Butts in the Seats

[DfromCT]

It's not like McMillan was lights out once he took over. He didn't turn the ball over often, but that's about the best that you can say about his play. Ok, I'll give you that he was somewhat sneaky quick. But his passing left a whole lot of room for improvement, and there were quite a few games he BADLY missed wide open receivers. 79 completions on 154 attempts for an average of 8 yards per attempt is very pedestrian, at best. We expect more with a better offense, but let's not think we've got a Heisman candidate taking snaps.

Again, I'm hoping for a lot of good things from this season's team. But we were barely .500 last year, and I'm not sold on the fact that the program has truly turned the corner. To use a fellow poster's name, I want them to SHOW ME, which 7=6 last year did not accomplish.

[wave97]

Butch Davis will have the disadvantage of preparing for the game with nothing more than Cure Bowl film.

[wave97]

Butch Davis will have the disadvantage of preparing for the game with nothing more than Cure Bowl film.

[Wave755]

It's not like McMillan was lights out once he took over. He didn't turn the ball over often, but that's about the best that you can say about his play. Ok, I'll give you that he was somewhat sneaky quick. But his passing left a whole lot of room for improvement, and there were quite a few games he BADLY missed wide open receivers. 79 completions on 154 attempts for an average of 8 yards per attempt is very pedestrian, at best. We expect more with a better offense, but let's not think we've got a Heisman candidate taking snaps.

Again, I'm hoping for a lot of good things from this season's team. But we were barely .500 last year, and I'm not sold on the fact that the program has truly turned the corner. To use a fellow poster's name, I want them to SHOW ME, which 7=6 last year did not accomplish.

Under McMillan we were .833, winning 5 of his 6 starts last season.

[DfromCT]

It's not like McMillan was lights out once he took over. He didn't turn the ball over often, but that's about the best that you can say about his play. Ok, I'll give you that he was somewhat sneaky quick. But his passing left a whole lot of room for improvement, and there were quite a few games he BADLY missed wide open receivers. 79 completions on 154 attempts for an average of 8 yards per attempt is very pedestrian, at best. We expect more with a better offense, but let's not think we've got a Heisman candidate taking snaps.

Again, I'm hoping for a lot of good things from this season's team. But we were barely .500 last year, and I'm not sold on the fact that the program has truly turned the corner. To use a fellow poster's name, I want them to SHOW ME, which 7=6 last year did not accomplish.

Under McMillan we were .833, winning 5 of his 6 starts last season.

No argument about that.

But he also completed 51% of his passes and averaged 8 yards per attempt. Far from even average AAC QB stats.

[Bicoastalwave]

Only 35 days to go . . .

[Wave755]

It's not like McMillan was lights out once he took over. He didn't turn the ball over often, but that's about the best that you can say about his play. Ok, I'll give you that he was somewhat sneaky quick. But his passing left a whole lot of room for improvement, and there were quite a few games he BADLY missed wide open receivers. 79 completions on 154 attempts for an average of 8 yards per attempt is very pedestrian, at best. We expect more with a better offense, but let's not think we've got a Heisman candidate taking snaps.

Again, I'm hoping for a lot of good things from this season's team. But we were barely .500 last year, and I'm not sold on the fact that the program has truly turned the corner. To use a fellow poster's name, I want them to SHOW ME, which 7=6 last year did not accomplish.

Under McMillan we were .833, winning 5 of his 6 starts last season.

No argument about that.

But he also completed 51% of his passes and averaged 8 yards per attempt. Far from even average AAC QB stats.

This season will tell the tale, but for now it would appear the “only thing” McMillan knows how to do is win.

[nawlinspete]

The FIU game will be our most important game of the season ,
and probably the most important game since we stupidly left the SEC

A win will set up players, coaches and fans with a phenomenal mindset that things are finally going to be truly different . With a win our chances for a better bowl are enhanced as we could well win two or three more regular season game than last year .
A good start should put more students butts into cow/dick along with getting more locals too . Hopefully local media gets behind our men also.
And hopefully a knowledgeable and enthusiastic VOW will also make waves .

Lose and the same old Tulane malaise could again befall us .

