Green Wave Battles LSU Saturday
Aug 27, 2001 | Football
Aug. 27, 2001
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Tulane at #14 LSU
September 1, 2001
7 p.m. CDT
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Tiger Stadium
FACTS ON THE WAVE
2001 Record: 0-1
2001 C-USA Record: 0-0
Head Coach: Chris Scelfo
Alma Mater/Year: NE Louisiana '85
Record at Tulane/Years: 10-14/3rd
Overall Record/Years: Same
Football SID: Donna Turner
SID Phone: 504-865-5506
SID Fax: 504-865-5512
SID e-mail: dturner1@tulane.edu
Website: www.TulaneGreenWave.com
THE SERIES
Overall: LSU leads 63-23-7
In Baton Rouge: LSU leads 28-10-1
Last Meeting: LSU 35, Tulane 17
Nov. 23, 1996 in Baton Rouge
First Meeting: Tulane 34, LSU 0
Nov. 25, 1893 in New Orleans
Of Note: The series between these intrastate rivals resumes after a five-year hiatus, and the game will be played in September for the first time in 94 meetings. LSU has won the last 13 games between these teams, dating back to a 31-28 victory by the 1982 Green Wave in Baton Rouge. Tulane has played LSU more than any other opponent in its history. The teams met 33 times as members of the SEC from 1933-1965 with LSU owning a 24-5-4 record in those contests.
TU HEAD COACH CHRIS SCELFO
In his third season as the Tulane head coach, Chris Scelfo, one of the youngest head coaches in NCAA Division I-A, has a career record of 10-14. A 1985 graduate of Northeast Louisiana University (now Louisiana-Monroe), Scelfo began his coaching career at his alma mater and made coaching stops at Oklahoma (1986-87), Marshall (1990-95) and Georgia (1996-98) before becoming Tulane's head coach. A native of New Iberia, La., Scelfo has already surpassed the two-year victory total of every Tulane coach since 1966 except two and he is one of just three TU coaches to see an increase of three or more wins between their first and second seasons.
THIS WEEK'S NOTES
"The Most Important Game"
As Chris Scelfo says (weekly), "the Most Important Game on the schedule is the next one," and for Tulane (0-1), that is this week's contest with Louisiana State. In one of the most anticipated games in Louisiana in years, Tulane travels up I-10 to Baton Rouge for its first meeting with its intrastate rival in five years. The game was scheduled to be the season opener for both teams until the Wave added the BCA Classic over the summer.
Not Home Yet
Although closer to home, Tulane takes to the road for the second straight week. Tulane was 2-4 away from the Superdome a year ago and is 0-1 so far in 2001 after falling at BYU last week. The Wave recorded road wins over SMU and UL-Lafayette last year. All-time, the Green Wave is 128-257-4 in road games (includes away and neutral) for a winning percentage of .334.
Taking on the Ranked
Tulane is 19-97-2 all-time versus teams ranked in the Top 25 after falling to ranked teams Ole Miss and Southern Miss during the 2000 season. LSU is the first ranked team on the Green Wave's schedule for 2001. Tulane is looking for its first win over a Top 25 ranked team since 1982, when the Wave defeated then-No. 12 LSU, 31-28. Since that time, Tulane is 0-24 vs. the Top 25.
SEC Game
The Green Wave is 156-230-24 all-time against foes from its former conference, the SEC. In away games with SEC teams, Tulane is 41-82-1. TU was a member of the SEC from 1933-65. Tulane has played SEC teams more often than teams from any other league.
Camp Hammond
The Green Wave spent 16 days practicing in Hammond, La. during the preseason, returning to New Orleans on August 18th. For the last several years, Tulane has travelled across Lake Ponchartrain to hold preseason drills in Covington, La., but this was its first "camp" in Hammond, where Tulane used the facilities of Southeastern Louisiana University. Ninety players, as well as the coaches and trainers, managers, video and strength staffs, lived in the dorms, met in the classrooms of the business school, ate in the cafeteria and used the locker rooms, training room and fields of the Southeastern athletic program.
