Tulane Ready For The Golden Knights
Sep 18, 2001 | Football
Sept. 18, 2001
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2001 Cumulative Stats in PDF Format
UCF AT TULANE
September 22, 2001
2:30 p.m. CDT
New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana Superdome
FACTS ON THE WAVE
2001 Record: 0-3
2001 C-USA Record: 0-1
Head Coach: Chris Scelfo
Alma Mater/Year: NE Louisiana '85
Record at Tulane/Years: 10-16/3rd
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
FACTS ON THE KNIGHTS
2001 Record: 0-2
Head Coach: Mike Kruzcek
Alma Mater/Year: Boston College '76
Record at UCF/Years: 20-15/4th
Overall Record/Years: Same
Football SID: John Marini
SID Phone: 407-823-2729
SID Fax: 407-823-5266
SID e-mail: jmarini@ucf.edu
Website: www.ucfathletics.com
THE SERIES
Overall: First Meeting
Of Note: These teams begin a three-game series with the contest in New Orleans. Tulane is scheduled to travel to Orlando on Sept. 14, 2002 with UCF coming back to New Orleans Oct. 25, 2003. Tulane is the first of three Louisiana opponents for the Golden Knights. UCF is one of two NCAA Division I-A independents that Tulane will take on in 2001.
TULANE 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 10-16. 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.
OF NOTE
"The Most Important Game"
As Chris Scelfo says (weekly), "the Most Important Game on the schedule is the next one," and for Tulane (0-3), that is this week's contest versus UCF in the Superdome. The two teams have never previously met.
Welcome 'Dome
All-time, the Green Wave is 68-83 (.450 winning percentage) in games played in the Superdome, which dates back to the 1975 season. Tulane is in its 27th season playing in the Superdome. A year ago, the Green Wave went 4-1 at home, falling only to Southern Miss at home while defeating C-USA foes Houston, Cincinnati and Memphis, and Navy. Since the beginning of the 1997 season, Tulane is 17-6 (.739) in games played in the Superdome. That includes an 0-1 mark in 2001 as TU dropped its home opener to East Carolina two weeks ago.
Florida Foes
Tulane is 11-30-3 all-time versus teams from the state of Florida as it opens a series with a new Sunshine State rival, UCF. The Green Wave is 6-13-2 all-time versus Florida, winless in 10 meetings with Florida State and 5-6-1 versus Miami. The record also includes a loss to Tampa in 1968.
Schedule Turnaround
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.
Younger and Younger
Through the first three games of the 2001 season, 17 freshmen -- 12 first-year players and five redshirts have seen action for Tulane. Three different true freshmen, Brandon Spincer (LB), Brandon Rottmayer (DE) and Tra Boger (SS) have started games for the Green Wave, and Bobby Hoover (TE) is listed as the starter or co-starters at their respective positions. Seven true freshmen have seen action on defense for Tulane, including Spincer, Rottmayer, Boger, Jay Ashton, Darren Sapp, Wallace "Bam" Mateen and Chris Williams. Another three true freshmen -- Hoover, Laine Sambrooks (TE) and Carl Davis (WR) have played on offense for the Wave.
On The Watch
Four Tulane players have been named as candidates for five national awards this preseason. Senior quarterback Patrick Ramsey was named one of just 20 candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to the nation's top senior quarterback. Ramsey previously 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 one of just three sophomores on the Watch List 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.
Fit As Four Fiddles
Despite playing a no-huddle offense that features an average of nearly 50 passes a game (148 in three games so far this year) and almost always employs a three- or four- wide receiver set, Tulane has relied nearly exclusively on just five receivers. So far this year, those five primary receivers have been seniors Terrell Harris and Zander Robinson, sophomores Roydell Williams and Nick Narcisse, and freshman Carl Davis. In the East Carolina game, the five and running back Mewelde Moore were the only players to catch a pass with the receivers totalling 22 catches for 222 yards. Versus LSU, the five receivers combined to catch 18 passes for 292 yards with three players (Williams, Harris and Robinson), each catching a 40-plus yard pass and all going for more than 79 yards on the night. On the season, the four starters (Harris, Williams, Robinson, Narcisse) have caught 66% of the passes (51 out of 77 total completions) for 77% ( 661 yards out of 920) of the passing yards.
Ramsey's TD Streak
Tulane QB Patrick Ramsey owns the longest current streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass in the nation with 24, as the senior has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game in which he has started during his Green Wave career. The Ruston, La. native has tossed seven TD passes in the first three games this year.
Ramsey on the Charts
Ramsey also continues to chase Shaun King on the Tulane career record charts. Ramsey now needs just 34 pass completions to overtake King in that category, while he trails the current Tampa Bay Buc by 118 pass attempts (1,163 to 1,045). He is third in passing yardage, behind both King and Terrence Jones and trails King in touchdown passes by 13 (70 to 57). He is Tulane's all-time leader in 300- and 400-yard passing games and leads the Tulane career lists in most of the per game averages. He owns the Top 6 single game completion marks and 11 of the top 12 games in single game pass attempts.
It's Good to Receive, Too
Record-setting rookie Mewelde Moore leads the nation's running backs in receiving yards with 19 catches for 183 yards to date. A centerfielder for the Idaho Falls Padres this summer, Moore tallied the seventh 100-yard game of his 13 game-career with 107 yards versus East Carolina. Only one man in the 108-year history of Tulane Football has had more 100-yard games. Moore also had his second game of 246 all-purpose yards or more with 246 in the ECU game to go with the 252 he racked up versus BYU. Moore rushed for a career-high 176 yards on 22 carries in the season opener at BYU. The super sophomore leads Conference USA by more than 40 yards per game with his average of 204.3 all-purpose yards per game. That total is also good for fourth in the nation. He has already surpassed his touchdown total of a year ago.
