Other than offensive tackle John Leglue, who was on the exercise bike when I got to practice, Tulane could have all of its starters available for Saturday's game against Houston as it tries to make a late push and become bowl eligible. Leglue might be back, too, but every other starter from the East Carolina game was in uniform for Tuesday's practice, with nickelback Jarrod Franklin declaring himself a game-time decision while wearing wrapping around an injured elbow.
Glen Cuiellette, who has stood on the sideline for most of the practices this fall, got work as the scout-team quarterback today, simulating Houston's D'Eric King. I like that move because Cuiellette obviously is much better than walk-on P.J. Hurst, the normal scout-team QB, and King has played well since taking over for a struggling Kyle Postma early against South Florida, leading the Cougars to a comeback victory while rushing for 83 yards and two scores and throwing for 137 yards and a touchdown, then starting against ECU and throwing for 330 yards and three TDs.
Cuiellette hooked up with freshman receiver Kevin LeDee a few times. I hesitate to praise scout-team players because I got burned by Devon Breaux, who was sensational on the scout team all the way back in 2012 but never learned how to run routes correctly to take advantage of his athletic gifts, but LeDee looks really good. A year of bulking up the weight room should make him a significant factor next season. He's definitely the most noticeable receiver on the scout team every day.
They brought in Jarrod Franklin, Rae Juan Marbley and Dontrell Hilliard for interviews. Here's what they had to say:
FRANKLIN
How's your elbow, and will you be able to play Saturday?
"Oh yeah, it's good. It was a little elbow incident in the first half (against ECU). It will be a game-time decision seeing how I do throughout the week."
What does the last home game mean to you?
"It's another opportunity for us to come out here and execute. We could possibly be bowl eligible with two more wins, so it gives us more of an incentive to go to work and play hard and motivate these guys throughout practice. That's going to be the big key. Some of the seniors out here, we've got to push them out here harder and harder these last two weeks."
How big is that bowl motivation? In the past you were having to self-motivate by this point because there was no possibility of a bowl.
"We're blessed. There are a lot of teams out there that don't have this opportunity. We have to play to the best of our ability and continue to keep working hard."
What about Houston concerns you the most?
"It's different players but the same high-powered offense that we saw the last couple of years. We know how to play against them. They have some guys that are inexperienced we have to take advantage of. It's going to be a great game."
MARBLEY
Can you reflect on your eventful week?
"Yeah, it's pretty much been an amazing week. My little girl was born Wednesday at 1:14 p.m. I had to rally around my guys and we came out and had a great game, so this whole week's experience is unforgettable. Actually after the game I was in the locker room and cried. It was an unbelievable week for me. it was a dream week. I'm glad I'm able to share this moment with my wife and also my teammates and stuff. It was a very touching moment for me."
Was it hard to focus when you had this great distraction?
"I feel like I used it as motivation. My thing all season is the reason why I hustle is so my little girl can live in paradise. That's been my mindset, to come out and hustle for her and also for the guys around me. The guys in the locker room have been helping me out, running back and forth for doctor's appointments and stuff and making sure they take care of me in the weight room and the locker room. Everybody around me has been really helpful. This has been amazing to use as motivation. I'm definitely going to use it this week. It's fantastic to come out with the W."
Are you going to petition not to practice on Tuesday and Wednesday the rest of the year? It worked well for you last week.
"Actually i was keeping in touch with the other linebackers while I was at the hospital. Zach Harris was shooting me texts about some of the stuff that was going on and he was sending me pictures of all the stuff they saw on film, and I was calling him on the phone. He helped keep me up with what was going on in the football facility while I was taking care of business with my family."
The way the game ended, how much can that help you guys going forward?
"I think it will help us a lot, just like the Army game, it showed that we are capable of handling these things. I definitely believe we are capable of going to a bowl game and winning these last two games. Having that confidence inside of us is really big."
