| FTBL It's Tuesday, so early thoughts on Tulane...call this pt. 1.

[TerryP]

I started looking over the defensive front of Tulane this morning...

LDE
92 Reggie Scott (6-4, 260, Sr.-R)
93 Logan Kelley (6-2, 246, Jr.)

Scott played in all 12 games last year, Kelley in 11. Scott led the defensive line in tackles and was ranked 10th on their team in total number of tackles. (27) Kelley, 17 total.

LDT
97 Julian Shives-Sams (6-3, 282, Sr.-R)
96 Tony Bryant (6-3, 263, So.-R)

Shives-Sams played in 11 games last year, Bryant in 7. Shives-Sams and Bryant weren't in the top 20 on the team in number of tackles, combined.

RDT
62 Oscar Ponce de Leon (6-2, 302, So.-R)
60 Chris Asumnu (6-2, 285, Fr.)

Neither played had any contributions to the team last year.

RDE
90 Adam Kwentua (6-3, 250, Jr.)
95 Justin Adams (5-11, 260, So.)

Kwenta played in all 12 games, was 5 places behind Scott in terms of tackles with 20. Justing Adams was a few spots behind him.

SLB
6 Travis Burks (6-0, 215, Jr.)
44 Jordan Ellis (6-1, 215, Sr.)

Burks played in 11 games last year, had the same number of tackles as Kwenta. Ellis played in one more game, again like Burks and Kwenta, 20 tackles.

MLB
34 Evan Lee (6-1, 236, Sr.)
55 David Kirksey (6-1, 224, Jr.-R)

Even was the man of their defense last year. Lead the team in tackles, played in all 12 games. Kirksey contributed about as much as Scott, their LDE.

WLB
31 Devin Holland (6-0, 205, So.)
53 James McMurchy (6-1, 229, Jr.-R)

Holland saw action last year in 10 games, had 24 tackles on the season. McMurchy contributed very, very little.

___________

Synopsis.

The weakness of their DL is going to be facing the left side of our line. (Another good reason to sit Andre for the game)

Here's what strikes me as interesting.

If you look across their DL you see this:

260 lbs. vs 300 lbs RT and RG
282 lbs. vs 300 and 305 lbs C and RG
302 lbs. vs 305 and 300 lbs C and LG
250 lbs. vs 300 and 295 lbs LG and LT (minus Andre)

Their linebackers 236 in the middle, 205 and 215 on the outside.

Now if you look at our offensive line versus their defensive line you can expect one thing. No, you can count on one thing. We'll get a huge surge every time we come off the ball.

Then, with that, you can expect our RB's to be facing their LB's. IF we just take Ingram and Coffee, only their MLB has more mass, but we saw what "more mass" means when it runs against either player last weekend.

GAMEPLAN:

We are going to run, run, and then maybe run again. It's in the numbers folks, we have a size and strength advantage across the board.

If Andre was playing, which he still might, I'd say the majority of the time we'd run behind the left side of the line. Now, right, left, center, end...doesn't matter.

They will not be able to stop us running the ball.

Word from our players and our staff is that we barely scratched the surface of what we have installed on offense when you saw the game this past weekend.

This weekend? Same thing. You won't see anything different and don't need to see anything different.

Over/under on rushing yards Saturday?

Over 200.

 

[Guest]

Over 250

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

Do what works & perfect it against these guys! Beat them like a drum.

I have no qualms about predicting over 300 yards rushing. None whatsoever. If we don't, it will be b/c we wanted to try execution in the passing game OR we ran out the clock too fast running the ball so much.

 

[Birmingham]

I have a different feeling about games like this. I think It is best described :

Big games (ranked opponent) = nervous
regular games (team we should beat) = worried


I just want to see us put together a complete season instead of a few mental lapses.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

I have a different feeling about games like this. I think It is best described :

Big games (ranked opponent) = nervous
regular games (team we should beat) = worried


I just want to see us put together a complete season instead of a few mental lapses.

I can totally relate to your perspective.

