Tulsa Game Thread

[tpstulane]

Tulsa opens up a 3.5pt favorite over Tulane

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-foo ... me/2000#BT

[golfnut69]

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-foo ... me/2000#BT

sounds about rite....

[sader24]

That's essentially a Pick Em. If Vegas liked Tulane they would've opened at Tulsa -2.5, if they liked Tulsa it would've opened up at -5. 3.5 basically says it's a Toss Up and we'll let the action dictate. My guess is that come Kickoff it's Tulsa -4.5 or 5. It's really hard to even imagine a line on this game without having seen Tanner Lee play a down. At 2.5 I'd bet Tulsa, at 3.5 I'd stay away, at 4.5 I'd bet Tulane.

[DfromCT]

Ok, we're going to start camp shortly, and the Tulsa game is less than 4 weeks away. It's time to put all the questions about Yulman's capacity, who lied to whom, and all the other peripheral BS to the side. And focus on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

This is a team that OWNED Tulane for most of the time they've been in the conference. Last year, despite them having a down year and Tulane having it's best year in a decade, we barely got by at home. Like Tulane, their Defense figures to be the best unit on their team. Also like Tulane, expectations in the conference are not high (they were picked below Tulane in the meaningless pre-season media poll.) But this program is a proud one, and one of the most successful to come out of C-USA.

In short, they're looking forward to getting off on a winning note, and think Tulane is just the team to play to make that happen. Of the games on the schedule this is one that's very winnable, and their aren't many road games that I can say that about.

We cannot come out and gift wrap points the way we did in many games last year. We have to come out sharp on both sides of the ball, and be damned sure that we limit turnovers in spite of (probably) starting a RS-F at both QB and RB. This needs to be a statement game, on the road, and if we do make a statement at Tulsa's expense, the frenzy will be that much stronger to open Yulman.

Roll Wave!
Beat Tulsa.

[Hornetswave]

Agreed ,,,,Lets Roll !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wave QB]

Yes. This is the most important game of the year. We really need to beat Tulsa on the road to prove that we are the better program 8n this era. A loss to Tulsa will screw up the entire season.

[T1B2TW]

Yes. This is the most important game of the year. We really need to beat Tulsa on the road to prove that we are the better program 8n this era. A loss to Tulsa will screw up the entire season.

Absolutely. And since this is a game which starts the season with the two lowest preseason ranked teams in the AAC, that we would fall into last in the pecking order after week one. Need to get out of the gate in a hurry and build on that. This game can definitely go either way. We need to get the W going into the home opener, for a thousand reasons and more.

[Wave QB]

Yes. This is the most important game of the year. We really need to beat Tulsa on the road to prove that we are the better program 8n this era. A loss to Tulsa will screw up the entire season.

Absolutely. And since this is a game which starts the season with the two lowest preseason ranked teams in the AAC, that we would fall into last in the pecking order after week one. Need to get out of the gate in a hurry and build on that. This game can definitely go either way. We need to get the W going into the home opener, for a thousand reasons and more.

I hope I am not crazy, but I truly believe in CJ's ability to spot talent. He has really increased the talent level on our depth chart. I feel that we are a more talented team than Tulsa and can beat them convincingly. The offensive line must be better than it has been for the past 3 years in order for us to make it to a bowl game.

[Eaglewave]

I think we have more talent than Tulsa as well.

[LSU Law Greenie]

I'll keep this site updated with reports from Tulsa World - the newspaper that covers the Golden Hurricane. I'll try and update the stories every day so we can keep an eye on whats happening with their fall camp.

From Today:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportshomepag ... 94f69.html

Previous Article:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportshomepag ... 0d726.html

[Hornetswave]

thank you

[LSU Law Greenie]

From Tulsa World this afternoon. Couldn't post the link from my iPad. Sorry. But below is the story

"John Klein: Tulsa can get back on top with defense, toughness


Posted: Monday, August 4, 2014 6:30 pm
By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist | 0 comments
Defense was at the heart of a winning formula when Tulsa won Conference USA two years ago.
“We could have a turnover, and we knew we could send our defense out there and force a field goal,” said Tulsa defensive coordinator Brent Guy. “We knew we could get stops and get the ball back to our offense.