The play at the goal line when you laid the guy out, did you think you were going to get there in time?
"I was just hustling. Relentless effort, I try to give my best at all times. If it happens, it happens, if it doesn't, it doesn't. My main thing is just relentless hustle."
This will be your last home game. What are your thoughts on that?
"It's a crazy feeling. I remember coming in here and running out of the tunnel for the Georgia Tech game, the opening game of Yulman Stadium, and the stadium being packed. I definitely have good memories in here of my teammates and all the wins and the tough losses that we have. The things I've learned in this stadium are going to make me a better person and a better man. This place is a real special place. I love Yulman Stadium."
What do you have to do to beat Houston?
"I think it's mainly focusing on us coming out fast and strong and doing what we need to do on our side of the ball and coming out and playing a good, complete game on offense, defense and kicking game for four quarters."
When you look back at your career, how special is it to still have a bowl within reach?
"Definitely. The year before I came in, we have some fifth-year seniors that actually went to a bowl game, so I remember talking to them before I came in about the experience of having a bowl game. I definitely want the experience of being able to have that myself."
HILLIARD
You are three yards away from 1,000 yards. Only four guys have done it here. What would that mean to you?
"The whole season I've been focusing on the team as far as getting better and winning every game. I've been slowly chipping away at it, and I finally have the opportunity to get 1,000 yards."
Houston is stout in the middle. What do you have to do to have success against them?
"Just come out and play our best game. We have to execute our offense and be full of effort for four quarters."
What are your thoughts about your final home game?
"This came by fast. My freshman year, I never would have thought it would come this fast. My emotions are kind of everywhere, kind of excited and kind of like, this is my last game. It's definitely like all over the place."
You announced yourself with a terrific all-around game in the upset at Houston as a freshman in 2014. What do you remember about that game, and can the memory help you beat them again?
"That game was like yesterday to me, and I do think we have a very good chance of beating them. At the same time saying that, if we come out and play, it's going to be a good game for us."
There is still the potential of a bowl game. How special would that be?
"It's definitely special. We are just going to keep chipping away game by game and play by play and are going to play every play to the best of our ability, and the end of the day we are going to see how that goes for us."
Glen Cuiellette, who has stood on the sideline for most of the practices this fall, got work as the scout-team quarterback today, simulating Houston's D'Eric King. I like that move because Cuiellette obviously is much better than walk-on P.J. Hurst, the normal scout-team QB, and King has played well since taking over for a struggling Kyle Postma early against South Florida, leading the Cougars to a comeback victory while rushing for 83 yards and two scores and throwing for 137 yards and a touchdown, then starting against ECU and throwing for 330 yards and three TDs.
Cuiellette hooked up with freshman receiver Kevin LeDee a few times. I hesitate to praise scout-team players because I got burned by Devon Breaux, who was sensational on the scout team all the way back in 2012 but never learned how to run routes correctly to take advantage of his athletic gifts, but LeDee looks really good. A year of bulking up the weight room should make him a significant factor next season. He's definitely the most noticeable receiver on the scout team every day.
They brought in Jarrod Franklin, Rae Juan Marbley and Dontrell Hilliard for interviews. Here's what they had to say:
FRANKLIN
How's your elbow, and will you be able to play Saturday?
"Oh yeah, it's good. It was a little elbow incident in the first half (against ECU). It will be a game-time decision seeing how I do throughout the week."
What does the last home game mean to you?
"It's another opportunity for us to come out here and execute. We could possibly be bowl eligible with two more wins, so it gives us more of an incentive to go to work and play hard and motivate these guys throughout practice. That's going to be the big key. Some of the seniors out here, we've got to push them out here harder and harder these last two weeks."
How big is that bowl motivation? In the past you were having to self-motivate by this point because there was no possibility of a bowl.
"We're blessed. There are a lot of teams out there that don't have this opportunity. We have to play to the best of our ability and continue to keep working hard."
