Football Heading To Houston
Sep 2, 2002 | Football
Sept. 2, 2002
Complete Release, including Players to Watch and Depth Chart in PDF Format
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Tulane (1-0, 0-0) vs. Houston (1-0, 0-0)
Sept. 7, 2002
7:00 p.m. (CDT)
Houston, Texas
Robertson Stadium (32,000)
Green Wave Facts
2002 Record -- 1-0
2002 C-USA Record -- 0-0
Head Coach -- Chris Scelfo
Alma Mater/Year -- UL-Monroe/1985
Record at Tulane/Year -- 14-22/4th
Overall Record/Years -- Same
President -- Scott Cowen
Athletic Director -- Rick Dickson
Football SID -- Donna Turner
Ticket Office Phone -- 504-861-WAVE
2002 Schedule
8/31 vs. Southern 37-19, W
9/7 at Houston* 7 pm
9/14 at East Carolina* 6 pm
9/21 at Memphis* 7 pm
9/28 TEXAS 2:30 pm
10/5 at UL-Monroe 6 pm
10/12 CINCINNATI* 2:30 pm
10/19 UAB* 2:30 pm
10/26 NAVY (HC) 2:30 pm
11/9 at TCU* 2 pm
11/16 ARMY* 2:30 pm
11/23 SOUTHERN MISS* 2:30 pm
*C-USA Game; (HC) Homecoming game to be played at Tad Gormley Stadium; All times Central.
Cougars' Facts
2002 Record 1-0
2002 C-USA Record 0-0
Head Coach Dana Dimel
Alma Mater/Year Kansas State/1986
Record at Houston/Years 4-19/3rd
Overall Record/Years 30-39/7th
Chancellor Dr. Arthur K. Smith
Athletic Director Dave Maggard
Football SID Chris Burkhalter
Ticket Office Phone 713-743-9444
Website www.uhcougars.com
2002 Schedule
8/31 at Rice 24-10, W
9/7 TULANE* 7 pm
9/14 UL-LAFAYETTE 7 pm
9/21 at Texas 6 pm
10/5 at TCU* 2 pm
10/12 at UAB* 2 pm
10/19 ARMY* 7 pm
11/2 at Memphis* 1 pm
11/9 EAST CAROLINA* 2 pm
11/16 at Cincinnati Noon
11/23 SOUTH FLORIDA 2 pm
11/30 LOUISVILLE* 2 pm
*C-USA Game; All times Central.
Series Facts
Series Record -- Houston leads 4-3
Last Meeting -- 11/4/2000, TU 41-23
In Houston -- Houston leads 3-1
Current Streak -- 1 by Tulane
Scelfo vs. Houston -- 1-1
Tulane Head Coach Chris Scelfo
In his fourth full season as the Tulane head coach, Chris Scelfo owns a career record of 14-22. 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). He coached four teams that played in a I-AA national championship game, two of which won championships. A native of New Iberia, La., Scelfo moved into a tie for 12th place in coaching wins at Tulane with the victory over Southern, ahead of such notables as Mack Brown and Buddy Teevens.
Noting the Green Wave
Hitting the Road
Tulane takes to the road for the first time this season in the first of three straight Conference USA away games. The Green Wave will play five road games in 2002, with three of them to be played in consecutive weeks in September. Tulane is the only I-A school in the nation with three straight conference road games on its 2002 slate.
Opening Act
Tulane won its season opener for the first time since 1998 with a 37-19 victory over intra-state foe Southern in the second Big Easy Classic last Saturday in the Louisiana Superdome. Mewelde Moore ran for 147 yards on 29 carries and caught five passes for 67 yards, including a 44-yard TD pass, to lead the Green Wave offense. Seth Marler kicked three field goals, while Lynaris Elpheage intercepted a pair of passes and the Tulane defense sacked SU quarterbacks six times to secure the win.
First Roadies
In 108 seasons, Tulane is 40-60-1 in road openers, with losses in each of its last three first road games of the year. Why only 40-60-1 in 108 seasons? Tulane did not play a single away game in the 1893, 1903, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1914 and 1918 seasons.
League Openers
In six previous seasons in C-USA, Tulane is 3-3 in its first league game of the year, although the Green Wave has lost three straight C-USA openers -- at Southern Miss (1999) and to East Carolina (away in 2000 and home in 2001).
In Conference
Tulane is 17-20 all-time in Conference USA play. The league moved to an eight-game schedule in 2002 after playing seven games for the last two seasons. In 1996, teams played five league games and the number stood at six from 1997-99. Currently at 10 schools, C-USA will add its 11th football member in 2003 when South Florida becomes a league football school.
