(10-02-2018 08:03 AM)ucbandguy Wrote: It's a minor challenge to get my head around "Tulane may be our toughest opponent thus far." I think a lot of us had written off Tulane as an also ran this year. Did not expect them to dominate Memphis - especially after the OSU beatdown.
Once again, this is what is great about college football. You gotta do it on the field. What the commentators say doesn't matter (expect to make some fans mad.)
Maybe I am just different, but I actually knew that Tulane was going to be tough this year. They were 5-7 last year, and could have easily had 7-8 wins (they lost to us by 1, Navy by 2, USF and SMU by 3). They return 9 starters on offense last year, including their stud QB Jonathan Banks and their two best WR's. Willie Fritz is one of the best coaches in the league and had been successful everywhere he has run this system.
They key to beating them is simple in theory: run the football on them and stop their ground game. Of course that is easier said than done. They don't run the pure triple option like Navy, but IMHO their hybrid, zone option, multiple-look offense is even more dangerous because you have to pick your poison. You shut one aspect of the game down you have to worry about the other. Tulane is rushing 204 yards per game led by Darius Bradwell, Corey Dauphine (a Texas Tech transfer who is averaging 10 yards a carry and has 5 TDs) and Banks. Their best two WR's average 18 yards a catch.
Tulane shut down Memphis' ground game, holding them to just 31 yards. Memphis has some pretty good backs so that is quite impressive. That being said UAB was able to run on this team so it is not unheard of. Tulane's secondary was expected to be the strength of their defense, but it looks like teams have been able to throw the ball on them (Wake Forest threw for 378 yards).
UC is going to need to do what they've been doing all year: run the ball behind Mike Warren and Co. and continue to pick their spots throwing the ball to its usual suspects: Deguara, Lewis, Geddis, Maderis, et al.