While waiting on the announcement of assistant coaches and the baseball season...
We’ve now played ten seasons since the Katrina year. We’ve had one winning year in that time and gone to one bowl game, one of the least prestigious of them all, against an in-state rival from the Sunbelt, played on our own home field at the time. And we lost that. That was the kind of season (our best in a decade) that gets many coaches fired at schools who give a crap about football. During those ten years we’ve had three head coaches and one interim head coach, all of whom, were failures “on the field.” And our overall record for those years was 34-88.
Yet, we had some good players during the past decade so I thought I’d reminisce a little and suggest an “All Decade Team” from one of the worst ten years in Tulane football history.
OFFENSE
Quarterback: I’d go with Ryan Griffin (2008-2012). He threw the most passes in Tulane history, completed the second most for the second most yards. His career 59.9% completion rate was statistically tied with Mike McKay for first place, though McKay was slightly ahead if you took the stat out a couple more places. Griffin also had the best (meaning lowest) rate of interceptions in Tulane history (2.5%). The only other one to consider, in my view, was Lester Ricard, who didn’t have quite the record that Griffin had with the Wave.
Running Backs: To me, this isn’t close. Matt Forte (2004-2007) and Orleans Darkwa (2010-2013) are #2 and #4 respectively in yards rushing in Tulane history. They are also tied with 39 TD’s for first place in rushing touchdowns. Both were All Conference players and Forte even received some All-American consideration. Andre Anderson had a good career at Tulane and Dontrell Hilliard is developing one, but, at this point and for these ten years, they don’t measure up to Forte and Darkwa.
Wide Receivers: This is another easy choice in my opinion. Jeremy Williams (2005-2009) and Ryan Grant (2009-2013) are #4 and #5 respectively in both receptions and yards receiving at Tulane. Dawson is #6 in receiving TD’s and Williams is #8. Both were All Conference guys and clearly the primary receiving target during their years with the Wave. I really couldn’t even find another receiver to compete with these two over this period.
Tight End: This is a tough one, not because of the competition, but due to the lack of candidates. There were no Rodney Holman’s or Larry Route’s on Tulane rosters during the past ten years. Our current TE’s could eventually approach their “numbers,” however, and appear to be the best of the recent decade, regardless. Charles Jones (2014-2015), with 38 receptions for 323 yards and 6 TD’s, has the clear statistical advantage, however, and would be my choice.
Offensive Line: Tulane hasn’t had a good offensive line in many years, certainly not during the past ten, so finding the best five is tough. To me, two stand out: Troy Kropog (2004-2008) and Andrew Nierman (2007-2010). Kropog started 37 games of the 43 he played and Nierman started all 47 games he appeared in. They were clearly the best linemen of their times and, to me, the best of the past ten years. And, not surprisingly, both stepped into the starting line ups as “true” freshmen. I think Eric Jones (2008-2012), Harris Howard (2008-2011), and Zach Morgan (2009-2013) would fill out my starting five, though none of them ever made 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team “all conference” in CUSA. That they each started at least 33 games in their four years as lettermen is probably the best indicator of their standing among our other linemen. Like I said, tough choices.
We’ve now played ten seasons since the Katrina year. We’ve had one winning year in that time and gone to one bowl game, one of the least prestigious of them all, against an in-state rival from the Sunbelt, played on our own home field at the time. And we lost that. That was the kind of season (our best in a decade) that gets many coaches fired at schools who give a crap about football. During those ten years we’ve had three head coaches and one interim head coach, all of whom, were failures “on the field.” And our overall record for those years was 34-88.
Yet, we had some good players during the past decade so I thought I’d reminisce a little and suggest an “All Decade Team” from one of the worst ten years in Tulane football history.
OFFENSE
Quarterback: I’d go with Ryan Griffin (2008-2012). He threw the most passes in Tulane history, completed the second most for the second most yards. His career 59.9% completion rate was statistically tied with Mike McKay for first place, though McKay was slightly ahead if you took the stat out a couple more places. Griffin also had the best (meaning lowest) rate of interceptions in Tulane history (2.5%). The only other one to consider, in my view, was Lester Ricard, who didn’t have quite the record that Griffin had with the Wave.
Running Backs: To me, this isn’t close. Matt Forte (2004-2007) and Orleans Darkwa (2010-2013) are #2 and #4 respectively in yards rushing in Tulane history. They are also tied with 39 TD’s for first place in rushing touchdowns. Both were All Conference players and Forte even received some All-American consideration. Andre Anderson had a good career at Tulane and Dontrell Hilliard is developing one, but, at this point and for these ten years, they don’t measure up to Forte and Darkwa.
Wide Receivers: This is another easy choice in my opinion. Jeremy Williams (2005-2009) and Ryan Grant (2009-2013) are #4 and #5 respectively in both receptions and yards receiving at Tulane. Dawson is #6 in receiving TD’s and Williams is #8. Both were All Conference guys and clearly the primary receiving target during their years with the Wave. I really couldn’t even find another receiver to compete with these two over this period.
Tight End: This is a tough one, not because of the competition, but due to the lack of candidates. There were no Rodney Holman’s or Larry Route’s on Tulane rosters during the past ten years. Our current TE’s could eventually approach their “numbers,” however, and appear to be the best of the recent decade, regardless. Charles Jones (2014-2015), with 38 receptions for 323 yards and 6 TD’s, has the clear statistical advantage, however, and would be my choice.
Offensive Line: Tulane hasn’t had a good offensive line in many years, certainly not during the past ten, so finding the best five is tough. To me, two stand out: Troy Kropog (2004-2008) and Andrew Nierman (2007-2010). Kropog started 37 games of the 43 he played and Nierman started all 47 games he appeared in. They were clearly the best linemen of their times and, to me, the best of the past ten years. And, not surprisingly, both stepped into the starting line ups as “true” freshmen. I think Eric Jones (2008-2012), Harris Howard (2008-2011), and Zach Morgan (2009-2013) would fill out my starting five, though none of them ever made 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team “all conference” in CUSA. That they each started at least 33 games in their four years as lettermen is probably the best indicator of their standing among our other linemen. Like I said, tough choices.