Freshman Angelo Anderson, one of the most highly rated members of a highly rated signing class, moved from scout team defense to regular defense today and may make his season debut against Temple. He looks good and was lining up inside of Patrick Johnson in the early reps he received against the scout-team offense and at defensive end in the later reps. Carlos Hatcher did not practice and was on crutches, so there is an opening on the depth chart. Hatcher's 10 tackles are the most for a reserve, with Darius Hodges right behind at 9, Adonis Friloux at 8, Eric Hicks and Noah Seiden at 5 and Alfred Thomas at 4.
Anderson looks the part. The question is his lack of experience and health.
"He (Anderson) did a nice job prior to getting injured, but we want to be careful," Willie Fritz said. "He's definitely going to play this year but we don't want to rush him into it if he's not ready to go. We're kind of talking about that."
Marvin Moody was back at practice today, so Tulane will have its full compliment of four starter-quality linebackers against Temple. Kevin Henry continues to work out in a no-contact jersey, but he looks totally fine and is not missing any of his normal reps.
Cornelius Dyson got reps at free and strong safety today. He made a nice tip over the middle to break up a pass.
No Amare Jones again today. We'll see if he is ready by Saturday.
Since Fritz talked about how Tulane was good at getting teams in third-and-long yesterday but poor at getting off the field in those situations, I decided to chart every third down in the first six games. I got an average of third-and 7.7 yards but cannot find any stats for college football on the internet. You probably have to subscribe to advance metrics for a fee to get those numbers, but 7.7 sounds like a long distance.
SOUTH ALABAMA (8 for 17)
3-4: rush for minus-2.
3-13: completion for 32 yards
3-9: INC
3-14: completion for 23 yards
3-1: rush for 18
3-10: completion for 34 yards and TD
3-5: completion for 27 yards
3-25: INC
3-13: Sack for minus-6 by Sample
3-2: rush for minus 2
3-6: sack for -11 by Patrick Johnson
3-10: INC
3-8: completion for 12
3-5: completion for 10
3-3: completion for 15
3-7: sack for -10 by Patrick Johnson
3-21: INC
Navy (5 for 16)
3-5: rush for minus-3
3-10: rush for 1
3-6: rush for 3
3-7: rush for 2
3-8: rush for minus-6
3-4: rush for 1
3-7: completion for 7
3-1: rush for 5
3-18: rush for 2
3-G-1: rush for TD
3-6: INC
3-3: rush for 2
3-2: rush for 2
3-10: rush for minus-1
3-8: rush for 9
3-3: rush for 1
USM (6 for 17)
3-7: completion for 9
3-7: completion for 22
3-10: INT
3-4: completion for 1
3-1: rush for 4
3-9: INC
3-9: INC
3-12: rush for 1
3-3: rush for 3
3-5: completion for 4 (converted 4th)
3-7: INC
3-13: INC
3-10: sack for minus-8 (Sample)
3-14: sack for minus-7 (Patrick Johnson)
3-11: Sack for minus-7 (Friloux)
3-13: completion for 15
3-3: completion for 12
HOUSTON (6 FOR 13)
3-6: rush for 2
3-4: INC
3-11: completion for 19
3-G-1: NG (scored next play)
3-10: completion for 22
3-1: rush for 2
3-10: completion for 23 and TD
3-14: INC
3-3: rush for 4
3-1: rush for 2
3-4: completion for 3 (converted 4th down)
3-19: rush for 1
3-5: rush for minus-1
SMU (10 for 18)
3-3: completion for 31
3-5: INC
3-4: completion for 4
3-2: completion for 23
3-11: completion for 41
3-7: sack for minus-6 (Jeffery Johnson)
3-5: completion for 10 and TD
3-5: rush for 6
3-10: rush for 14
3-16: rush for 6
3-21: completion for 61
3-5: rush for NG
3-10: sack -10 (Kevaris Hall)
3-8: completion for 22
3-5: completion for 8
3-11: completion for 40
3-11: INC
3-4: rush for 2
UCF (10 of 17)
3-5: rush for 6
3-G-6: NG
3-2: rush for 6
3-6: completion for 23
3-5: INC (failed on 4th down)
3-3: rush for 5
3-2: rush for 5
3-2: rush for 3
3-3: rush for 8
3-12: INC (TD on fourth down)
3-8: completion for 41 and TD
3-10: completion for 9 (converted 4th down)
3-8: INC
3-24: Sack minus-4 (Nick Anderson)
3-1: rush for 5
3-6: rush for 4 (converted 4th down)
3-2: rush for 4
Comment: Opponents have converted a whopping 17 third downs of 7 or more yards, including nine of 10 or more. Again, although I don't have numbers to compare it, too, I've been watching college football long enough to know those are very high numbers. Tulane has to get better in third and long.
