The most interesting thing I found out at practice today was a change in routine for Thanksgiving morning, something coaches usually hate. Willie Fritz has given anyone not on the traveling team permission to leave and go home after the team meal in the morning, so Tulane will have only 75 practice players available for its Thursday workout.
"It will be a little bit different tomorrow with not as many bodies out here for the Thursday practice," Fritz said. "So we'll have to add some extra scout team guys."
Obviously, Fritz is not going to pull anyone who is not on the team to practice. Simple math says with first and second teams on offense and defense adds up to 44 players, and discounting the five kickers who usually make the trip, that leaves 26 players available for the scout team. Tulane's big practices are Tuesday and Wednesday, but it is interesting that Fritz is changing the routine. Maybe this has been done forever. I don't believe I have attended a Thanksgiving practice and won't tomorrow because it will be closed.
Fritz also said backup redshirt freshman linebacker Lawrence Graham might be available to play Saturday and will make the trip. I don't think anyone foresaw him being back that quickly after he was knocked unconscious against Houston. It's terrific news.
"He should be able to play this week," Fritz said. "What happened really was he had a contusion in that area (on his head). If it were something more serious, we wouldn't have had him on the sideline in the second half. He's doing good, surprisingly so."
The key for Tulane's defense will be not letting big plays or even touchdowns bother it. SMU is going to get is yards and score some points, but bouncing back from those moments will determine the outcome. It would be nice if Tulane was as good in the red zone as it was against Houston, holding the Cougars to three points total in their first three red zone trips, but that's not realistic.
"They are a very high scoring team," Fritz said. "We've got to do whatever it takes to win the game, whether that's holding them down or scoring a bunch of points. We only need to score 1 more than they do. They have a good group of receivers, no doubt about it. They are going to get some first downs, there's no doubt about that, but we need to stay over the top and tackle. We've got to make a 6-yard catch a 6-yard gain. We've got to provide some pressure and get (QB Ben Hicks) off his spot. When we do that, we cover a lot better with our linebackers and secondary. They have a lot of shifts and formations and motions. We've just got to have cats on cats."
SMU's three key receivers--LSU transfer Trey Quinn, redshirt junior Courtland Sullivan and sophomore James Proche--have combined for 193 catches, 2,722 yards and 27 touchdowns. Quinn, a possession receiver from Barbe High in Lake Charles with legit speed that belies the label, leads the nation with 100 catches after setting a national high school record for career receiving yards. He caught only five passes in his second year at LSU, so the former top-100 recruit transferred to SMU because of coach Chad Morris, who recruited him to Clemson when he was offensive coordinator there and made it an almost 50-50 decision between Clemson and LSU.
"He's such a dynamic player," defensive coordinator Jack Curtis said. "He's Houdini catching the ball. Anything that's close to him, he comes down with it. He's made some very acrobatic catches. They'll line him everywhere. They do a good job of trying to get you to create mismatches that they want. They've lined him up 1, 2, 3, he's everywhere, so you really can't get a bead on that. At times we'll try to match up on him, but they have as good a receiving corps as you'll see."
While Quinn averages only 10.5 yards per catch, Sutton averages 16.2 and can join him in the 1,000-yard club with 90 yards on Saturday. Tulane did a good job on Sutton last year, limiting him to two catches for 25 yards. He was considered a likely first-round draft pick if he had turned pro as a redshirt sophomore after catching 76 passes for 1,246 yards. Opponents tend to concentrate on him more than anyone else, possibly resulting in his lower totals this season.
"He has such a big frame, he's got good speed, he can shield his body and he's extremely talented," Curtis said. "Some of the pro scouts said he's the best player in the state of Texas. He'll be a high, high draft pick."
Proche torched Tulane as a freshman last year, making six catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the Mustangs' come-from-behind 35-31 homecoming victory at Turchin Stadium. He averages an amazing 30.5 yards on his 37 catches.