“We didn’t have that at the start of last season. But, we developed some of that as the season went on.”
Tulsa desperately needs to generate more offense if it hopes to be a surprise contender in the American Athletic Conference this fall.
However, defense is likely where the Golden Hurricane’s hopes will rise or fall.
TU knows it had a championship-level defense by the end of last season, but by the final month, the season had collapsed and so did the team.
Tulsa went from 2012 Conference USA and Liberty Bowl champions to 3-9.
A speedy recovery is not out of the question, because Tulsa once again should have a pretty mean bite on defense.
“I think we have a chance to be pretty good,” Tulsa head coach Bill Blankenship said.
A year ago, Tulsa’s defense had one returning starter. This year, the Golden Hurricane defense has nine returning starters.
“I just don’t think last year’s group was quite prepared for some of those tough situations,” Guy said. “It wasn’t a surprise. It wasn’t a shock. We had a lot of new guys out there.
“This team is different. We’ve got a lot of experienced guys.”
TU will be very good on the front and back of the defense. The defensive line has as many as seven or eight players who should play a considerable amount.
Safety Demarco Nelson, who missed last season, will return to team with Michael Mudoh to give Tulsa two all-league-caliber players in the secondary.
Everywhere you look on this defense, there are experienced players who went from unsure to steady during last season.
“I’m really excited about our defense,” Blankenship said. “We have seven or eight guys that should rotate in there up front. I think we’ll be pretty good up front.
“Our secondary should be good. Getting DeMarco back out there is great. He makes a big difference every time he is out there.”
Tulsa has a well-earned reputation for offense; the Golden Hurricane’s play on that side of the ball often carried the team in recent years.
Tulsa won 72 games in the eight years before last season. Most of that success was built around offense.
But, when Tulsa won championships in 2005 and 2012, the defense was more than adequate. In fact, in 2012 one could say the Tulsa defense was dominant, allowing the offense to find itself.
In 2012, with a veteran and strong defense, Tulsa transformed itself from a up-tempo pass offense to a brutally efficient power run game.
That would not have happened without a defense that dominated games.
This defense may have to perform at a similar level, especially in the first half of the season as Tulsa tries to find what works on offense.
TU wants to be balanced on offense, but until it gets into a game and sees what will and won’t work, it is anyone’s guess how the Golden Hurricane will move the ball this fall.
In fact, it is likely to change as the season progresses.
What cannot change is how Tulsa plays defense. It needs to be good from the start, since the Hurricane opens the season with Tulane, an American Athletic Conference game.
“I think we have a chance to be the best defense we’ve had in a couple of years,” Nelson said. “We have a lot of guys with experience. We have more speed. I think we’re overall a faster defense than we’ve had in a while. Our guys are stronger.
“I think we are very competitive. Guys have been really competing in practice.”
If nothing else, this is a defense that should be good enough up front to control run teams but fast enough to get pressure on quarterbacks.
Then, with Nelson and Mudoh headlining the secondary, Tulsa should be very effective against the up-tempo pass teams.
“I think we just kind of lost our focus a year ago,” Nelson said. “We lost so many veterans that it was tough last year.
“This is different. We have a lot of guys that have played a lot. They understand how to fight through some adversity. They know what Tulsa defense is all about.”
If Tulsa’s defense can become reliable every week, then TU’s offense will have a cushion and time to grow.
It all works together.
“Our job is to get the ball back as quick as we can,” Guy said.
Read more from John Klein at
tulsaworld.com/johnklein

[LSU Law Greenie]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... 60f77.html

[LSU Law Greenie]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/j ... 2fc10.html

“We had kind of evolved those into a mishmash, certainly in terms of how we communicated our offense,” Blankenship said. “It was a little bit of a grab-bag, so to speak, of things we do. So we just kind of went to the very beginning and we just wiped the board clean and said, ‘All right, who do we want to be? What do we want to do? How do we get everybody on the same page?’ ”

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportshomepag ... 83e22.html

“Dane continues to look, definitely, like our quarterback,” coach Bill Blankenship said at TU’s media day on Monday. “ ... I feel really good about the way he’s taken ownership and leadership and producing.”

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... bad87.html

Opponent watch: Tulane

The Green Wave opened fall camp Monday, and a three-way battle is ongoing at quarterback. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, redshirt freshman Tanner Lee was atop the depth chart following the spring but is still competing with senior Nick Montana (son of Joe Montana) and sophomore Devin Powell.
Tulane’s receiving corps received a boost Monday when freshman Teddy Veal was reinstated after rape charges against him were dropped. Veal enrolled in January and is expected to contribute this season.

[LSU Law Greenie]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... bf9e0.html

Eye in the sky: The literal buzz at Tulsa’s morning session Wednesday was a drone camera hovering above the practice field. The Hurricane is using a drone owned and operated by former walk-on defensive end Trevor Toliver to photograph and record parts of practice, like several other college football teams have done.

[LSU Law Greenie]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... 9d6ff.html

[LSU Law Greenie]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... 65347.html

“I wouldn’t say we’re a good football team yet, but I’d say we’re playing much better,” coach Bill Blankenship said. “I think we’re more efficient on offense and defense. We’re going in the right direction.”

[jonathanjoseph]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... 65347.html

“I wouldn’t say we’re a good football team yet, but I’d say we’re playing much better,” coach Bill Blankenship said. “I think we’re more efficient on offense and defense. We’re going in the right direction.”

Reading into alot and taking my bias into account, this still makes me think Tulane and the points is a really good bet.

[RobertM320]

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-foo ... las-vegas/

Obviously the general public doesn't feel the same. The line is ranging from -4.5 to -5 now.

[jonathanjoseph]

http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-foo ... las-vegas/

Obviously the general public doesn't feel the same. The line is ranging from -4.5 to -5 now.

The general public has every right to expect Tulane is a terrible program given our recent history, nor do I think the general public has ever heard of Tanner Lee.

[RobertM320]

So +5 should be a steal.

[sader24]

I think it'll be up to 6 by kickoff. Doesn't mean anything b/c Tanner Lee and the young WR's are a complete unknown to everyone at this point. Nobody including us really has an idea of how the game is going to go.

[LSU Law Greenie]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... 3cab6.html

[LSU Law Greenie]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... 641c1.html

Of the six cornerbacks on Tulsa’s depth chart, four started at least one game last year and five have playing experience.

[LSU Law Greenie]

Anyone reading this stuff?

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... 3de73.html

Hurricane scrimmages: TU conducted a scrimmage of about 100 plays Wednesday morning, with 40 plays for the first and second strings, and the third string getting the remainder.
The offense picked up several key third downs, and the defense again was solid in the red zone.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/t ... a74df.html