Lose by 15 to Oklahoma

[WaveProf]

Mensah should absolutely be the starter

He 100% is not the “reason” we lost that game

Without a freshman qb in the fourth quarter we likely win that game.

All three statements can be simultaneously true.






Separately, to everyone claiming they never really felt like we could win? You were colored too pessimistic by the first half. After running the puck 6 back and then getting a 3 and out with 11 minutes left there was every reasonable reason to expect to win that game.

[doncecco]

No question it was PI on the INT, but why throw there? It's late in the game and you have momentum, if you have to - take 2 downs and run twice to get a yard.

Definitely on the coaches.

Also, the try to draw offside on 4th and 10 in the 2nd quarter, which pretty much never works, and then kick the longer FG was dumb. Sumrall will probably be fine, but certainly did not help his team today.

[tulaneoutlaw]

Mensah should absolutely be the starter

He 100% is bit the “reason” we lost that game

Without a freshman qb in the fourth quarter we likely win that game.

All three statements can be simultaneously true.


Separately, to everyone claiming they never really felt like we could win? You were colored too pessimistic by the first half. After running the puck 6 back and then getting a 3 and out with 11 minutes left there was every reasonable reason to expect to win that game.

I agree all three can be true. I just don't think we have a non-freshman qb on our roster that actually meets point 3. If anything, the argument for an experienced started has to go to Kai, not Thompson.

And I didn't think we had a real shot even with the ball down five in the 4th. Miracles do happen, but we had mustered all of 13 offensive points at that point. The pick six was a nice (and lucky) boost, but nothing we had shown to that point indicated we'd be able to punch it in. Their defense was simply too good.

[DCGreenie]

Craddock: Made several stupid play selections during entire game, but worst was calling a pass on 3rd and 1 in the 4th instead of again sending Hughes for the first down, maintaining momentum, and eating clock. I was so incensed when I saw that dumb call that I just shut off the TV after OU converted the interception into a TD. Craddock is a sideways step at best from Nagle, or maybe a step down.

[DCGreenie]

And, oh yeah, do we miss Valentino or what?......

[nolasilver]

Maybe we should give some respect and acknowledgement to one of the best and well resourced programs in football and the game being played at their place. It speaks to where this program is that we are so upset about losing to two top 15 teams, one being the big 12 favorite and the other an elite sec program (with who knows how many 4 & 5 stat guy). Both could easily be in the playoff this year.

Yes I’m disappointed but we didn’t lose to a USM, or even a wake forest for that matter. Need to beat ULL this week and need to run the table in conference.

[waverider]

Maybe we should give some respect and acknowledgement to one of the best and well resourced programs in football and the game being played at their place. It speaks to where this program is that we are so upset about losing to two top 15 teams, one being the big 12 favorite and the other an elite sec program (with who knows how many 4 & 5 stat guy). Both could easily be in the playoff this year.

Yes I’m disappointed but we didn’t lose to a USM, or even a wake forest for that matter. Need to beat ULL this week and need to run the table in conference.

It does speak volumes to how far we’ve come. I may have posted this here, but I told some people yesterday that before Fritz, the 21-0 deficit becomes 63-3 at the end.

[Johnny Mac]

And, oh yeah, do we miss Valentino or what?......

Pretty sure barnes got hurt. He's a good kicker. He bombed that 50 harder but it came off his foot wide to the right... that was into a stiff breeze

[PeteRasche]

Been away from the board since the game and just read this thread. A few thoughts:

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the fact that a lot of our possessions have been ruined by dumb pre-snap penalties. False starts, illegal formations, etc. Happened last week, too. This is something we were very good at avoiding under disciplinarian Fritz and I'm frankly surprised Sumrall has a team with these issues too. Complain about Craddock's calls on 3rd and such (I don't necessarily disagree) but too many times we're playing off-schedule because it's 1st & 20 or 2nd & 15. That absolutely KILLS an offensive rhythm and stops drives dead in their tracks.

In the first half we were down 14-0 and it felt like it should have been 35-0. That happened a lot last year, too. The difference was last year it was against weak AAC competition and we would shut the opponent down in the second half and squeak out a win. We tried to pull that off yesterday but that's not happening against a top 15 opponent. Point is, I'm always happy to see adjustments at halftime but maybe we need to make them in real time during the first half, eh?

