Spring Spotlight - Terren Encalade
Mar 21, 2018 | Football
By Evan Drexler
TulaneGreenWave.com
NEW ORLEANS – Terren Encalade's senior season is almost here.
The Green Wave wide receiver, who will be in his fifth year at Tulane in the fall, has been working hard to make sure his last year is his best year.
Following a strong finish to 2017, he's set the bar high for himself.
Encalade had his best receiving year in 2017, posting a career-best 39 catches that topped his previous high in 2016 by three. But where he really stood out was yards per catch. Despite having only three more catches than he did the year before, Encalade finished with 230 extra receiving yards. That turned out to be a difference of 4.8 yards per catch and an extra 19.1 receiving yards per game.
He also got better as the year went on. In the season's first two months, Encalade was averaging just 2.5 catches per game. Then, in November, it all started clicking. His chemistry with quarterback Jonathan Banks grew, and so did his numbers.
"Our chemistry grew throughout the season," Encalade said. "It was growing pretty much the whole season because after those first couple games we would go to the film room and try to figure out what we need to do right so that we can pass the ball more. That helped us a lot."
In the season's final four games, Encalade averaged 4.8 catches per game. In the last two games of the year, Encalade posted his first two 100-plus-yard games of the season. Against Houston on November 18, he caught a career-high eight passes for 186 yards and the game-winning touchdown. The next week in the finale against SMU, he posted 111 receiving yards on seven catches.
"You get the ball in his hands and he can do some real dangerous things," Banks said. "We didn't really start getting our connection until the end of the year, but it's always good going into the offseason knowing what we can do next year."
As a team, Tulane returns its top three receivers from last year in Encalade, Darnell Mooney and Jabril Clewis. That will make things tough on defenders, whose focus will have to spread out among those three plus other returners in tight end Charles Jones II and wideouts Jacob Robertson Jr. and Devin Glenn.
That group has only gotten stronger in the offseason, and spring practice will make the unit even better.
"We improve every day." Encalade said. "Darnell, he's making great strides, he's been good since he came in and he's going to be one of the best Tulane receivers to come through here. It's all just chemistry now, more like chemistry instead of us learning the plays."
As a senior, Encalade will also see his role as a leader grow. He knows he needs to mentor the younger players and help them get better for the future of the program. Tulane's roster currently has four underclassmen listed as wide receivers: sophomores Jaetavian Toles, Rocky Ferony and Robertson along with redshirt freshman Kevin LeDee.
If all goes to plan, Encalade and his fellow receivers can help take the Green Wave to a bowl game for the first time since 2013. He's working to improve every aspect of his game, from catching and route running to blocking and footwork.
Encalade said the team left some doubt on the field in a close loss to SMU to end the 2017 season. This year, Encalade wants to leave no doubt.
"It would mean so much to the Tulane community, but we're trying to reach high," Encalade said. "High goals. Set the bar high."
TulaneGreenWave.com
NEW ORLEANS – Terren Encalade's senior season is almost here.
The Green Wave wide receiver, who will be in his fifth year at Tulane in the fall, has been working hard to make sure his last year is his best year.
Following a strong finish to 2017, he's set the bar high for himself.
Encalade had his best receiving year in 2017, posting a career-best 39 catches that topped his previous high in 2016 by three. But where he really stood out was yards per catch. Despite having only three more catches than he did the year before, Encalade finished with 230 extra receiving yards. That turned out to be a difference of 4.8 yards per catch and an extra 19.1 receiving yards per game.
He also got better as the year went on. In the season's first two months, Encalade was averaging just 2.5 catches per game. Then, in November, it all started clicking. His chemistry with quarterback Jonathan Banks grew, and so did his numbers.
"Our chemistry grew throughout the season," Encalade said. "It was growing pretty much the whole season because after those first couple games we would go to the film room and try to figure out what we need to do right so that we can pass the ball more. That helped us a lot."
In the season's final four games, Encalade averaged 4.8 catches per game. In the last two games of the year, Encalade posted his first two 100-plus-yard games of the season. Against Houston on November 18, he caught a career-high eight passes for 186 yards and the game-winning touchdown. The next week in the finale against SMU, he posted 111 receiving yards on seven catches.
"You get the ball in his hands and he can do some real dangerous things," Banks said. "We didn't really start getting our connection until the end of the year, but it's always good going into the offseason knowing what we can do next year."
As a team, Tulane returns its top three receivers from last year in Encalade, Darnell Mooney and Jabril Clewis. That will make things tough on defenders, whose focus will have to spread out among those three plus other returners in tight end Charles Jones II and wideouts Jacob Robertson Jr. and Devin Glenn.
That group has only gotten stronger in the offseason, and spring practice will make the unit even better.
"We improve every day." Encalade said. "Darnell, he's making great strides, he's been good since he came in and he's going to be one of the best Tulane receivers to come through here. It's all just chemistry now, more like chemistry instead of us learning the plays."
As a senior, Encalade will also see his role as a leader grow. He knows he needs to mentor the younger players and help them get better for the future of the program. Tulane's roster currently has four underclassmen listed as wide receivers: sophomores Jaetavian Toles, Rocky Ferony and Robertson along with redshirt freshman Kevin LeDee.
If all goes to plan, Encalade and his fellow receivers can help take the Green Wave to a bowl game for the first time since 2013. He's working to improve every aspect of his game, from catching and route running to blocking and footwork.
Encalade said the team left some doubt on the field in a close loss to SMU to end the 2017 season. This year, Encalade wants to leave no doubt.
"It would mean so much to the Tulane community, but we're trying to reach high," Encalade said. "High goals. Set the bar high."
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