That said, Tulane also has given up 11 touchdown drives when the opponent never faced a third down, another one when Navy's only third down was from the 1-yard line and another when SMU did not face a third down until throwing for a 10-yard score on third-and-5. The Wave's defensive problems, particularly defending the pass, have been multiple, but getting better on third-and-long would be a good start for improvement.
Anderson looks the part. The question is his lack of experience and health.
"He (Anderson) did a nice job prior to getting injured, but we want to be careful," Willie Fritz said. "He's definitely going to play this year but we don't want to rush him into it if he's not ready to go. We're kind of talking about that."
Marvin Moody was back at practice today, so Tulane will have its full compliment of four starter-quality linebackers against Temple. Kevin Henry continues to work out in a no-contact jersey, but he looks totally fine and is not missing any of his normal reps.
Cornelius Dyson got reps at free and strong safety today. He made a nice tip over the middle to break up a pass.
No Amare Jones again today. We'll see if he is ready by Saturday.
Since Fritz talked about how Tulane was good at getting teams in third-and-long yesterday but poor at getting off the field in those situations, I decided to chart every third down in the first six games. I got an average of third-and 7.7 yards but cannot find any stats for college football on the internet. You probably have to subscribe to advance metrics for a fee to get those numbers, but 7.7 sounds like a long distance.
SOUTH ALABAMA (8 for 17)
3-4: rush for minus-2.
3-13: completion for 32 yards
3-9: INC
3-14: completion for 23 yards
3-1: rush for 18
3-10: completion for 34 yards and TD
3-5: completion for 27 yards
3-25: INC
3-13: Sack for minus-6 by Sample
3-2: rush for minus 2
3-6: sack for -11 by Patrick Johnson
3-10: INC
3-8: completion for 12
3-5: completion for 10
3-3: completion for 15
3-7: sack for -10 by Patrick Johnson
3-21: INC
Navy (5 for 16)
3-5: rush for minus-3
3-10: rush for 1
3-6: rush for 3
3-7: rush for 2
3-8: rush for minus-6
3-4: rush for 1
3-7: completion for 7
3-1: rush for 5
3-18: rush for 2
3-G-1: rush for TD
3-6: INC
3-3: rush for 2
3-2: rush for 2
3-10: rush for minus-1
3-8: rush for 9
3-3: rush for 1
USM (6 for 17)
3-7: completion for 9
3-7: completion for 22
3-10: INT
3-4: completion for 1
3-1: rush for 4
3-9: INC
3-9: INC
3-12: rush for 1
3-3: rush for 3
3-5: completion for 4 (converted 4th)
3-7: INC
3-13: INC
3-10: sack for minus-8 (Sample)
3-14: sack for minus-7 (Patrick Johnson)
3-11: Sack for minus-7 (Friloux)
3-13: completion for 15
3-3: completion for 12
HOUSTON (6 FOR 13)
3-6: rush for 2
3-4: INC
3-11: completion for 19
3-G-1: NG (scored next play)
3-10: completion for 22
3-1: rush for 2
3-10: completion for 23 and TD
3-14: INC
3-3: rush for 4
3-1: rush for 2
3-4: completion for 3 (converted 4th down)
3-19: rush for 1
3-5: rush for minus-1
SMU (10 for 18)
3-3: completion for 31
3-5: INC
3-4: completion for 4
3-2: completion for 23
3-11: completion for 41
3-7: sack for minus-6 (Jeffery Johnson)
3-5: completion for 10 and TD
3-5: rush for 6
3-10: rush for 14
3-16: rush for 6
3-21: completion for 61
3-5: rush for NG
3-10: sack -10 (Kevaris Hall)
3-8: completion for 22
3-5: completion for 8
3-11: completion for 40
3-11: INC
3-4: rush for 2
UCF (10 of 17)
3-5: rush for 6
3-G-6: NG
3-2: rush for 6
3-6: completion for 23
3-5: INC (failed on 4th down)
3-3: rush for 5
3-2: rush for 5
3-2: rush for 3
3-3: rush for 8
3-12: INC (TD on fourth down)
3-8: completion for 41 and TD
3-10: completion for 9 (converted 4th down)
3-8: INC
3-24: Sack minus-4 (Nick Anderson)
3-1: rush for 5
3-6: rush for 4 (converted 4th down)
3-2: rush for 4
Comment: Opponents have converted a whopping 17 third downs of 7 or more yards, including nine of 10 or more. Again, although I don't have numbers to compare it, too, I've been watching college football long enough to know those are very high numbers. Tulane has to get better in third and long.
That said, Tulane also has given up 11 touchdown drives when the opponent never faced a third down, another one when Navy's only third down was from the 1-yard line and another when SMU did not face a third down until throwing for a 10-yard score on third-and-5. The Wave's defensive problems, particularly defending the pass, have been multiple, but getting better on third-and-long would be a good start for improvement.
