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| | Monday, September 4 Green Wave hopes season isn't a washout | |||||
| By Eric Crawford Special to ESPN.com Tulane Green Wave 1999 record: 3-8 (1-5 C-USA) Coach: Chris Scelfo Returning starters: 17 (8 offense, 9 defense) Outlook Marvel at their offense all you want, but this is the number that most concerns Chris Scelfo entering the season: 450 yards per game. That's what the Tulane defense gave up a season ago. Most of those players are back, however, and a year of experience should benefit them. LB Jerry Phillips and CBs Tim Carter and Ky Joseph are the core of a group that must improve if Tulane is to think about returning to the level it attained in 1998. On offense, QB Patrick Ramsey broke 20 passing records but also threw 24 interceptions last season and is being pushed in practice by UCLA transfer J.P. Losman. The Green Wave suffered a hit at RB when blue-chip freshman signee Ronald McClendon was ruled academically ineligible and enrolled at a community college in Kansas. Two more RBs -- Tony Converse and Michael Burks -- are out of action indefinitely because of suspensions. Sophomore Jeff Sanchez holds the top RB spot, but for a team that barely rushed for 1,000 yards total last season, the running game seems hold little promise. The schedule isn't a killer, but six of the first eight games are on the road, and one of the home games in that stretch is Southern Miss. With road games at Mississippi, East Carolina and SMU to open the season, a strong start isn't likely. Keep an eye on ... QB Patrick Ramsey has the arm to make things happen, but needs to make fewer bad things happen in the way of interceptions this season. It's a good season if ... Tulane wins five games. It isn't 13-0, but it's better than 3-8. |
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