Taking the Lead
At the conclusion of preseason drills, five players were elected the 2001 permanent team captains by their teammates. Senior quarterback Patrick Ramsey was elected a captain for the second consecutive season while his offensive senior teammates wide receiver Terrell Harris and Torie Taulli were also selected. On defense, a pair of juniors were elected team captains -- defensive end Floyd Dorsey and strong safety Terry Fontenot.
Schedule Turnaround
After playing at BYU last week, Tulane won't leave the state again for five weeks. The LSU contest is the second of seven road games for the Green Wave this year, but in contrast to 2000, when Tulane played its last three games of the year at home (and won them all to finish 6-5), this year's schedule is front-loaded, with three home games in September in addition to the two early road contests. Beginning October 6, the Wave will play just two home games and five away contests, including four of the last five games of the year on the road.
Slate of Winners
Tulane plays by far its toughest schedule of the Chris Scelfo Era in 2001 as the Wave will take on nine teams that posted winning records in 2000, including six bowl teams. Only two teams on this year's schedule posted losing records a year ago. In all, the 2001 opponents went 78-61 last season.
Blood is Thicker?
This week's intrastate battle is sure to see some family members lined up on opposite sides but perhaps none so definitively as the video coordinators for both schools. Older brother Albert is in his fifth year as the video coordinator at Tulane. He succeeded his brother, Doug, at Tulane when Doug left for yes, you guessed it, LSU. While the brothers share a lot of family secrets, many passed down from their father, Erby, who both Doug and Albert worked for with the New Orleans Saints, be assured they won't be sharing much -- videotape, information, phone calls or game tickets, this week.
Test of Twin Ties, Too
This week's game is another test of family ties for the Mitchell's of New Iberia. Joe Mitchell is a sophomore offensive guard for the Green Wave. Although his twin brother, Zack, is not a member of the football team, he is a sophomore student at LSU. It will be up to the twins' father, Zack, Sr., a tight end at Tulane from 1974-77, to break that family loyalty "tie".
Homecoming
Saturday's game provides a homecoming of sorts for four Tulane players who are also natives of Baton Rouge. Sophomore running back Mewelde Moore, a Belaire High product, redshirt freshman tackle Jimmy Kosienski, who prepped at Redemptorist, true freshman offensive lineman Kass Kemper from Catholic High and Episcopal High grad Trey Godfrey will all get a chance to play in front of the home folks, even though they will be wearing green.
On The Watch
Four Tulane players have been named to Watch Lists for four separate national awards this preseason. Senior quarterback Patrick Ramsey was named to the Watch List for the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award, junior kicker Seth Marler -- a semifinalist last year -- is on the list for the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation's top kicker. Running back Mewelde Moore, the Conference USA Freshman of the Year last season, is an early candidate for the Doak Walker Award while senior punter Casey Roussel, who finished last year with the sixth-best punting average in the nation, is on the Watch List for the Ray Guy Award given to the nation's top punter.
Savvy Senior
Tulane offensive tackle Corey Sewell made his 35th career start versus BYU last week, working at left tackle. The resilient senior from LaPlace has started every game of his career, beginning with the first game of his freshman year in 1998 through last week. Last season, Sewell played every play except for six during the year -- 891 snaps.
Speaking of Starts
In contrast to Sewell, three members of the Green Wave offense made their first career starts last week, including Sewell's line-mates Brendon Drysdale (Soph.) at left guard and Derick Bugg (Jr.) at right tackle. The other first-time starter was sophomore wide receiver Nick Narcisse. Although not in on the first snap, true freshman tight end Bobby Hoover is the Green Wave's top tight end.
Speaking of Starts II
On the other side of the ball, only three players on the Tulane defense have started 10 games or more in their careers -- end Floyd Dorsey started his 19th game versus BYU, tackle Roxie Shelvin made his 14th career start and defensive end Glenn Lemoine now has 11 career starts. The remainder of the defensive players have each started less than 10 games with four of those -- linebackers David Dorsey, Daniel Nevil and Wesley Heath and safety Terry Fontenot, with less than five starts each.
