If Tulane does not go to a bowl game, this will be last practice update of the season because the Thanksgiving workout is closed. I got there earlier than usual today as a result to get a good look.
Although he has not been ruled officially, don't look for safety P.J. Hall to play Saturday. He took a nasty leg injury when his cleat appeared to get stuck in the turf during the Houston game. He is a walking boot and not moving well--I am not even sure he would be ready for a bowl game--but the Green Wave may not need him Saturday anyway. Navy seems like a natural opponent for 2017 starting free safety Chase Kuerschen, may be more suited to facing Navy anyway. He made eight tackles against the Midshipmen a year ago--the third highest total on the team--and forced a fumble at the goal line that Navy recovered for a touchdown anyway.
Roderic Teamer, who left the Houston game early in the third quarterback because he was "banged up" in Willie Fritz's words, was in a red no-contact jersey today without his helmet but stood on the field close to where he would normally stand and took mental reps. His body language indicated he will be ready Saturday, and the Wave will need his tackling ability and experience at the back end of the defense. Taris Shenall joined Kuerschen as the first-team safeties today.
Redshirt freshman cornerback Willie Langham, who actually looked like Antonio Langham when he broke up a pass in the back corner of the end zone against Houston with a terrific rip after the ball hit a receiver in the hands, practiced today. He left against Houston with a leg injury, too, and I don't think he returned, but he was fine today. Langham, I believe, is ticketed for stardom at Tulane as early as next year.
Cam Sample practiced full go today, so he will play Saturday unless he suffers a setback on his injured ankle. He did not get all of his normal reps with the first-team defense, but he got plenty of them. When he was not in there, De'Andre Williams moved to end with Jeffery Johnson, Davon Wright and Patrick Johnson the other first-teamers. Tulane will have to make due without Robert Kennedy, who tore his ACL against Houston, so the the entire defensive front will be freshmen and sophomores, which is not ideal against Navy. Still, the way these guys play, they should handle themselves well against the triple option unless someone is cut blocking them on the knee while they are being engaged by another lineman.
With the injuries in the secondary, Larry Brooks got some reps. He has played in nine games, I believe almost exclusively on special teams, but he almost made the play of the day, ranging across the field to get a hand on a pass and almost bringing it in with that hand before the ball slipped out of his grasp. Keitha Jones got some reps at linebacker, but i don't expect him to play since he already has been in four games this year.
On offense, Keyshawn McLeod has reclaimed his starting spot from Joey Claybrook. McLeod started against Houston and received all of the reps with the first-team unit while I was watching today. Claybrook did not play a down against Houston but was not limited in practice today.
Here is what Fritz had to say.
What happened to Rod Teamer against Houston?
"He got banged up a little bit, so we are being a little slow with him."
How has practice gone this week?
"OK. Not bad. It's a big game. The big thing you want to have is guys that are ascending at the end of the year mentally and physically. We've had very few guys that have been descending and tailing off. We have a bunch of guys that are doing a great job of getting better every single week, and that's what you've got to have."
There are nine fifth-year seniors who have been around the program since 2014--Kendall Ardoin, Terren Encalade, Zach Harris, Devon Johnson, Charles Jones, Robert Kennedy, John Leglue, Donnie Lewis andPeter Woullard. What are your thoughts on them?
"Some of those guys are going to be really successful (in life). They've got a tremendous work ethic. They've embraced a change with coaching and have just been extremely easy to work with. A bunch of those guys I'm really, really proud of. It would be great to give them an opportunity to play in a bowl game. They deserve it. The've worked extremely hard."
What can you say about Darius Bradwell's year?
"He's had a good year. He's gotten better as a player. His blocking, which was something that we've been really working with him on, he's becoming more of a complete player. It's hard to play a guy when there's some things he does well and some things he doesn't do well. He's really improved."
Amare Jones was running hard on kickoff returns and had the touchdown run against Houston. How much has he impressed you?
