple of your kicks were low in one of the live drills. Is that something you've worked on?
"We had an issue with that to begin with, but I've worked with coach (Shane) Meyer (a Fritz placekicker at Central Missouri, Meyer is director of football operations) and he's helped me get better elevation on my kicks. Fall camp has really been a great learning experience."
How eager are you to show what you can do?
"I'm super-excited. I can't wait for September 2nd against Grambling. It will be a heck of a time."