Renewing Acquaintances
With the seven-game league schedule of a year ago, Tulane did not play C-USA foes Houston or Memphis in 2001. This meeting will be the first between the teams since 2000, and the first in Houston since the 1999 campaign.
Tulane vs. C-USA
Tulane is 41-58-2 all-time versus teams that currently comprise Conference USA. The all-time series records, both as C-USA members and overall.
When Last We Met
Two seasons ago in the Superdome, the Green Wave began a home finishing run of three straight wins with a 41-23 win over the Cougars in the Superdome. In that game, Patrick Ramsey threw touchdown passes to four different receivers to record his second straight 300-yard passing day as Tulane overcame 7-0 and 10-7 deficits to claim the victory. Tulane's defense recorded a season-high five sacks and Mewelde Moore ran for 118 yards on 22 carries in the contest.
Offensive Output
The Tulane offense has become a juggernaut under Chris Scelfo, achieving unprecedented levels of success matched by very few teams across the nation. In fact, Tulane is one of only two Division I-A teams in the nation (along with Louisiana Tech) that has ranked in the Top 12 in passing offense AND in the top 30 in total offense over each of the last three seasons. In the last three years, Tulane has been 12th (2001), third (2000) and fifth (1999) in passing offense, and has been 28th, seventh and 18th in total offense for those same years.
Back for Moore
Last week, Tulane running back Mewelde Moore picked up right where he left off last year with his record-tying 13th career 100-yard game, finishing with 147 yards on a career-high 29 carries and 67 receiving yards on five catches. His 44-yard TD catch and run in the fourth quarter gave Tulane a 27-6 lead, effectively sealing the victory. His 214 all-purpose yards last week rank him fifth on the NCAA stats this week while his rushing total puts him 14th.
Moore in '01
Moore is coming off one of the best offensive seasons in Green Wave history as he broke the Tulane and Conference USA records for rushing yards with 1,421, and for all-purpose yards with 2,259. In fact, Moore's 2,259 all-purpose yards, which consisted of his rushing, receiving (756) and return (82) yards, were the 23rd-highest single season total in NCAA history as he ranked third in the nation in all-purpose yards. Moore became the first player in NCAA Division I-A history to rush for more than 1,250 yards and to catch more than 60 passes in a single season. He led Tulane in catches in addition to his rushing prowess.
MeweldeMoore.net
The latest information on Tulane running back Mewelde Moore, a candidate for All-America honors who has already been named to the Watch List for the 2002 Doak Walker Award, is available on a special promotional website at www.MeweldeMoore.net. The site features Moore's latest statistics and a statistical review of his career, links to stories and news releases on the Baton Rouge running back, and his current standings in the Tulane record book, among other features. Moore is the top returning receiver at running back in the nation as he averaged 5.4 catches per game a year ago and opened with five catches in the Tulane opener.
Record Breakers
Three Tulane players set or tied Green Wave career records during the win over Southern. Defensive end Kenan Blackmon became the school's career sack leader with his takedown of SU quarterback Quincy Richard in the fourth quarter. Blackmon now has 16.5 career sacks as he moved ahead of Mark Olivari. Kicker Seth Marler hit three field goals versus Southern to surpass Brad Palazzo for the Green Wave career record for threes with 49. Marler also tied the C-USA career field goals mark in the game and can claim sole possession of the record with his next three-pointer. Marler currently shares the record with Memphis' Ryan White. Mewelde Moore, meanwhile, earned his 13th career 100-yard rushing day to tie Eddie Price atop the TU lists.
Record Watch
Moore is taking aim at Tulane great Eddie Price's career rushing record in just his third season. A professional baseball player in the San Diego Padres organization during the summer, Moore now needs 637 rushing yards to break Price's mark of 3,095 yards compiled between 1946-1949. The junior from Baton Rouge already owns or shares 12 Tulane rushing records. For the latest record charts, see page seven of this release.
Double Duty
In his first game as Tulane's kicker and punter, senior All-American Seth Marler performed admirably in both roles. Marler, who won the Lou Groza Award a year ago after hitting 15-of-16 field goals, including seven-of-seven from 40-plus yards, made three of four field goals to become Tulane's career leader, kicked six of his eight kickoffs into the endzone and punted six times for a 34.5-yard average. His best punt of the day, a 57-yarder, was erased by a penalty, but Marler's six punts were returned for only nine yards. Last year, Marler became Tulane's first first-team All-American since 1987 when he was tabbed to the Football Writer's squad. He was working with a new holder, Chino Fontenette, and a new deep snapper, walk-on Lane Macaluso, Saturday.