"He's in a good situation because everybody wants to double the other two," Curtis said. "He's good enough to beat you. He's as good as most folks in this league."
The good news is Tulane can match up with cornerbacks Parry Nickerson and Donnie Lewis, plus Jarrod Franklin has been covering much better lately at nickel. The safeties are a concern with Rod Teamer struggling at times in coverage against Houston and freshman Chase Kuerschen looking a little slow against passing teams, but at least Tulane has guys who won't be overwhelmed.
"We'll match up and we can battle them," Curtis said. "I don't think we're like, oh, we can't cover them, we're going to play off. That would be about the worst thing you can do. They'll torch you. You have to be able to step up the challenge. I think our guys are ready for it. They'll do that. and you have to understand they are going to make some catches. You get back in the huddle and get ready for the next play. They are going to score some points. They've done it against everybody. We are going to have to be at our very best and try to play keep-away from them like our offense does and not play the 80-snap game."
Hicks is a rhythm passer. Teams that stay in the same defensive alignment against SMU are asking for trouble.
"You've got to give him a different look all the time," Curtis said. "If you don't, he'll tear you up."
SMU also has a good running game. Xavier Jones has 981 yards on 161 carries (6.1 average) with nine touchdowns. Braeden West, who had 119 yard and two touchdowns on 22 carries against Tulane last year, has 505 yards on 63 attempts (8.0 average). Sophomore Ke'Mon Freeman, a short-yardage specialist, has nine rushing touchdowns and 486 yards (4.0 average).
"There's a reason they are ranked 10th in the country in total offense," Curtis said. "We've given up some big plays recently, but the thing we've done a nice job is coming up with some big-time stops. Fourth and 1, fourth and 2, some of the third downs and 3."
The return of Robert Kennedy will be particularly helpful against the run. Tulane had a stout, physical playerin Eldrick Washington before he suffered a season-ending ACL tear against FIU, but Kennedy is stout, physical and productive. He has eight tackles in the last two games-Washington had six in five.
"He's active and he makes some plays," Curtis said. "We missed that physicality. It's nice to have that physical player, especially to stop some of that run stuff on the short-yardage calls."
"It will be a little bit different tomorrow with not as many bodies out here for the Thursday practice," Fritz said. "So we'll have to add some extra scout team guys."
Obviously, Fritz is not going to pull anyone who is not on the team to practice. Simple math says with first and second teams on offense and defense adds up to 44 players, and discounting the five kickers who usually make the trip, that leaves 26 players available for the scout team. Tulane's big practices are Tuesday and Wednesday, but it is interesting that Fritz is changing the routine. Maybe this has been done forever. I don't believe I have attended a Thanksgiving practice and won't tomorrow because it will be closed.
Fritz also said backup redshirt freshman linebacker Lawrence Graham might be available to play Saturday and will make the trip. I don't think anyone foresaw him being back that quickly after he was knocked unconscious against Houston. It's terrific news.
"He should be able to play this week," Fritz said. "What happened really was he had a contusion in that area (on his head). If it were something more serious, we wouldn't have had him on the sideline in the second half. He's doing good, surprisingly so."
The key for Tulane's defense will be not letting big plays or even touchdowns bother it. SMU is going to get is yards and score some points, but bouncing back from those moments will determine the outcome. It would be nice if Tulane was as good in the red zone as it was against Houston, holding the Cougars to three points total in their first three red zone trips, but that's not realistic.
"They are a very high scoring team," Fritz said. "We've got to do whatever it takes to win the game, whether that's holding them down or scoring a bunch of points. We only need to score 1 more than they do. They have a good group of receivers, no doubt about it. They are going to get some first downs, there's no doubt about that, but we need to stay over the top and tackle. We've got to make a 6-yard catch a 6-yard gain. We've got to provide some pressure and get (QB Ben Hicks) off his spot. When we do that, we cover a lot better with our linebackers and secondary. They have a lot of shifts and formations and motions. We've just got to have cats on cats."