My view has nothing to do w/ what we've seen the past 15 seasons. If I was to make an assesment based on the previous seasons I'd concur, wholeheartedly.

It is just that things seem different this time. It is hard to explain w/o emphasizing the faith, trust, & confidence in what is happening under CNS.

We will just have to wait & see.

 

[Guest]

250+

I agree Gecko, I just don't think CNS will let these players lose focus. I also think the leadership won't allow it. The leaders are tired of losing, and if/when we lose a game this year, it won't be because the players gave up or lost focus.

 

[Guest]

I liked what JPW said after the game. After one of the better games of his career he was concerned that we had "left some points on the field". That is the kind of attitude that will keep him working to get better.

 

[aMAZEnFan]

My take on this game is split 50-50:

I would love for us to play a fast-paced, hurry-up type of game to start. You know, like shock and awe? Score as many points as possible in the 1st half. And then run the ball the rest of the way.

But my gut is telling me we will play a very vanilla, conservative-type game like we did against Clemson. I know the game plan will be predicated on what Tulane does defensively. Take what the D gives, if you will!!!

I don't care which one we do really, just as long as we dominate the trenches!!!

I see a 250-passing, 250-rushing business-like performance!

 

[milliondollarfan19]

who do yall think will get the most carries in this game? receptions? wonder if Tulane will cover JJ like clemson did...

 

[tidenumber1]

I have a different feeling about games like this. I think It is best described :

Big games (ranked opponent) = nervous
regular games (team we should beat) = worried


I just want to see us put together a complete season instead of a few mental lapses.

I can totally relate to your perspective.

My view has nothing to do w/ what we've seen the past 15 seasons. If I was to make an assesment based on the previous seasons I'd concur, wholeheartedly.

It is just that things seem different this time. It is hard to explain w/o emphasizing the faith, trust, & confidence in what is happening under CNS.

We will just have to wait & see.

I totally agree with you guys. I think this is where the season really begins now and we can truly see the identity of this team.
It is easy to get ready for a team like Clemson. Their is no need to try to get your players excited they no doubt already were. The true test comes this week and next. How pumped up do they get to play these teams.
That being said I have the utmost confidence that Saban will have them ready. He showed that in his presser after the game. I really think we will no longer be afraid of these teams as a fanbase after this year.
This is no doubt going to be a very exciting year.

 

[ExiledTidefan]

We are all understandably a bit nervous about the game this Saturday. I don't think anyone SERIOUSLY thinks we will lose, and I don't either. But I do get concerned about letting a weaker team catch us without our trousers up. I don't see any way that Tulane's talent can match up to Bama's. Add in the fact that Tulane is here in Birmingham practicing at Samford all week, and things just don't look good for them.

My big focus for Saturday is not get concerned by a 10-15 point win (meaning, a disappointing performance). Rather, we should be focused on installing more offense, being consistent on defense, and working in some of the other guys who don't get to play as much. The Freshmen need to be playing their butts off, but the upper classmen should get a break.

One more thing: NO INJURIES. I don't Ingram or Coffee getting hurt (or anyone for that matter) but the playmakers have to be taken care of. Same goes for Smith and Wilson. If they need to come out because things are getting a bit hairy, then so be it. I'd rather not try to run up a score like UF in '05 and lose someone permanently.

 

[aMAZEnFan]

Well, you will have to get a sizable cushion in order to get several guys significant playing time. This game will have to mirror or surpass last year's home opener against Western Carolina!

 

[imported_Porter]

I would agree. I think we will push them around up front pretty good with or without Smith. 225-250'ish on the ground and a lot of "moving the chains" offense. I think we will see Maze and Scott get some touches.

 

[NTT]

I know this is looking ahead but, I think we could go into Athens and really not have shown our full arsenal. But I don't want the WR's to get down or bored out there by running all over everybody so maybe we should get them some balls. But wouldn't it be nice to go into Athens and them not having seen much of the passing game at all.

 

[Guest]

A little OT, but does anyone know if you can DVR games that you order on Gameplan? I wanna order the Tulane game, but I won't be able to watch it live.