Tulane To Face Conference Leader Southern Miss
Nov 10, 2003 | Football
Nov. 10, 2003
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TULANE (4-6, 2-4) AT SOUTHERN MISS (6-3, 5-0)
November 15, 2003 -- 2 p.m. (CST) -- ESPN Plus/Cox Sports TV
Hattiesburg, Miss. -- M.M. Roberts Stadium (33,000)
Head Coach Chris Scelfo
In his fifth season as the Tulane head coach, Chris Scelfo has a career record of 25-33 as he tied Andy Pilney for seventh place on the school's wins record at UAB. He became the first coach to win two bowl games at Tulane with the Green Wave's win in the Hawai'i Bowl last year. 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 arriving at Tulane in December 1998. He coached four teams that played in the I-AA national championship game, two of which won championships. A native of New Iberia, La., Scelfo ranks ahead of 29 other coaches in Tulane wins, including Greg Davis, Mack Brown, Buddy Teevens, Tommy Bowden and Larry Smith.
NEWS & NOTES
Top of the Class
Tulane Athletics, and specifically Tulane Football, continues to rank at the top of the NCAA heap in terms of graduation rates of its student-athletes. The football squad ranked 10th in the nation this year as 79 percent of the football players who entered school in 1996-97 graduated. In addition, 82 percent of the African-American football student-athletes earned their degrees. The Green Wave's overall graduation rate was also at 79 percent, the 14th-best mark in the nation.
Road Finale
Tulane completes its 2003 road schedule with a trip to Hattiesburg to take on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, who bring a perfect 5-0 mark in league games into the contest. The Southern Miss game marks the third of three straight November road games for the Green Wave. Tulane will play four of its last six regular season games this year on the road.
Last Time Out
Versus UAB in Birmingham last week, the Green Wave ended a five-game losing streak with a 38-24 win over the Blazers. Tulane took advantage of four UAB turnovers, including two in the red zone, and sealed the win on an 85-yard touchdown run by back-up running back Jovon Jackson, who made his first start in place of the injured Mewelde Moore and finished with 183 yards on 26 carries. Tulane scored 14 points in the first 3:41 of the game after not scoring in the first quarter in its previous four outings. J.P. Losman threw three touchdown passes, including a season-long 78-yarder to Roydell Williams.
When Last We Met
A year ago in the Superdome, Tulane rebounded from an upset loss to Army the week before to shock Southern Miss 31-10 to win the annual "Battle for the Bell" for the first time in four seasons. Mewelde Moore gained 136 yards on the ground and caught five passes for 58 yards to lead the Green Wave offense while the Tulane defense forced four turnovers and limited Southern Miss to 117 rushing yards. Early in the third quarter, Tulane extended a 13-10 halftime lead to 22-10 on a 64-yard TD pass from J.P. Losman to Nick Narcisse and the Green Wave didn't look back.
Series Situation
Along with Memphis, Southern Miss is Tulane's most common Conference USA opponent as the teams meet for the 25th time in 2003. However, Southern Miss is the only team which Tulane has faced in each of the last 24 years dating back to 1979. Tulane snapped a three-game losing streak to the Golden Eagles with last year's win. The Wave has lost four straight to USM in Hattiesburg with its last win at Southern Miss on Nov. 6, 1993. In the last 10 years, only two games between the teams have been decided by less than 14 points.
In Conference
In seven seasons of competition, Tulane is 23-28 (.451) in Conference USA games and is 2-4 in league games to date in 2003. Both of Tulane's C-USA wins so far this year have come on the road, with wins at Army and at UAB for a road C-USA mark of 2-1. At home, Tulane is 0-3 versus the league with one left to play. League schools will play eight conference games in 2003, with each team missing two C-USA foes. The Green Wave will not play the newest Conference USA football member, South Florida, and for the first time since the school's played the first-ever C-USA game in 1996, Tulane will not meet Cincinnati.
Tulane vs. C-USA
The Wave is 47-66-2 (.417) all-time versus schools that currently comprise C-USA. Tulane's all-time records with its conference brethren, both all-time and since the league began in 1996.
