Cameron Sample did not practice again today, and Willie Fritz said his availability would be a game-time decision. Tulane proved it could dominate without him against South Florida, but he's a heck of a player and would be missed if he cannot go. In his absence, seldom-used tackle Alfred Thomas (four games, four tackles) joined the rotation a bit today, but the main guys are starters Patrick Johnson, Robert Kennedy, De'Andre Williams and Davon Wright along with Jeffery Johnson, Carlos Hatcher and Juan Monjarres. Those eight linemen were getting the reps today.
In welcome news, cornerback Thakarius Keyes practiced full go today after missing the last two games with a leg injury. Tulane will need all DBs on deck against pass-happy East Carolina, and Keyes gives the Wave four cornerbacks who know what they are doing, joining starters Donnie Lewis and Jaylon Monroe and backup Willie (not Antonio) Langham.
Dane Ledford is going to be the backup QB to Justin McMillan again, so McMillan cannot afford to get hurt.
When the team gathered at the center of the field at Yulman Stadium at the end of Thursday morning's practice, Willie Fritz urged them to "Play the best game we've played this Saturday at 3 o'clock." Tulane does need to play well to take control against East Carolina.
In researching East Carolina, I was surprised how many playmakers there are on both sides of the ball for what amounts to a terrible team, and one stat that is concerning is the Pirates' turnover margin. They are a nation's worst minus-13, and a bad number like that can distort a team's record. Bear with me. Although turnover margin is the single most reflective stat of a team's past performance--you cannot win when you continually lose the turnover battle--it is one of the least predictive stats.
The nation's worst defense is not suddenly going to bow up and shut down an opponent. The nation's worst offense is not going to go up and down the field and be successful in the red zone.
But a team with a terrible turnover margin can turn it around any week because turnovers are a wildly fluctuating stat. If East Carolina holds on to the ball Saturday and forces a couple more turnovers than it gives up, it will look much better than its 2-7 record indicates. When the Pirates won at North Carolina 41-19, they did not commit a turnover (neither did North Carolina). When they lost to NC A&T the previous week, they were minus-3 in turnover margin. They were even against USF in a 7-point loss, minus-4 against Houston in a 22-point loss, minus-5 against UCF in a 27-point loss and minus-1 last week against Memphis in an 18-point loss. incredibly, they have not forced a turnover since getting an interception against Temple on Oct.6 and have forced three turnovers all year. They have recovered only one of their opponents' 10 fumbles while losing seven of their 10 fumbles.
No team this century has caused fewer than six turnovers in a season, so ECU is threatening to enter historical territory. The Pirates were dead last with eight forced turnovers in 2016, coach Scottie Montgomery's first year, so this obviously is not by accident. Still, there is some degree of luck to turnovers, and at some point you have to figure the Pirates will fall into a few. Hopefully for Tulane's sake, it will not be Saturday.
Here is what Fritz had to say after practice today.
How was practice this week?
"It was all right. We're facing a very unique defense in what they're doing with their ends. They are all athletic, so we'll finish our preparation tomorrow and Saturday morning and come out and play great."
ECU is last in the nation in turnover margin. Is that concerning at all since turnovers are a much more volatile stat week to week than total offense or total defense?
"There was a game a couple of weeks ago they were minus-5, and you're not going to win when you do that. That's going to be big. We need to be plus-1, plus-2, plus-3."
Does ECU has a lot of playmakers for a 2-7 team.
"They've got excellent talent. They have a good team. When we went out there and played them last year (facing current Heisman Trophy fringe candidate QB Gardner Minshew, now at Washington State), I was very impressed. They have a lot of tall, long guys. They are a very talented team."
Does wideout Trevon Brown line up at a lot of different spots or usually the same place?
"He'll go a few different spots. We're hoping we'll have a good matchup."
Will Cam Sample be a game-time decision?
"Yeah."
How about Jonathan Banks?
"Not sure."
In welcome news, cornerback Thakarius Keyes practiced full go today after missing the last two games with a leg injury. Tulane will need all DBs on deck against pass-happy East Carolina, and Keyes gives the Wave four cornerbacks who know what they are doing, joining starters Donnie Lewis and Jaylon Monroe and backup Willie (not Antonio) Langham.
Dane Ledford is going to be the backup QB to Justin McMillan again, so McMillan cannot afford to get hurt.
When the team gathered at the center of the field at Yulman Stadium at the end of Thursday morning's practice, Willie Fritz urged them to "Play the best game we've played this Saturday at 3 o'clock." Tulane does need to play well to take control against East Carolina.
In researching East Carolina, I was surprised how many playmakers there are on both sides of the ball for what amounts to a terrible team, and one stat that is concerning is the Pirates' turnover margin. They are a nation's worst minus-13, and a bad number like that can distort a team's record. Bear with me. Although turnover margin is the single most reflective stat of a team's past performance--you cannot win when you continually lose the turnover battle--it is one of the least predictive stats.
The nation's worst defense is not suddenly going to bow up and shut down an opponent. The nation's worst offense is not going to go up and down the field and be successful in the red zone.
But a team with a terrible turnover margin can turn it around any week because turnovers are a wildly fluctuating stat. If East Carolina holds on to the ball Saturday and forces a couple more turnovers than it gives up, it will look much better than its 2-7 record indicates. When the Pirates won at North Carolina 41-19, they did not commit a turnover (neither did North Carolina). When they lost to NC A&T the previous week, they were minus-3 in turnover margin. They were even against USF in a 7-point loss, minus-4 against Houston in a 22-point loss, minus-5 against UCF in a 27-point loss and minus-1 last week against Memphis in an 18-point loss. incredibly, they have not forced a turnover since getting an interception against Temple on Oct.6 and have forced three turnovers all year. They have recovered only one of their opponents' 10 fumbles while losing seven of their 10 fumbles.
No team this century has caused fewer than six turnovers in a season, so ECU is threatening to enter historical territory. The Pirates were dead last with eight forced turnovers in 2016, coach Scottie Montgomery's first year, so this obviously is not by accident. Still, there is some degree of luck to turnovers, and at some point you have to figure the Pirates will fall into a few. Hopefully for Tulane's sake, it will not be Saturday.
Here is what Fritz had to say after practice today.
How was practice this week?
"It was all right. We're facing a very unique defense in what they're doing with their ends. They are all athletic, so we'll finish our preparation tomorrow and Saturday morning and come out and play great."
ECU is last in the nation in turnover margin. Is that concerning at all since turnovers are a much more volatile stat week to week than total offense or total defense?
"There was a game a couple of weeks ago they were minus-5, and you're not going to win when you do that. That's going to be big. We need to be plus-1, plus-2, plus-3."
Does ECU has a lot of playmakers for a 2-7 team.
"They've got excellent talent. They have a good team. When we went out there and played them last year (facing current Heisman Trophy fringe candidate QB Gardner Minshew, now at Washington State), I was very impressed. They have a lot of tall, long guys. They are a very talented team."
Does wideout Trevon Brown line up at a lot of different spots or usually the same place?
"He'll go a few different spots. We're hoping we'll have a good matchup."
Will Cam Sample be a game-time decision?
"Yeah."
How about Jonathan Banks?
"Not sure."