[oliveandblue]

The FIU game will be our most important game of the season ,
and probably the most important game since we stupidly left the SEC

A win will set up players, coaches and fans with a phenomenal mindset that things are finally going to be truly different . With a win our chances for a better bowl are enhanced as we could well win two or three more regular season game than last year .
A good start should put more students butts into cow/dick along with getting more locals too . Hopefully local media gets behind our men also.
And hopefully a knowledgeable and enthusiastic VOW will also make waves .

Lose and the same old Tulane malaise could again befall us .

Last year's Navy game was far more critical. That 2 point conversion set the narrative and has helped tremendously on the recruiting trail.

[DfromCT]

Last year's Navy game was far more critical. That 2 point conversion set the narrative and has helped tremendously on the recruiting trail.

That two point conversion was a HUGE change of perception for Tulane Football.

I hope it doesn't come down to that this year. I'm expecting big things from this squad, and might up my win forecast to 8! Then again, I always get this way in mid summer, and Lucy pulls the ball away in the fall! Earlier in the thread I was posting that we need a whole lot more out of McMillan than we got last year, and I truly believe our new OC will demand that, or we'll see the kid from USM. But if we get middle of the pack AAC production from him and our D is as good as we all think it should be, this team could make a whole lot of noise. My negative posts are responses to those that take our opponents for granted. Make no mistake I expect big things from this team.

[winwave]

We need to beat FIU. There is a little momentum here, for once we need to capitalize on it. Lose that game and the casual fan will think it’d business as usual losing to a directional Florida school. Whether that’s the case as we know it if we want to build attendance we have to draw ppl who haven’t been coming.

Yup. We need to win that damn game! We can do it. I honestly think we can beat the shit out of them. We shall see.

Absolutely agree that we need to win the FIU game. I don't know about "beating the shit out" of a well coached Butch Davis team, but just win. A win against FIU will set the tone for the season.

We were the better team in 2017 when we lost to FIU 23 to 10 @ Miami. For that game Banks was 5/16 for 38 yards and one interception, yet FIU was still only up 13 to 10 after three quarters. I am confident Justin McMillan will not go 5/16 on August 29th.

To say we were the better team when we lost by 13 points is kinda like pissing into the wind. Which team took home a "W" that day? You are what your record says you are. Typically, the scoreboard keeps track of which is the better team and unfortunately we lost by DOUBLE DIGITS.

Butch Davis is well paid and he and his staff earn their living just the same as Willie Fritz and the Tulane staff do. That's why they line up and play the game.. We still have ZERO right to look down our noses at any other program. ZERO.

The "Davis Defense" had nothing to do with it, With no passing game at all we had 203 yards rushing and averaged 5 yards a down rushing. Banks "stunk up the place" missing wide open receivers all night long. You can't beat anybody passing for only 38 yards. In the end the defense ran out of gas.

I can't wait for revenge on 8/29 against this CUSA team.

The whole team stunk including the coaching. Look at the stats again. We only attempted 16 passes. Thought we could just go in and play it safe and run the ball . Didn't work. There was a lot more wrong than just Banks performance.

[winwave]

It's not like McMillan was lights out once he took over. He didn't turn the ball over often, but that's about the best that you can say about his play. Ok, I'll give you that he was somewhat sneaky quick. But his passing left a whole lot of room for improvement, and there were quite a few games he BADLY missed wide open receivers. 79 completions on 154 attempts for an average of 8 yards per attempt is very pedestrian, at best. We expect more with a better offense, but let's not think we've got a Heisman candidate taking snaps.

Again, I'm hoping for a lot of good things from this season's team. But we were barely .500 last year, and I'm not sold on the fact that the program has truly turned the corner. To use a fellow poster's name, I want them to SHOW ME, which 7=6 last year did not accomplish.

Under McMillan we were .833, winning 5 of his 6 starts last season.

When we went 5-1 a lot more changed than just the QB. Dauphine was quoted as being grabbed by Fritz on the field after the SMU game and told his touches would be increased. They did to the tune of going from 6 carries a game to 18-20. Both tackles changed. The schedule got easier. Sort of the reverse of USF's schedule. I am hopeful McMillan will be improved with a whole offseason in the program and the new offense under Hall but he has a lot to prove.