What about Houston concerns you the most?
"It's different players but the same high-powered offense that we saw the last couple of years. We know how to play against them. They have some guys that are inexperienced we have to take advantage of. It's going to be a great game."
MARBLEY
Can you reflect on your eventful week?
"Yeah, it's pretty much been an amazing week. My little girl was born Wednesday at 1:14 p.m. I had to rally around my guys and we came out and had a great game, so this whole week's experience is unforgettable. Actually after the game I was in the locker room and cried. It was an unbelievable week for me. it was a dream week. I'm glad I'm able to share this moment with my wife and also my teammates and stuff. It was a very touching moment for me."
Was it hard to focus when you had this great distraction?
"I feel like I used it as motivation. My thing all season is the reason why I hustle is so my little girl can live in paradise. That's been my mindset, to come out and hustle for her and also for the guys around me. The guys in the locker room have been helping me out, running back and forth for doctor's appointments and stuff and making sure they take care of me in the weight room and the locker room. Everybody around me has been really helpful. This has been amazing to use as motivation. I'm definitely going to use it this week. It's fantastic to come out with the W."
Are you going to petition not to practice on Tuesday and Wednesday the rest of the year? It worked well for you last week.
"Actually i was keeping in touch with the other linebackers while I was at the hospital. Zach Harris was shooting me texts about some of the stuff that was going on and he was sending me pictures of all the stuff they saw on film, and I was calling him on the phone. He helped keep me up with what was going on in the football facility while I was taking care of business with my family."
The way the game ended, how much can that help you guys going forward?
"I think it will help us a lot, just like the Army game, it showed that we are capable of handling these things. I definitely believe we are capable of going to a bowl game and winning these last two games. Having that confidence inside of us is really big."
The play at the goal line when you laid the guy out, did you think you were going to get there in time?
"I was just hustling. Relentless effort, I try to give my best at all times. If it happens, it happens, if it doesn't, it doesn't. My main thing is just relentless hustle."
This will be your last home game. What are your thoughts on that?
"It's a crazy feeling. I remember coming in here and running out of the tunnel for the Georgia Tech game, the opening game of Yulman Stadium, and the stadium being packed. I definitely have good memories in here of my teammates and all the wins and the tough losses that we have. The things I've learned in this stadium are going to make me a better person and a better man. This place is a real special place. I love Yulman Stadium."
What do you have to do to beat Houston?
"I think it's mainly focusing on us coming out fast and strong and doing what we need to do on our side of the ball and coming out and playing a good, complete game on offense, defense and kicking game for four quarters."
When you look back at your career, how special is it to still have a bowl within reach?
"Definitely. The year before I came in, we have some fifth-year seniors that actually went to a bowl game, so I remember talking to them before I came in about the experience of having a bowl game. I definitely want the experience of being able to have that myself."
HILLIARD
You are three yards away from 1,000 yards. Only four guys have done it here. What would that mean to you?
"The whole season I've been focusing on the team as far as getting better and winning every game. I've been slowly chipping away at it, and I finally have the opportunity to get 1,000 yards."
Houston is stout in the middle. What do you have to do to have success against them?
"Just come out and play our best game. We have to execute our offense and be full of effort for four quarters."
What are your thoughts about your final home game?
"This came by fast. My freshman year, I never would have thought it would come this fast. My emotions are kind of everywhere, kind of excited and kind of like, this is my last game. It's definitely like all over the place."
You announced yourself with a terrific all-around game in the upset at Houston as a freshman in 2014. What do you remember about that game, and can the memory help you beat them again?
"That game was like yesterday to me, and I do think we have a very good chance of beating them. At the same time saying that, if we come out and play, it's going to be a good game for us."
There is still the potential of a bowl game. How special would that be?
"It's definitely special. We are just going to keep chipping away game by game and play by play and are going to play every play to the best of our ability, and the end of the day we are going to see how that goes for us."