Stunning Stat
Saturday's game with Southern Miss marks Chris Scelfo's 59th game as head coach of the Green Wave, moving the native Louisianan into a tie for third place all-time at Tulane with Lowell "Red" Dawson, who coached at the school from 1936-41. At the East Carolina game, Scelfo will take over third place with his 60th game as TU head coach, trailing only Hall-of-Famer Clark Shaughnessy, who coached Tulane in 91 games over 11 seasons in two stints from 1915-1920 and 1922-1926, and Andy Pilney, whose Green Wave tenure spanned eight years and 80 games. Scelfo is the 36th head coach in Tulane history. Only four of those coached the Wave for more than five seasons as Henry Frnka (58 games from 1946-51) joins Shaughnessy, Pilney, Scelfo and Dawson on the longest-tenure list.
No More Moore
Tulane all-time great running back Mewelde Moore will be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season after breaking the second metacarpal bone in his left hand in the fourth quarter of the Navy game. Moore will undergo surgery on the hand on Tuesday, Nov. 11th. The senior, who started 41 of the 44 games he has played at Tulane, is expected to make a full recovery from the injury, the first significant one he has suffered since a high ankle sprain sidelined him for one game and parts of two others in his freshman year of 2000.
Mr. Jackson
In Moore's place, sophomore Jovon Jackson made quite an impact in his debut as a starter, rushing for 183 yards on 26 carries and two scores versus UAB, including an 85-yard touchdown run to ice the victory for Tulane. The 85-yard score tied for the seventh-longest in Green Wave history and was the longest since Jerald Sowell's record-setting 98-yard jaunt versus Alabama in 1993 which, coincidentally, also came at Legion Field. Jackson's 183-yard effort ranks ninth on the Green Wave single-game chart. Entering the game, Jackson had career totals of 59 rushes for 237 yards and one touchdown while his previous single-game best was 11 carries for 42 yards versus Southern Miss in 2002. He surpassed those totals in the first half last week.
Recovery Time
After leading the country in turnovers forced a year ago, the Tulane defense is currently atop the Division I-A national team charts in fumbles recovered with 17 on the season, along with Washington State and UNLV. The Green Wave have picked up at least one fumble in eight of 10 games on the year with seven recoveries in the last three games. Versus UAB, both of Tulane's fumble recoveries came when the Blazers were inside the Green Wave five-yard line. The Wave's Tra Boger and Joey Dawson have forced four fumbles each this year to rank among the national leaders on the individual list. Tulane is tied for fourth in total turnovers forced with 28.
Long Distance
Junior wide receiver Roydell Williams caught his fourth pass of 50 or more yards this season with a career-long 78-yard touchdown reception from J.P. Losman in the third quarter of the UAB game. The play was one yard better than the 77-yard catch-and-run versus Texas that marked the longest pass completion at Tulane since 1999. Williams, who leads Tulane with 55 catches for 869 yards and seven touchdowns on the year, tallied his fifth 100-yard receiving game of the year in Birmingham with four catches for 118 yards. It was also his third 100-yard day in the last five games and the eighth 100-yard receiving day of his career. Williams' 21 career TD receptions are tied for fifth all-time at Tulane. Back from a broken ankle which led to a redshirt season last year, Williams' other 100-yard days have come versus TCU (5-110), Mississippi State (10-114), Texas (5-129,) Louisville (5-119). He has caught at least one pass in his last 25 games. A 15-yard TD catch versus Texas which he juggled and corralled while on his back in the endzone, was featured on ESPN's "SportsCenter" as its top play of the day.
Mr. Consistency
Barring a late bowl run by the Green Wave, Mewelde Moore will finish his career just eight yards shy of the NCAA Division I-A career Top 10 in all-purpose yards with 6,505 total. Texas' Ricky Williams holds the NCAA career record with 7,206 all-purpose yards from 1995-98.
Exclusive Club
Tulane running back Mewelde Moore joined an exclusive club versus Louisville. Needing 37 rushing and 50 receiving yards to become just the SECOND man in NCAA Division I-A history to gain 4,000 rushing and 2,000 all-purpose yards for his career, Moore picked up 123 rushing and 57 receiving yards. The C-USA and Tulane career leader in rushing and all-purpose yards, Moore joined Stanford's Darrin Nelson (1977-78, 1980-81) as the only two players in the 4,000 /2,000 club.