[Wave755]

It's not like McMillan was lights out once he took over. He didn't turn the ball over often, but that's about the best that you can say about his play. Ok, I'll give you that he was somewhat sneaky quick. But his passing left a whole lot of room for improvement, and there were quite a few games he BADLY missed wide open receivers. 79 completions on 154 attempts for an average of 8 yards per attempt is very pedestrian, at best. We expect more with a better offense, but let's not think we've got a Heisman candidate taking snaps.

Again, I'm hoping for a lot of good things from this season's team. But we were barely .500 last year, and I'm not sold on the fact that the program has truly turned the corner. To use a fellow poster's name, I want them to SHOW ME, which 7=6 last year did not accomplish.

Under McMillan we were .833, winning 5 of his 6 starts last season.

When we went 5-1 a lot more changed than just the QB. Dauphine was quoted as being grabbed by Fritz on the field after the SMU game and told his touches would be increased. They did to the tune of going from 6 carries a game to 18-20. Both tackles changed. The schedule got easier. Sort of the reverse of USF's schedule. I am hopeful McMillan will be improved with a whole offseason in the program and the new offense under Hall but he has a lot to prove.

If McMillan had quarterbacked for the SMU game we would have won that one too; we only lost the SMU game 27 to 23. Banks gave us a 100% but in the end make one bad on-field decision after another. Even with Ruse as OC but McMillan at QB we won 5 of 6.

[winwave]

First off in that SMU game you also had Banks make a beautiful long throw for what should have been a TD but the receiver tripped over his own feet. Secondly as I said above if we had only changed QB's I could see giving all the credit to McMillan but that's not what happened. Dauphine's touches literally tripled. We got Fisher back at left tackle healthy for the first time. We inserted Claybrook at RT. The schedule got easier. The team went 5-1. As we've seen in all the analysis about our team so far McMillan is seen as an average QB with a lot of room for improvement. With the experience he gained, a full offseason with the team, Howard pushing him and a new OC I'm hopeful we'll see noticeable improvement from him.

[Wave755]

McMillan wasn't ready to play yet, but if he had been with McMillan at quarterback we would have won the UAB game too. The win over Houston in 2017 at Yulman will always be the game Banks can be best remembered for at Tulane.

[DfromCT]

Dauphine carried 6 times in the Navy game and 8 times in the Care Bowl.. He had 18 carries one time last year, and never had 20.

[winwave]

Dauphine carried 6 times in the Navy game and 8 times in the Care Bowl.. He had 18 carries one time last year, and never had 20.

In the three games after SMU he had 18,17 and 17 carries. You're right he never hit 20 but his carries most certainly went up in the last 6 games after the SMU game.

[Bicoastalwave]

If Mcmillan pulls a banks and regresses (highly unlikely) we have howard as QB2who is very familiar with our offense system and is experienced. We didnt have that last year. Fritz will have a quick trigger.

Now theres also the fact that many at LSU thought Mcmillan was better than burrow and won that job. I dont think we have seen the best yet out of Mcmillan.

[DfromCT]

Dauphine carried 6 times in the Navy game and 8 times in the Care Bowl.. He had 18 carries one time last year, and never had 20.

In the three games after SMU he had 18,17 and 17 carries. You're right he never hit 20 but his carries most certainly went up in the last 6 games after the SMU game.

Yes, and Bradwell continued to be the "bell cow" ball carrier. And remember this was at the time last season that you were pleading with us all that we needed to throw more passes, despite the fact that it was a run oriented (for better or worse) offense.

[winwave]

Like I said we started using Dauphine a lot more. In the first two games after SMU Dauphine carried more than him and in the next two they were two carries apart which was much closer than ever before. Everyone kept clamoring for hi mto get the ball more and he did after that. As to passing I asked we be balanced and not be predictable as to when we were going to throw. We did better in that department.

[HoustonWave]

Banks played three half seasons for the Wave. His first 1/3 was poor, he tore it up in the second 1/3 (second half of 2017 season), and totally crashed and burned in the final
1/3 of his Tulane career. He will be remembered, as several other Tulane QBs, as being a below average QB. McMillan is in the similar situation. He won 5 of 6 in the first 1/3 of his Tulane career—hopefully that will continue—we shall see.