One quick note before starting: look for the return of Engaging The Enemy tomorrow. Tulsa World beat writer Eric Bailey and I exchanged five questions last night and this morning, and I am waiting for his answers. I also will publish a film study from the Navy game before I fly to Oklahoma tomorrow.
Willie Fritz confirmed the obvious after practice this morning: Johnathan Brantley will start at quarterback against Oklahoma. Brantley took all the first-team reps this week, with freshman Khlali McClain operating the second-team offense, but Fritz refused to file Jonathan Banks.
"Brantley’s going to get the start,” Fritz said. “Banks is coming along. We’re going to see how he is on Saturday warm-ups and see how much he’ll play.”
McClain did not look good throwing today. He bounced a short pass on one play and then threw well wide of a receiver on the next play. He has a ton of potential, but he's not ready to play against a team like Oklahoma, so Brantley needs to stay healthy unless Fritz is right about Banks possibly being able to play.
“We can run as much (of the offense) with (Brantley) as we can with Banks,” Fritz said. “The problem last week wasn’t his knowledge. He just didn’t get a chance to rep (Navy) in practice.”
Brantley professed confidence, admitting he was light years ahead of where he was at this time last year, when he also started.
“I feel comfortable,” he said. “I know all my reads and the plays in and out.”
As expected, Fritz also named Merek Glover as his kicker. Glover, a walk-on sophomore, won a competition earlier this week when my sources say Coby Neenan continued to struggle. After watching Neenan miss his third extra point in two weeks--for persective, Andrew DiRocco missed four in three years--Fritz had to make a change.
In a rare move, the coaches stopped the offense's work against the scout-team defense today to let Glover attempt a 28-yard field goal. He hit it strong, but it was only few yards inside the left upright. Any kick will be an adventure Saturday, but they needed to give someone else a chance.
“He’s done a nice job,” Fritz said. “We opened up the competition this week, and he won it.”
Rod Teamer did not practice again today, so look for Chase Kuerschen to get his first career start. You can check out my Q&A with him on the post I made yesterday. He admitted he was better against the run than the pass but added he was getting a lot of work this week, and I saw him make nice plays in coverage in preseason camp. He has a knack for the ball.
“He’s a really smart player and played well last week,” Fritz said. “We’re fortunate he got an opportunity to play quite a bit, so he’s got a game under the belt.”
John Leglue continued to work at right tackle while Keyshawn McLeod worked at left tackle today. Fritz said it was simply a move to create depth in case one of them got hurt, allowing the other to move over easily, but since they used that lineup in the fourth quarter against Navy, I expect it to happen at the start against Oklahoma. We'll see.
The rest of the depth chart up front had the usual suspects. The second-team offensive lien had Tyler Johnson at left tackle, Leeward Brown at left guard, Hunter Knighton at center, Dominique Briggs at right guard (they don't have a fourth guard they are comfortable with, so he worked the first and second team) and Joey Claybrook at right tackle.
NOTES
--Kendall Ardoin missed practice again today with an illness. I'm not sure who the backup tight will be because Ardoin and Charles Jones were the only two that played against Navy. Andrew Hicks is the best guess. Will Wallace was not on the travel roster for the Navy game. If they need a blocker, John Washington could fill the role.
--Walk-one wide receiver Brian Newman, who was slated for playing time, is done for the year with that preseason knee injury he sustained. He said yesterday he tore an ACL and his meniscus and would be out eight months. Tulane is still looking for a functional third receiver to complement Terren Encalade and Darnell Mooney. Chris Johnson has one catch for 5 yards. None of the others candidates have any, with Jabril Clewis continuing to struggle as he did in the preseason.
---A Cleveland Browns scout was at practice. He was watching the defense, presumably Parry Nickerson and Ade Aruna, although Sean Wilson said Tuesday he thought all three starting defensive linemen (he clearly agrees with those of you who call it a three-man front) (him, Aruna and Eldrick Washington) would play in the NFL.
---Quinlan Caroll will miss the first half of the Oklahoma game due to his targeting ejection against Navy. That means Larry Bryant, if they go with a rush end/OLB, or Peter Woullard, if they go with a more traditional end, will start. Carroll continued to get reps with the first-team defense in practice this week.