Respectable
Of Tulane's six losses this season, all have come to teams which currently sport a winning record and at least five wins on the year, including three losses to teams that are or have been ranked this year in TCU (currently #9 ESPN/USA Today), Texas (#7) and Louisville (formerly #25). The five teams Tulane has lost to currently have a combined record of 41-15, including 9-0 TCU and 7-2 Louisville of Conference USA. Texas is 8-2 while Memphis is 6-3, Navy 6-4 and Houston 5-4.
The "Survivors"
Through 10 games, Tulane has just eight players who have started every game this year. A year ago, 12 Green Wave players made it through the entire season, starting all 12 regular season games. Six of this year's "survivors" are on offense in QB J.P. Losman, OT Chris McGee, WR Nick Narcisse, C Joe Traina, OG Matt Traina and WR Roydell Williams after Mewelde Moore dropped off the list this week. Defensively, Sean Lucas has started at three different positions in the secondary at right and left cornerback and at free safety while getting the start in all 10 games. Senior defensive tackle Terrence Tarver is the only player on the Green Wave defense who has started every game at the same position this year.
Ready to Return
Tulane freshman Fred Smith is already having one of the most prolific years by a Tulane kickoff return man with 34 returns for 754 yards to date in 2003. His 34 returns are the third on the Tulane single season list while the 754 yards rank fifth, just 22 yards shy of third. Versus UAB, Smith took over as the Wave's punt return man and responded with a 45-yard return, the longest for the Green Wave this year. Along with a career-long 21-yard rush and an eight-yard pass reception, Smith totalled 144 all-purpose yards in the UAB game.
Harrison is HOT
True freshman Billy Harrison continues to impress with his big-play ability and that ability was on display early in the game versus UAB as the Pensacola, Fla. native batted the Blazers' first pass and then caught the tipped ball for his first career interception. Harrison's play set up the Green Wave's second TD of the game. Harrison has had at least one "big play" in each Tulane's last five games, all of which he has started at defensive end. He leads TU in tackles for loss and quarterback hurries and is tied for the team lead in quarterback sacks. The top tackler on the Tulane defensive line this year with 54 stops, Harrison has compiled 41 tackles with three sacks and five tackles for loss since taking over the starting role for injured senior Daniel Nevil.
Pressed Into Service
Sixteen freshmen -- five redshirts and 11 true -- have played significant roles for Tulane this year, with 12 of those having started games and nearly all of the rest listed no lower than second on the depth chart. Redshirt defensive lineman Michael Purcell is the latest freshman starter added to the list as he opened the Navy game at end and was joined by fellow redshirt Taurean Brown and true freshman Billy Harrison on the line, and Jeremy Foreman at cornerback. Against Louisville, Tulane started four true freshmen on defense in end Harrison, cornerback Alton Widemon, and Alvin (DT) and Kelvin (LB) Johnson (no relation). Three freshmen continue to start on the Tulane special teams as kicker Barrett Pepper and return specialist Fred Smith joined redshirt freshman punter Chris Beckman have started 10 consecutive games. Other freshmen starters for the Green Wave this year have included true freshman Israel Route (nickel) and offensive lineman Derek Rogers, the only offensive rookie to start.
A Finalist
Tulane senior J.P. Losman was named one of seven finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, joining Eli Manning (Ole Miss), Jon Navarre (Michigan), Matt Schaub (Virginia), Jason White (Oklahoma), Philip Rivers (N.C. State and B.J. Symons (Texas Tech) on the list. The senior's 27 passing TDs are tied for third in the nation and he has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of Tulane's games this year. Losman currently ranks second in Conference USA in passing and in total offense. The California native totalled 303, 353, 349 and 350 yards passing in the Wave's first four games this season and has thrown touchdown passes of 78 and 77 yards to Roydell Williams. Complete information on the Tulane quarterback, who has been rated one of the top seniors in the 2004 NFL draft, is available at www.JP-Losman.com.