"He's got a lot of savvy. The game's not too big for him. He loves to compete, get out there and go."
Although he has not been ruled officially, don't look for safety P.J. Hall to play Saturday. He took a nasty leg injury when his cleat appeared to get stuck in the turf during the Houston game. He is a walking boot and not moving well--I am not even sure he would be ready for a bowl game--but the Green Wave may not need him Saturday anyway. Navy seems like a natural opponent for 2017 starting free safety Chase Kuerschen, may be more suited to facing Navy anyway. He made eight tackles against the Midshipmen a year ago--the third highest total on the team--and forced a fumble at the goal line that Navy recovered for a touchdown anyway.
Roderic Teamer, who left the Houston game early in the third quarterback because he was "banged up" in Willie Fritz's words, was in a red no-contact jersey today without his helmet but stood on the field close to where he would normally stand and took mental reps. His body language indicated he will be ready Saturday, and the Wave will need his tackling ability and experience at the back end of the defense. Taris Shenall joined Kuerschen as the first-team safeties today.
Redshirt freshman cornerback Willie Langham, who actually looked like Antonio Langham when he broke up a pass in the back corner of the end zone against Houston with a terrific rip after the ball hit a receiver in the hands, practiced today. He left against Houston with a leg injury, too, and I don't think he returned, but he was fine today. Langham, I believe, is ticketed for stardom at Tulane as early as next year.
Cam Sample practiced full go today, so he will play Saturday unless he suffers a setback on his injured ankle. He did not get all of his normal reps with the first-team defense, but he got plenty of them. When he was not in there, De'Andre Williams moved to end with Jeffery Johnson, Davon Wright and Patrick Johnson the other first-teamers. Tulane will have to make due without Robert Kennedy, who tore his ACL against Houston, so the the entire defensive front will be freshmen and sophomores, which is not ideal against Navy. Still, the way these guys play, they should handle themselves well against the triple option unless someone is cut blocking them on the knee while they are being engaged by another lineman.
With the injuries in the secondary, Larry Brooks got some reps. He has played in nine games, I believe almost exclusively on special teams, but he almost made the play of the day, ranging across the field to get a hand on a pass and almost bringing it in with that hand before the ball slipped out of his grasp. Keitha Jones got some reps at linebacker, but i don't expect him to play since he already has been in four games this year.
On offense, Keyshawn McLeod has reclaimed his starting spot from Joey Claybrook. McLeod started against Houston and received all of the reps with the first-team unit while I was watching today. Claybrook did not play a down against Houston but was not limited in practice today.
Here is what Fritz had to say.
What happened to Rod Teamer against Houston?
"He got banged up a little bit, so we are being a little slow with him."
How has practice gone this week?
"OK. Not bad. It's a big game. The big thing you want to have is guys that are ascending at the end of the year mentally and physically. We've had very few guys that have been descending and tailing off. We have a bunch of guys that are doing a great job of getting better every single week, and that's what you've got to have."
There are nine fifth-year seniors who have been around the program since 2014--Kendall Ardoin, Terren Encalade, Zach Harris, Devon Johnson, Charles Jones, Robert Kennedy, John Leglue, Donnie Lewis andPeter Woullard. What are your thoughts on them?
"Some of those guys are going to be really successful (in life). They've got a tremendous work ethic. They've embraced a change with coaching and have just been extremely easy to work with. A bunch of those guys I'm really, really proud of. It would be great to give them an opportunity to play in a bowl game. They deserve it. The've worked extremely hard."
What can you say about Darius Bradwell's year?
"He's had a good year. He's gotten better as a player. His blocking, which was something that we've been really working with him on, he's becoming more of a complete player. It's hard to play a guy when there's some things he does well and some things he doesn't do well. He's really improved."
Amare Jones was running hard on kickoff returns and had the touchdown run against Houston. How much has he impressed you?
"He's got a lot of savvy. The game's not too big for him. He loves to compete, get out there and go."