Back for Moore
Fresh off a summer playing minor league baseball and a record-setting rookie year, Mewelde Moore proved that his freshman year was not a fluke with a career-high 176 yards on 22 carries Saturday at BYU. Moore was named the Offensive Player of the Game by Tulane coaches. In addition to his rushing yards, 75 of which came on a career-long touchdown run five plays into the game, Moore caught five passes for 66 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In all, he scored three of Tulane's five TDs, matching his scoring total in all of last year. His 252 all-purpose yards were one of the top tallies in school history. He has six 100-yard games in 11 career starts and passed the 1,000-yard mark in career yards. Entering the year, the Baton Rouge native ranked fifth in the nation among returning players in receptions by a running back. (For more on Moore, see page 5.)
Here Come the Rookies
Fourteen freshmen -- nine first-year players and five redshirts -- saw action for Tulane in the season opener last Saturday. Entering this week, Brandon Spincer (LB), Brandon Rottmayer (DE), Tra Boger (SS) and Bobby Hoover (TE), are all already listed as the starters or co-starters at their respective positions as is DL Wallace Mateen, who did not see action last week. Other rookies on the two-deep who played versus BYU include true freshmen Darren Sapp (CB), Laine Sambrooks (TE), Jay Ashton (DE) and redshirts Jimmy Kosienski (OT), Blake Baker (LB), Edgar Algere (LB) and Chris Bush (WR). Additional freshmen who saw time versus BYU and are threatening to move up on the depth chart are WR Carl Davis, RB Jeff Sanders and RB Jeff Kirven.
A Tale of Two Corners
Two of the most interesting stories of the Green Wave preseason can be found in the defensive backfield, where Jeff Sanchez and Trey Godfrey have both made a name for themselves. Sanchez, a junior from Meraux, opened last season as the Wave's starting running back before Mewelde Moore emerged as the primary ballcarrier. Sanchez went down with an ankle injury and missed five games, during which time he made the decision to return to defensive back. According to coaches, he had the best spring of any defensive player and nailed down the starting right cornerback job this preseason.
Godfrey literally came out of nowhere to earn a starting job in the Wave's nickel package, and a scholarship in the process. A three-sport star at Baton Rouge's Episcopal High, Godfrey went to Wofford College in South Carolina in 1998 where he did not see any action. He enrolled at Tulane and walked on to the football team last fall where he continued to progress and move up the depth chart. After an excellent spring and a good preseason, Godfrey was awarded a scholarship following preseason drills.
Prolific Punter
Not only is Tulane punter Casey Roussel set to ink his name permanently in the Green Wave record books, the senior from Paulina, La., is one of the nation's best with a legitimate claim to All-America candidate status. Roussel finished sixth in the nation in punting a year ago with an average of 44.2 yards per kick, had 17 punts of 50 or more yards and five of over 60 yards. Just 26 of his 59 punts were returned a year ago and 13 were downed inside the 20-yard line. (See more on Roussel on page 5 of this release.)
Same Name
With the addition of the freshmen Traina twins -- center Joe and guard Matt -- Tulane now features eight sets of players who share the same last name. Of those, only the Traina's are related. There are two each of Browns (Quentin and Winfred), Dorseys (Floyd and David), McGees (Chris and Cletus), Mitchells (Joe and Adrian), Sewells (Corey and Emmanuel), Smiths (Alvin and Tristan) and three Williams' (Roydell, Marcus and Chris) - all unrelated. However, two other players on the squad are related -- New Iberia's Jamal Jones (CB) and Joe Mitchell (OG) are cousins.
Coming Attractions
Tulane heads to the Superdome for the rest of September. First, the Wave opens Conference USA play with one of the C-USA favorites for 2001, East Carolina, next week. After its lone open date of the year Sept. 15, Tulane welcomes UCF (Sept. 22) and Southern (Sept. 29) to the 'Dome.