I texted friends during the game that it should be automatic that TT comes in every time we have the ball between the 5 and 10 yard line. I feel like he can get us 3 to 10 yards every play simply from the uncertain panic adjustment the opponent has to make when he comes on the field. Now, that's not to say he should play entire series or that he'd reliably get us those yards all the time. It's the fact that a defense absolutely has to be aware of him and has to change what they were doing when he enters. As everyone has said, the Taysom effect. You don't need to make him your starter or play him half the game, but for goodness sake, use him in deep red zone situations, he's an amazing weapon there. He's literally gotten us a touchdown EVERY SINGLE TIME we've done it.

Also surprised nobody mentioned (kicker) Barnes until just above. He must have pulled something on the long FG miss, because (surely?) you don't bench him for a single 50-yard miss. The horrid PAT miss was not him (Barnes is a lefty and that wasn't), and the remainder of kicks were not Barnes either. I was very happy with Barnes thus far so it's a big loss if he's out injured.

Finally... I watched Memphis yesterday (and obviously have watched us) and I honestly have no doubt we can run the table in conference. I also think we're gonna smoke ULL. Let's go!

[ForeverTU]

Had a really fun time at the game. OU fans sitting around us were cordial and said they were impressed with how our team fought. As we all should be.

First half felt like we were on our back foot. I was a little suprised we didn’t try some jet sweeps or some short in routes with our TEs

By and large I thought our OL held up pretty well. Studsman (Stutsman?) their LB is nfl caliber. That kid was everywhere.

On the 4th and 1 call. I would have like to see a fake inside handoff to Ty with a pop pass over the top.

Second half we got in gear but obviously was an uphill climb. But if you had told me we’d be down 5 late in the game with a chance to win I take that every time.

I’m still confident going into the rest of the season. It is NOT over by any means. Roll Wave!!

[Twowaves]

This team is good. Probably better than last years team. All the problems are easily correctable with the exception if getting Mensah to start seeing protection breaking down sooner. If Barnes is hurt that might be another issue. If we come out ready against UL it will be over at halftime. Same with the rest of our games except USF and Memphis. But I do expect them to run the table now. I wanted a split the last 2 but we played inconsistent and still had our chances. We got beat in one and robbed in one. I expect a full beat down of UL and if not then this team is underachieving. That will be coaching. We are better than them across the board.

[G-wave]

Mensah needed to play the whole game good or bad with limited reps trying to get the Vets ready he needs time on the field. Both OL and Dl were overmatched that should change the rest of the year. RT Green doesn't look the same coming off shoulder surgery on both. As far as play calling it's hard with the monster pass rush we seen in the last two games. D needs to improve Tackling we either grab high or dive at their feet also does the staff know it's legal to cover the back out the backfield ?

[DCGreenie]

Mensah needed to play the whole game good or bad with limited reps trying to get the Vets ready he needs time on the field. Both OL and Dl were overmatched that should change the rest of the year. RT Green doesn't look the same coming off shoulder surgery on both. As far as play calling it's hard with the monster pass rush we seen in the last two games. D needs to improve Tackling we either grab high or dive at their feet also does the staff know it's legal to cover the back out the backfield ?

I don't think our Def. was overmatched. Several sacks and hurries, and some good open-field tackles.

[tjtlja]

Not saying Horton is the answer. He can’t run either. Thompson is the best athlete on the team, and he needs to play more if not start. Mensah is a good passer, but he is a freshman and freshman will make mistakes that cost games.
The good news is we don’t play another defense as good as OU or KSU so it probably won’t matter.

But the knock on Thompson is he has no accuracy. You don’t play a QB who cannot throw the ball unless you are Army or Navy. If he was the answer, he would have won the job.

[tjtlja]

And, oh yeah, do we miss Valentino or what?......

No, not really. Barnes has shown he is every bit the PK we need. The kid is hurt. Why call him out?

The guys we truly miss are Dean, Cooper, Webb, and Machado.

[waverider]

Losing these last two games hurt in a different way than the blowout losses of yesteryears because we actually looked like we belong athletically. A lot of football left to play.