New Line-Up
Tulane started its ninth different defensive line-up in 10 games last week versus UAB as sophomore linebacker Antonio Mason made his first career start in place of the injured (hip flexor) Brandon Spincer while Kelvin Johnson replaced Brandt Quick in the starting line-up, although Quick did play. A week ago versus Navy, redshirt freshman Michael Purcell made his first career start at defensive end. In all, 24 different players have started games on the Tulane defense this year, including eight freshmen. The only games this year when Tulane started the same line-up on defense were the Mississippi State and Army contests, both Green Wave wins.
Line Time
Tulane's young offensive line continues to improve, with the two sophomores who man the left side of the line leading the way. Left tackle Chris McGee has been Tulane's top lineman again in 2003, as he shared Offensive Player of the Game honors with Jovon Jackson for his effort at UAB. McGee also won the award following the Louisville contest. Versus Texas, both McGee and left guard Matt Traina, who have started 23 consecutive games dating back to 2002, graded out over 80 percent. Traina earned the Offensive Player of the Week honors after the Houston game while right tackle Jimmy Kosienski took the same award for the Navy contest. Versus UAB, the line, which also includes right guard Donald Madlock and center Joe Traina, helped Tulane, even without star back Mewelde Moore, to its top rushing yardage total (244) in its last 28 games, since a 282-yard day versus Cincinnati on Oct. 6, 2001.
Hurting
To say the Green Wave has been bitten by the injury bug in 2003 is a huge understatement as Head Coach Chris Scelfo says the list of players who missed games this year is unlike anything he has experienced in his coaching career. Running back Mewelde Moore and linebacker Brandon Spincer are the latest additions to the list after defensive end Michael Roberts and safety Joey Dawson were added the week before. On a roster that numbers just 88 players, 26 (including three lost late last year or this spring to career-ending injuries) have missed games for the Green Wave in 2003 with a total of 142 games missed due to injury. Of those 26 players, 18 are defenders and at least 15 have started games or were projected to start. The injury list has included linebackers (Blake Baker, Wesley Heath, Anthony Cannon), offensive linemen (Jimmy Kosienski, Will Blaylock), tight ends (Bobby Hoover), defensive backs (Jeremy Foreman, Joey Dawson, Darren Sapp, Alton Widemon) and defensive linemen (Bamm Mateen, Daniel Nevil, Michael Roberts, Tremell Jack) and ranges from players lost for the season to those who missed one game.
Decimated
The Tulane defensive line has been particularly hard hit by injuries, including two career-ending disabilities, and by a pair of academic casualties. Nearly two full defensive lines have been wiped out, necessitating a huge influx of freshmen, not just into the mix, but into the starting line-up. Tulane has experimented by moving a pair of offensive linemen (Willie Christian and Mark Burgess), a linebacker (Brandt Quick) and a wide receiver (Preston Brown) to the defensive line. Christian, less than three weeks after moving to d-line, started the Memphis game at defensive end and is now settled into a second team position. Brown and Quick have since been moved back to their original positions.
Special Specialist
Freshman punter Chris Beckman continues to improve and has moved up to rank second in Conference USA, and 33rd in the country, in punting average with a mark of 42.4. yards per punt. He established a new season high for average at UAB with six boots for a 45.7-yard average and one dropped inside the 20-yard line. In Tulane's last four games, Beckman has punted 25 times for a 44.4-yard average with at least one 50-plus yard punt in each of those games. The Grenada, Miss. product booted a career-long 56-yard punt at Navy.
The Grass is Greener
Through the first 10 games of the year, Tulane has played on just about every surface out there with its fifth "grass" game up next at UAB. Tulane is 2-3 on grass in 2003 and two of those outings have come in home games as the Green Wave is 1-1 on the grass surface of Tad Gormley Stadium. In all, Tulane will play six games on grass in 2003, including each of the three road games in the current stretch. Under Chris Scelfo, the Wave is 9-18 on grass since the Liberty Bowl game in 1998.
All-Surface
In addition to its six grass games, Tulane will play three games on the Astroturf of the Superdome, as well as one on the FieldTurf surface at Louisville and once on the AstroPlay field at Army. Why THREE games and not four, even though the Wave plays in the Superdome four times? On Oct. 23, the Superdome announced plans to remove the seven-year-old Astroturf and replace it with AstroPlay, the same surface which is on Tulane's Westfeldt Practice Facility fields. The new surface will be in place for the New Orleans Saints game on Sunday, Nov. 16th and thus for the Wave's contest versus East Carolina the following Saturday. Tulane is 75-89 all-time on the 'Dome's Astroturf.