--Travis Tucker was on the exercise bike along with Corey Dauphine when I got there today. I'm not sure what his injury is, but he looked OK walking around. He is not slated to play this year anyway.
Willie Fritz confirmed the obvious after practice this morning: Johnathan Brantley will start at quarterback against Oklahoma. Brantley took all the first-team reps this week, with freshman Khlali McClain operating the second-team offense, but Fritz refused to file Jonathan Banks.
"Brantley’s going to get the start,” Fritz said. “Banks is coming along. We’re going to see how he is on Saturday warm-ups and see how much he’ll play.”
McClain did not look good throwing today. He bounced a short pass on one play and then threw well wide of a receiver on the next play. He has a ton of potential, but he's not ready to play against a team like Oklahoma, so Brantley needs to stay healthy unless Fritz is right about Banks possibly being able to play.
“We can run as much (of the offense) with (Brantley) as we can with Banks,” Fritz said. “The problem last week wasn’t his knowledge. He just didn’t get a chance to rep (Navy) in practice.”
Brantley professed confidence, admitting he was light years ahead of where he was at this time last year, when he also started.
“I feel comfortable,” he said. “I know all my reads and the plays in and out.”
As expected, Fritz also named Merek Glover as his kicker. Glover, a walk-on sophomore, won a competition earlier this week when my sources say Coby Neenan continued to struggle. After watching Neenan miss his third extra point in two weeks--for persective, Andrew DiRocco missed four in three years--Fritz had to make a change.
In a rare move, the coaches stopped the offense's work against the scout-team defense today to let Glover attempt a 28-yard field goal. He hit it strong, but it was only few yards inside the left upright. Any kick will be an adventure Saturday, but they needed to give someone else a chance.
“He’s done a nice job,” Fritz said. “We opened up the competition this week, and he won it.”
Rod Teamer did not practice again today, so look for Chase Kuerschen to get his first career start. You can check out my Q&A with him on the post I made yesterday. He admitted he was better against the run than the pass but added he was getting a lot of work this week, and I saw him make nice plays in coverage in preseason camp. He has a knack for the ball.
“He’s a really smart player and played well last week,” Fritz said. “We’re fortunate he got an opportunity to play quite a bit, so he’s got a game under the belt.”
John Leglue continued to work at right tackle while Keyshawn McLeod worked at left tackle today. Fritz said it was simply a move to create depth in case one of them got hurt, allowing the other to move over easily, but since they used that lineup in the fourth quarter against Navy, I expect it to happen at the start against Oklahoma. We'll see.
The rest of the depth chart up front had the usual suspects. The second-team offensive lien had Tyler Johnson at left tackle, Leeward Brown at left guard, Hunter Knighton at center, Dominique Briggs at right guard (they don't have a fourth guard they are comfortable with, so he worked the first and second team) and Joey Claybrook at right tackle.
NOTES
--Kendall Ardoin missed practice again today with an illness. I'm not sure who the backup tight will be because Ardoin and Charles Jones were the only two that played against Navy. Andrew Hicks is the best guess. Will Wallace was not on the travel roster for the Navy game. If they need a blocker, John Washington could fill the role.
--Walk-one wide receiver Brian Newman, who was slated for playing time, is done for the year with that preseason knee injury he sustained. He said yesterday he tore an ACL and his meniscus and would be out eight months. Tulane is still looking for a functional third receiver to complement Terren Encalade and Darnell Mooney. Chris Johnson has one catch for 5 yards. None of the others candidates have any, with Jabril Clewis continuing to struggle as he did in the preseason.
---A Cleveland Browns scout was at practice. He was watching the defense, presumably Parry Nickerson and Ade Aruna, although Sean Wilson said Tuesday he thought all three starting defensive linemen (he clearly agrees with those of you who call it a three-man front) (him, Aruna and Eldrick Washington) would play in the NFL.
---Quinlan Caroll will miss the first half of the Oklahoma game due to his targeting ejection against Navy. That means Larry Bryant, if they go with a rush end/OLB, or Peter Woullard, if they go with a more traditional end, will start. Carroll continued to get reps with the first-team defense in practice this week.
--Travis Tucker was on the exercise bike along with Corey Dauphine when I got there today. I'm not sure what his injury is, but he looked OK walking around. He is not slated to play this year anyway.