Texas & Houston Ties
Tulane boasts 21 Texans on its current active roster, including a Houston area contingent of nine players, four of whom were members of the Green Wave's 2002 signing class. Tulane added Memorial High's Michael Roberts, Katy's Taurean Brown (Cinco Ranch HS), Kingwood's Tye Graham and Spring's Robert Hand (Klein Oak HS) to a group of Houston players that includes linebacker Blake Baker (Clear Lake HS), running back Chino Fontenette (North Shore), defensive lineman Laine Sambrooks (Kingwood), tight end Bobby Hoover (Katy Taylor) and linebacker Nick Simpson (M.B. Smiley). Roberts and Graham saw their first collegiate action last week while all the returning players except Sambrooks, who has been injured, also played last week.
Big Shoes
California native J.P. Losman takes over as the Green Wave's starting quarterback, following in the footsteps of current NFL'ers Patrick Ramsey and Shaun King. King set nearly every Tulane passing and total offense record from 1995-98 but his marks were eclipsed by Ramsey, a first round draft choice of the Washington Redskins last year. Losman already has a start on the record books, though. The junior has started one game in each of the last two seasons. His 384 passing yards versus Army last season rank eighth on the single-game passing chart. He also passed for 299 yards at East Carolina two seasons ago. Losman completed 13-of-23 passes for 183 yards and two TDs in his debut as the full-time starter.
Staff Switches
Defensive coordinator Eric Schumann made his Tulane coaching debut versus Southern after joining the Green Wave last January from SMU, where he spent the previous five seasons leading one of the top defenses in the Western Athletic Conference. Schumann's SMU defense was ranked No. 22 in the nation in total defense last year. One familiar face in a new position for the Green Wave is Brad Smiley, who spent the last two seasons on the staff as a graduate assistant before being elevated to tight ends coach in January.
Young at Heart
Despite returning 12 starters, including 10 seniors, on defense this year, the Green Wave features a young team overall with 39 freshmen and redshirt freshmen on the 86-man roster. Twelve of those rookies are listed on the two-deep this week, including true freshman Anthony Cannon at weak side linebacker. The majority of the freshmen, though, are on the offensive side of the depth chart, including a pair of redshirt freshmen listed as starters on the left side of the offensive line in tackle Chris McGee and guard Matt Traina.
First Action
Sixteen players saw their first game action in a Green Wave uniform versus Southern, including six true freshmen and six redshirt freshmen. The true freshmen included starting linebacker Anthony Cannon and Lithonia, Georgia cornerback Sean Lucas, who picked up a fumble and scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Also making an immediate impact were defensive end Michael Roberts, defensive back Tommy Griffin, Jr., fullback Tye Graham and second team tight end Jerome Landry. A pair of redshirt freshmen made their debuts in starting roles as Chris McGee and Matt Traina manned the left side of the offensive line for the Wave and played all game. 2001 redshirts CB Bruce Youmans, WR Cletus McGee, LB Anthony Mason and DB Winfred Brown also saw action for the first time. Transfers Brandt Quick (LB, Kansas State) and Nick Simpson (LB, Oklahoma) made their Tulane debuts as did starting free safety Joey Dawson, who walked on to the team last spring, and sophomore deep snapper Lane Macaluso.
New Starters
Nine players made their first career starts versus Southern, including five players on offense, three of whom were offensive linemen -- Matt Traina, Chris McGee and Jimmy Kosienski. Receivers James Dunn and Chris Bush join the group on offense as rookie starters. Defensively, senior Chris Washington, a converted linebacker, made his first career start as a defensive end while former walk-on Joey Dawson made an impact with the first sack of the 2002 season. Linebackers Blake Baker, and Anthony Cannon also made their debuts in the starting line-up.
Captain My Captain
Four players were elected the permanent team captains for 2002 by their teammates at the conclusion of preseason camp. A pair of juniors -- running back Mewelde Moore and quarterback J.P. Losman -- were tabbed as offensive captains, while defensively, senior tackle Roxie Shelvin and senior end Kenan Blackmon were the choices.