The Century Mark
With two games remaining, Tulane has a chance to have three players pass the 100-tackle mark in 2003, which has not happened since 1992 when Mike Staid (133), Wilbert Gilmore (118) and Willie Smith (100) all reached the century mark in tackles. After making a team season high and career high 15 stops at UAB, safety Tra Boger became the first player to reach 100 as he leads the team with 110. He is followed on the tackle chart by linebackers Anthony Cannon and Brandt Quick, with 95 and 90 tackles, respectively. The fourth man on the Tulane tackle chart this year, Sean Lucas, also has a chance to top 100 as he enters this game with 88 on the year.
Three for 100
Junior Tristan Smith made his 100th career catch at UAB to join Mewelde Moore and Roydell Williams as members of the 100-catch club at Tulane. Smith ranks 14th on the Green Wave career chart for receptions as he trails Moore, third on the all-time catches list with 189, and Roydell Williams, who is eighth with 152. Smith needs 12 catches to tie Kerwin Cook for 13th on the career receptions chart. He has caught passes in Tulane's last 22 games over the last two seasons while Williams' receptions streak is at 25, not including the games he missed while injured last year.
Upperclass 11
Between the injuries, the relatively small number of seniors in this year's class (12) and the emergence of youngsters in key positions, Tulane lists just 11 upperclassmen (6 seniors/5 juniors, 7 offense/4 defense) in its starting line-up, which actually has 25 players, due to the Wave's many different offensive sets. The six senior starters left standing include three on offense in WR Nick Narcisse, QB J.P. Losman and FB Kris Coleman and three on defense, DT Terrence Tarver, LB Brandt Quick and S Winfred Brown. Three of the five junior starters are receivers in Chris Bush, Tristan Smith and Roydell Williams. They join offensive tackle Jimmy Kosienski and safety Tra Boger, the lone junior starter on defense.
More Moore
Although the Green Wave's bowl hopes remain alive along with the chance that he could return for a post-season contest, Mewelde Moore has completed his Tulane regular season career as the most productive running back ever to wear a Green Wave uniform. The Baton Rouge, La. product started 41 of the 44 games he played for Tulane and set 23 Tulane and seven Conference USA records along the way. The injury cut short one of Moore's best runs as he had a string of five straight 100-yard rushing games when hurt. He compiled 22 100-yard games in his career and in two of those, he also had 100 receiving yards in the same game. While most of Moore's marks are for rushing and all-purpose yards, the running back also made a name for himself as an outstanding receiver, leading Tulane in that category in each of the last two seasons. He ranks third on the Tulane career receiving chart with 189 catches, a total which is seventh in C-USA history. He is the only running back to rank on the Tulane or Conference USA Top 10 receiving lists. He is just one touchdown shy of tying the Green Wave career record for TDs. For the most complete information on Moore, go to www.MeweldeMoore.net.
ON THE AIR
Tulane-Southern Miss on TV
The Tulane-Southern Miss game will be broadcast by ESPN+ as part of the network's GamePlan package and will be seen live in New Orleans on Cox Sports Television. Mark Malone, who called the Wave's season opener versus TCU, will handle play-by-play duties while former Marshall and Georgia coach Jim Donnan is the color analyst
Tulane-ISP Radio Network
Tulane games will be heard in the New Orleans area on WTIX-FM (94.3), WTIX-AM (690) and WJSH-FM (104.7) in 2003 as part of a 13-station network that stretches across the state and even into Florida. 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.
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 season. Tulane radio voice Sean Kelley hosts the show, which is broadcast live from Superior Grill on St. Charles Ave. in New Orleans.
Tulane Football
"Tulane Football with Coach Chris Scelfo," will get you ready for the big game with game highlights and player features. Hosted by Sean Kelley, the show airs Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m. throughout Louisiana on Cox Sports TV.
"Ringside" Radio
Tulane Athletics will be the featured topic on the radio show "Ringside" with host Jeff Crouere each Wednesday from 1:30 to 2 p.m. on WTIX-AM 690 in New Orleans.