Savvy Senior
Tulane offensive tackle Corey Sewell made his 37th career start versus East Carolina. The resilient senior from LaPlace, La. 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.
Different Senior Stories
Entering UCF game week, Tulane lists NO seniors among its defensive starters while just three seniors -- LB David Dorsey, DE Glenn Lemoine and CB Trey Godfrey --are listed ANYWHERE on the defensive two-deep. By contrast, the Tulane offense features veteran senior starters like Corey Sewell (37 starts), Patrick Ramsey (24) and Torie Taulli (24) as well as four other of their senior classmates (Chrys Bullock, Terrell Harris, Zander Robinson, Charles Caldwell) in the starting line-up.
Marler is Money
Junior Seth Marler connected on the longest field goal of his career, a 53-yard blast, versus East Carolina. The kick was also the second-longest in Tulane history and was the longest by a Tulane kicker since Tony Wood kicked a 53-yarder vs. Kentucky in 1984. With his first field goal of 2001, a 26-yarder versus LSU, Marler continued his streak of perfection from inside the 40-yard line. The Lilburn, Ga. native is now 11-of-11 from inside the 40 since the end of the 1999 season. For his career, Marler is 14-for-14 on field goals of less than 30 yards. He has hit both of the field goals he has attempted this year.
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. Here are the 2001 opponents, along with last year's record and bowl appearance.
BYU 6-6 --
TCU 10-2 Mobile, Ala.
LSU 8-4 Peach
UAB 6-5 --
East Carolina 8-4 galleryfurniture.com
Army 1-10 --
UCF 7-4 --
Louisville 9-3 Liberty
Southern (I-AA) 6-5 NA
Navy 1-10 --
Cincinnati 7-5 Motor City
Southern Miss 8-4 Mobile, Ala.
Great Grad Rates
Tulane student-athletes, and Tulane football players, were near the very top of the Division I-A lists when the NCAA released its annual graduation rate report last week. The graduation rate for ALL Tulane student-athletes who entered the school in 1994-95 was 75%. On the football side, Tulane's graduation rate of 89% for the six-year cohort topped every school in Conference USA, every school in Louisiana and nearly every school in the nation.
Tailgating Returns
After a successful debut season, the "Tulane Tailgate Area" returns for all Green Wave home games this year. A centralized area for tailgating has been set aside on top of the southwest parking garage at Gate G of the Superdome, complete with live music, interactive games for the kids, face-painting, food, appearances by the Tulane cheerleaders and mascots, merchandise sales, and the Tulane pregame radio show. Groups can reserve spaces, along with tents and tables, and can bring their own food or secure food from the on-site vendors. All Tulane fans are invited to the area to soak up some pre-game college football atmosphere.
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.
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.
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.
Coming Attractions
Another first-time opponent, Southern (Sept. 29), will be Tulane's foe in the first-ever Big Easy Classic meeting in New Orleans next Saturday. The Green Wave then takes to the road for a C-USA match-up with Cincinnati before returning home for a Homecoming meeting with the league's newest member, TCU.
ON THE AIR
Tulane-UCF TV
The Tulane-Central Florida game will be broadcast live back to Florida on the Sunshine Network. Andrew Monaco will handle the play-by-play call while Jay Gruden provides color commentary.
Tulane ISP Radio Network
WTIX-FM (94.3) in New Orleans is the flagship station of Tulane's 12-station network. Jim Freeman, in his first season as the "Voice of the Green Wave," provides play-by-play while Steve Barrios returns with color commentary and Todd Graffagnini is the sideline reporter.
Market Station Frequency
Alexandria KDBS-AM 1410
*Amite WABL-AM 1570
*Baton Rouge WSKR-AM 1210
Bogalusa WBOX-FM 92.9
+Chattahoochee (FL) WTCL-AM 1580
*Lafayette KROF-AM 960
Lake Charles KEZM-AM 1310
*Morgan City KMRC-AM 1430
*New Orleans WTIX-FM 94.3
Shreveport KEEL-AM 710
^Thibodaux KTIB-AM 640
West Monroe KWJM-FM 92.7
*Also carries Coaches' Call-In Show
^Partial football schedule
Coaches' Call-In Show
Head Coach Chris Scelfo will be the featured guest on the Tulane Coaches' Call-In Show every Monday from 7-8 p.m. beginning August 20th. Jim Freeman and Tulane AD Rick Dickson will co-host the show, which will be take place live at Superior Grill on St. Charles Ave. in New Orleans.
Chris Scelfo TV Show
The Chris Scelfo Show will air weekly in New Orleans on WDSU-TV every Sunday night at 11:05 p.m., and on Cox Cable Mondays at 8 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. The show will also air on Comcast Sports South. Check local listings for those weekly times.
TulaneGreenWave.com
Tulane game broadcasts and Call-In Shows, as well as Coach Scelfo's portion of the weekly Conference USA Coaches' Teleconference, can be heard on the internet through Tulane's official athletic department website, www.TulaneGreenWave.com. The site is the stop for all the latest information on Tulane Athletics, including player features, Ask the Coach and AD, statistics and game reports.