Staying Home
Tulane stayed "home" for preseason camp in 2002 for the first time under Chris Scelfo. With the new Astroplay surface of the Westfeldt Practice and Competition Facility at the McWilliams Athletic Complex, the Green Wave was able to stay in New Orleans for two-a-days in 2002. In previous years, Tulane had trained in Hammond at Southeastern Louisiana University, and in Covington at St. Paul's School. Tulane players stayed at one of the dorms on campus during two-a-days.
Preseason Honors
A trio of Tulane players received preseason All-Conference USA accolades as voted by league coaches. Kicker Seth Marler was named the favorite to take the Special Teams Player of the Year award again along with mention on the preseason all-conference team. He was joined by Mewelde Moore and receiver Roydell Williams on the preseason team.
Doubling (& Tripling) Up
Tulane's receivers have travelled in groups from their high schools into the Green Wave receiving corps. Two of the starting wide outs played together in high school in LaPlace as Roydell Williams and Chris Bush both played their prep ball at East St. John High School. However, the arrival of freshman Bubba Terranova means the Wave boasts three receivers among its top eight from Salmen High School in Slidell. Terranova joined Salmen products Nick Narcisse and Tristan Smith at Tulane.
Little Bro'
Yes, that's Joey Dawson, younger brother of Tulane great and current Cleveland Brown JaJuan, on the Green Wave depth chart at safety. In fact, Dawson earned the starting free safety nod and made an impact with six tackles and the first sack of the 2002 season, for a loss of 13 yards, versus Southern. Dawson walked on to the Tulane team last spring and was awarded a scholarship by head coach Chris Scelfo following two-a-days.
It Really Was A Zoo
Tulane senior Roxie Shelvin spent the summer as an intern at the Audubon Zoo, where he worked on several events and projects and earned credit toward his degree in media arts. Shelvin revealed that his favorite animal at the zoo was the gorilla.
Boyhood Dreams
One of J.P. Losman's favorite targets Saturday was his boyhood friend, James Dunn. Dunn caught three passes for 57 yards and the Green Wave's first touchdown versus Southern. The two attended elementary school together in Venice, Calif. where they played football and other sports. They split up when Losman moved to Venice High School while Dunn remained at St. Monica but remained close.
Tackle Total
Senior safety Adrian Mitchell returns to the Green Wave defensive backfield, having moved over to the strong safety spot after making 138 tackles at his free safety position last year. That total ranks Mitchell eighth in the nation among returning players. He ranked 21st in the nation in tackles last season and his tackle total was the highest at Tulane since Burnell Dent had 139 in 1984.
Looking Ahead
Following the Houston game, Tulane will play conference road games at East Carolina and at Memphis before returning to New Orleans to face Texas in the Superdome. The only advantage of the early road slate is that the Green Wave will play five of its last six games in New Orleans.
On The Air
Tulane-Houston TV
There is no television broadcast of the Tulane-Houston game.
Tulane-ISP Radio Network
In 2002, Tulane games will be heard in the New Orleans area on WTIX-FM (94.3), WTIX-AM (690) and WJSH-FM (104.7), as part of a 13-station network that stretches across the state and even into Florida. Newcomer Sean Kelley calls the play-by-play action while former Tulane wide receiver Steve Barrios returns with color commentary and Todd Graffagnini is back on the sideline beat.
Market Station Frequency
+Alexandria KDBS-AM 1410
*Baton Rouge WSKR-AM 1210
^Bogalusa WBOX-FM 92.9
^Bogalusa WBOX-AM 920
^Chattahoochee (FL) WTCL-AM 1580
*Lafayette KROF-AM 960
^Lake Charles KEZM-AM 1310
*New Orleans WTIX-FM 94.3
*New Orleans WTIX-AM 690
*Northshore WJSH-FM 104.7
+Shreveport KEEL-AM 710
^Thibodaux KTIB-AM 640
+West Monroe KWJM-FM 92.7
*Will carry all football games and coaches' show; +Will carry all football game broadcasts; ^Will carry partial schedule of football game broadcasts.
Tulane 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. during the football season. Tulane radio voice Sean Kelley hosts the show, which will be broadcast live from Superior Grille on St. Charles Ave. in New Orleans.
Tulane Sports Today
"Tulane Sports Today," featuring Head Coach Chris Scelfo with game highlights and player features, and hosted by Sean Kelley, 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.
"Ringside"
Tulane Athletics will be the featured topic on the show "Ringside" with host Jeff Crouere each Wednesday from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on WTIX-AM 690 in New Orleans. Tulane coaches, players and athletics staff will be featured during the segment, which will run throughout the 2002-2003 year.
