GAME PREVIEW: TULSA PLAYS TULANE IN NEW ORLEANS

Saturday, November 13

New Orleans, La.

3:00 PM

Tulsa

Tulane

Photo by: David Dermer

GAME PREVIEW: TULSA PLAYS TULANE IN NEW ORLEANS

11/12/2021 8:38:00 PM | Football

TULSA VISITS THE BAYOU ON SATURDAY

GAME 10: TULSA (3-6, 2-3 American) vs. TULANE 1-8, 0-5 American)
Date/Time:	Saturday, Nov. 13, 3:00 p.m. (CT)
Site:	New Orleans, La.
Stadium:	Yulman Stadium (30,000)
Coaches:	TULSA – Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State '95), 7th year TULANE – Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State '83), 5th year
TV:	ESPNU
Talent:	Kevin Brown (pxp), Hutson Mason. (analyst),
Tickets:	Contact Tulane Ticket Office
Radio:	Big Country 99.5 FM or Online
Talent:	Bruce Howard (pxp), Rick Couri (analyst), Jeremie Poplin (sideline)
Live Stats:	Live Stats
Series:	Tulsa leads 12-5
Game Notes:	Tulsa \| Tulane \| American Athletic Conference

TULSA, Okla. –– There have been some games not so close in the Tulsa-Tulane series but the last few contests have come down to the fourth quarter.

Most college football fans will recall last year's meeting that saw a "Hail Mary" pass send the game into overtime and 96-yard pick-6 give Tulsa a 30-24 double-digit come-from-behind victory over the Green Wave.

The two teams come into this year's matchup each looking to get back on the winning track. Tulsa has an overall 3-6 mark, and 2-3 American Athletic Conference record, while Tulane is 1-8 and 0-5 in league play. A team that played the might Oklahoma Sooners to the final gun in the season opener has, just like the Hurricane, suffered injuries and breaks that didn't fall in their favor.

The Green Wave is putting up 375.4 yards per game, while allowing 456.2 yards.

Tulane has second-year freshman Michael Pratt back in the saddle at quarterback this week. He missed one game with an injury but returned last week and took the Wave down to the wire against UCF before falling 14-10.

Pratt has completed 59 percent of his passes for 218.1 yards per game and 16 touchdowns.

The Green Wave's running corps features the one-two punch of Camero Carroll and Tyjae Spears, combining for 860 yards and seven rushing touchdowns while also combining for 309 receiving yards and two TDs.

Tight end Tyrick Spears leads all Green Wave receivers with 380 yards and three touchdowns, while Shae Wyatt and Jaetavia Toles lead an extremely deep wide receiver corps. Wyatt has 207 yards and three TDs on 19 catches, while Toles has 250 yards receiving.

The Wave offensive line is strong on the left side with sophomore center Sincere Haynesworth, junior guard Corey Dublin and 6'7" senior Joey Claybrook at tackle, while the right side of the line has two freshmen competing.

The Hurricane counters upfront with tackle Jaxon Player, nose guard Tyarise Stevenson and end Cullen Wick. Anthony Goodlow, Deven Lamp, Joseph Anderson and Elijah Taylor also see considerable playing time up front. Player has tallied 32 stops with seven tackles for -18 yards to lead the front line.

Tulsa's linebacker corps has seen a number of players contributing this season. Yohance Burnett, Justin Wright and Grant Sawyer are the starters. Treyvon Reeves, who was a starter in 2020, has been back in the lineup after missing the first four contests. Robert Revels III, Dorian Hopkins and Mitchell Kulkin will see playing time as well.

Burnett leads the linebackers with 53 tackles, while Justin Wright has totaled 51 stops and 4.5 TFLs for -17 yards. Sawyer has collected 24 tackles, Hopkins 21 and Revels has 11.

Tulsa cornerback Tyon Davis leads the Hurricane in tackles with 59 stops and has seven pass breakups, while fellow corner Travon Fuller leads Tulsa with eight pass breakups and two interceptions to total 10 passes defended.

Tyree Carlisle, Reggie Ellis and Kenney Solomon add depth at the corner slots.

The safety position brings experience to the secondary with three seniors – TieNeal Martin, Cristian Williams and Bryson Powers. Sophomore Jaise Oliver and junior LJ Wallace have filled in at strong safety for the injured Kendarin Ray.

Powers has totaled 35 tackles, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and the one interception this season. Martin has 24 stops and three breakups and Williams has collected 20 tackles in just five games played.

Tulsa will need to score points in the red zone this week when the opportunity presents itself, while eliminating turnovers and penalties, against the Tulane defense.

Tulane can be very stingy on defense as witnessed by holding the powerful UCF Knights to just 14 points a week ago.

The Green Wave defense is led by its linebackers – Dorian Williams, Kevin Henry and Nick Anderson. Williams has a team-high 56 tackles, while Henry has 38 and Anderson with 37 stops. Joker Darius Hodges and end Joseph Dorceus have given fits to opposing running backs. Hodges leads the team with 8.5 TFL for -45 yards, while Dorceus had two TFL to go along with his 33 tackles.

Corner Jaylon Monroe has a team-high eight pass breakups to go along with 36 tackles, while safety Macon Clark leads Tulane with two interceptions and is second on the team for tackles with 53.

Tulsa's offense can be explosive both through the air and in the ground game. The Hurricane puts up 440.8 yards per game with a balanced attack that rushes for 190.2 yards on 360 carries and passing for another 250.5 yards on 284 attempts.

Davis Brin has completed 167-of-284 passes for 2,255 yards and 12 touchdowns from his quarterback position. He has three running backs and three receivers who share most of the touches.

Those three receivers have each totaled over 450 yards through nine games, as Josh Johnson leads the way with 665 yards and three touchdowns. Juan Carlos Santana has caught 35 passes for 506 yards and Sam Crawford Jr. has 472 yards and four TDs on 27 catches,

Johnson has turned in three 100+ receiving games this year, while Crawford has two and Santana has one 100-yard receiving game.

Tulsa's running game has had three runners gain over 100 yards in at least one game this season. Shamari Brooks has four 100+ games, while Deneric Prince and Anthony Watkins have two each. Last week, Tulsa's run game amassed 297 rushing yards against Cincinnati, the nation's ninth-ranked total defense.

On the year, Brooks leads the way with 720 yards, followed by Watkins with 463 yards and Prince with 406 yards. Brooks enters this game need 95 more yards to move into fourth place on the school's career rushing chart. Earlier this season, Brooks became the fifth player in school history to rush for over 3,000 yards in a career.

The backs run behind a veteran and versatile offensive line, led by all-AAC tackles Tyler Smith on the left side and Chris Paul at right tackle. Dylan Couch and X'Zauvea Gadlin are slotted at guard and Gerard Wheeler handles the snapping duties.

Tulsa tight ends Ethan Hall and James Palmer have been important cogs in Tulsa's run game.

Special team's coverage has been an area of concern for the Hurricane as opponents have returned three kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns this year.

Tulsa has experience with both their kicker and punter. Senior Zack Long has connected on 11-of-12 field goals this year, including a season-long of 50 yards. Sophomore Lachlan Wilson has averaged 46.5 yards on 46 punts and has placed 15 inside the 20-yard line.

Long snapper Rey Higuera is in his fifth season starting for the Hurricane, while Cannon Montgomery handles the holding duties for the fourth year.

The game will be aired on ESPNU from Yulman Stadium beginning at 3:00 p.m. (CT).