Losing to ULL on the other hand could feel like the season is heading the wrong way.

[tjtlja]

Losing these last two games hurt in a different way than the blowout losses of yesteryears because we actually looked like we belong athletically. A lot of football left to play.

Losing to ULL on the other hand could feel like the season is heading the wrong way.

Can we beat UL on the road the way we are playing. Knowing Tulane fans, they will not travel because it is at 11:00, the heat, the record, or some other ridiculous reason. So the Cajuns will have a rabid fan advantage. Can we stop their offense? Do we play with any urgency? Does our OC call a good game? Is Barnes healthy? Can we get any pressure on the QB? Can we get the ball to our WR’s in space? More questions than answers which is never a good recipe.

[waverider]

The Greenbackers have a bus going and any local parents are probably going, but with only half a stadium, I don’t think it’s going to be the environment you imagine.

[WaveProf]

The Greenbackers have a bus going and any local parents are probably going, but with only half a stadium, I don’t think it’s going to be the environment you imagine.

and with half a stadium, seats (not counting the grass endzone) are more expensive than typical because there are less of them. This coupled with 11AM is why we aren't going.

[WaveProf]

Losing these last two games hurt in a different way than the blowout losses of yesteryears because we actually looked like we belong athletically. A lot of football left to play.

Losing to ULL on the other hand could feel like the season is heading the wrong way.

I think we have a better team than last year precisely because of those two games, but win or lose at ULL and the season has *already* very much gone the wrong way.....a loss to ULL would be absolute disaster of epic proportions. Meanwhile a win is a yawn. That's a rough spot to be in coming off 2 hard weeks against a team on a bye week.

[WaveProf]

But the knock on Thompson is he has no accuracy. You don’t play a QB who cannot throw the ball unless you are Army or Navy. If he was the answer, he would have won the job.

You don't *start* a QB who cannot throw the ball. But there's no reason we shouldn't have had 1-2 mostly scripted series in every game with Thompson at QB. Once he's on the field they have to account for a whole different slew of possibilities, and it shakes up the defensive plan. And not just his legs, he got that TD pass yesterday largely because they had to account for his legs!

[PeteRasche]

And, oh yeah, do we miss Valentino or what?......

No, not really. Barnes has shown he is every bit the PK we need. The kid is hurt. Why call him out?

I legitimately don't think most Tulane fans even know that Barnes didn't see the field again after the missed 50-yarder. They think it was him that put the PAT under the crossbar. The announcers never said a word about Barnes not being out there (at least that I heard).

Observant fans might have noticed because Barnes is a lefty!

[Wandering Quaker]

Losing these last two games hurt in a different way than the blowout losses of yesteryears because we actually looked like we belong athletically. A lot of football left to play.

Losing to ULL on the other hand could feel like the season is heading the wrong way.

I think we have a better team than last year precisely because of those two games, but win or lose at ULL and the season has *already* very much gone the wrong way.....a loss to ULL would be absolute disaster of epic proportions. Meanwhile a win is a yawn. That's a rough spot to be in coming off 2 hard weeks against a team on a bye week.

I can't imagine it will be a rough spot for the team. Only three games in, with a lot of frustration during the last two--I'd expect the team to be in the mood to beat the crap out of someone.

[WaveProf]

Only three games in, with a lot of frustration during the last two--I'd expect the team to be in the mood to beat the crap out of someone.

Absolutely, my money is on this too. I didn't so much mean a rough spot for the team as simply kind of a lose-lose situation in analysis. Win big, means little. Meanwhile some reasons in place that it *could* be more difficult, and a loss would be utter disaster. Dangerously low floor, with still a low ceiling for impact even if we win big

[tjtlja]

But the knock on Thompson is he has no accuracy. You don’t play a QB who cannot throw the ball unless you are Army or Navy. If he was the answer, he would have won the job.

You don't *start* a QB who cannot throw the ball. But there's no reason we shouldn't have had 1-2 mostly scripted series in every game with Thompson at QB. Once he's on the field they have to account for a whole different slew of possibilities, and it shakes up the defensive plan. And not just his legs, he got that TD pass yesterday largely because they had to account for his legs!

Good point.