SMU's three key receivers--LSU transfer Trey Quinn, redshirt junior Courtland Sullivan and sophomore James Proche--have combined for 193 catches, 2,722 yards and 27 touchdowns. Quinn, a possession receiver from Barbe High in Lake Charles with legit speed that belies the label, leads the nation with 100 catches after setting a national high school record for career receiving yards. He caught only five passes in his second year at LSU, so the former top-100 recruit transferred to SMU because of coach Chad Morris, who recruited him to Clemson when he was offensive coordinator there and made it an almost 50-50 decision between Clemson and LSU.
"He's such a dynamic player," defensive coordinator Jack Curtis said. "He's Houdini catching the ball. Anything that's close to him, he comes down with it. He's made some very acrobatic catches. They'll line him everywhere. They do a good job of trying to get you to create mismatches that they want. They've lined him up 1, 2, 3, he's everywhere, so you really can't get a bead on that. At times we'll try to match up on him, but they have as good a receiving corps as you'll see."
While Quinn averages only 10.5 yards per catch, Sutton averages 16.2 and can join him in the 1,000-yard club with 90 yards on Saturday. Tulane did a good job on Sutton last year, limiting him to two catches for 25 yards. He was considered a likely first-round draft pick if he had turned pro as a redshirt sophomore after catching 76 passes for 1,246 yards. Opponents tend to concentrate on him more than anyone else, possibly resulting in his lower totals this season.
"He has such a big frame, he's got good speed, he can shield his body and he's extremely talented," Curtis said. "Some of the pro scouts said he's the best player in the state of Texas. He'll be a high, high draft pick."
Proche torched Tulane as a freshman last year, making six catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the Mustangs' come-from-behind 35-31 homecoming victory at Turchin Stadium. He averages an amazing 30.5 yards on his 37 catches.
"He's in a good situation because everybody wants to double the other two," Curtis said. "He's good enough to beat you. He's as good as most folks in this league."
The good news is Tulane can match up with cornerbacks Parry Nickerson and Donnie Lewis, plus Jarrod Franklin has been covering much better lately at nickel. The safeties are a concern with Rod Teamer struggling at times in coverage against Houston and freshman Chase Kuerschen looking a little slow against passing teams, but at least Tulane has guys who won't be overwhelmed.
"We'll match up and we can battle them," Curtis said. "I don't think we're like, oh, we can't cover them, we're going to play off. That would be about the worst thing you can do. They'll torch you. You have to be able to step up the challenge. I think our guys are ready for it. They'll do that. and you have to understand they are going to make some catches. You get back in the huddle and get ready for the next play. They are going to score some points. They've done it against everybody. We are going to have to be at our very best and try to play keep-away from them like our offense does and not play the 80-snap game."
Hicks is a rhythm passer. Teams that stay in the same defensive alignment against SMU are asking for trouble.
"You've got to give him a different look all the time," Curtis said. "If you don't, he'll tear you up."
SMU also has a good running game. Xavier Jones has 981 yards on 161 carries (6.1 average) with nine touchdowns. Braeden West, who had 119 yard and two touchdowns on 22 carries against Tulane last year, has 505 yards on 63 attempts (8.0 average). Sophomore Ke'Mon Freeman, a short-yardage specialist, has nine rushing touchdowns and 486 yards (4.0 average).
"There's a reason they are ranked 10th in the country in total offense," Curtis said. "We've given up some big plays recently, but the thing we've done a nice job is coming up with some big-time stops. Fourth and 1, fourth and 2, some of the third downs and 3."
The return of Robert Kennedy will be particularly helpful against the run. Tulane had a stout, physical playerin Eldrick Washington before he suffered a season-ending ACL tear against FIU, but Kennedy is stout, physical and productive. He has eight tackles in the last two games-Washington had six in five.
"He's active and he makes some plays," Curtis said. "We missed that physicality. It's nice to have that physical player, especially to stop some of that run stuff on the short-yardage calls."