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Tulane Green Wave 2006 Preview

Tulane Football Preview By: Matt Fargo
Matt Fargo remains the NUMBER ONE handicapper in 2005 at the Professional Handicappers League --- get his premium plays here.

college football previews :#97 – Tulane Green Wave Preview

by: Matt Fargo

Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.

#97 – Tulane Green Wave 2-9 SU; 2-7-1 ATS

Fargo’s Take - There wasn’t another team in the country that had to go through what the Green Wave had to go through in 2005. To start the season 2-1 following the devastation that Katrina caused to not only the football facilities but family, friends and loved ones was a fantastic feat. Dropping its final eight games was nothing to be proud of but this team fought every week and will be better because of it. Any team that has to play 11 games in 11 different stadiums deserves a lot of kudos win or lose. Tulane will no doubt be a better program this season and that improvement starts with quarterback Lester Ricard who had a dreadful 2005 season following a spectacular 2004 campaign. The offense averaged its lowest amount of points in seven years while the defense allowed only a point fewer than it did in 2004. Better focus, along with a real practice facility, will make this team better before it even steps out onto the field come September 9th.

Returning Starters on Offense – 6 Along with Ricard, the return of tailback Matt Forte and receiver Preston Brown gives the Green Wave plenty of playmakers on offense. Tulane finished 95th in the country in total offense and 92nd in scoring offense and most of those weak efforts came later in the season when it dropped eight straight games. The offensive line has to replace three starters but there is plenty of experience to go around which should help the running game that averaged only 89 ypg last season. Establishing the running game will be key for the successful return of Ricard and rushing for 109 or more yards in three of the final four games last season inspires some confidence. Forte was an All-Freshman CUSA pick two years ago and he won’t be sharing time like he did in 2005.

Returning Starters on Defense – 4 This is where the Green Wave need some serious improvements. The defense has allowed 33.2 ppg over the last three years so despite last year’s distractions, the defense actually played better than in previous years. But needless to say, it wasn’t good. Part of the problem was fatigue and that was due to poor conditioning because of the lack of getting work done early in the fall. After allowing opponents to score just seven points in the first half in their first four games, the Green Wave allowed 80 points in the second half of those games. The defense will revolve around a strong defensive line where three starters are back whose main focus will be to stop the run. The linebackers and secondary both need to replace a lot but the backfield does have a lot of experience coming back which will help the passing defense improve upon its 44th rank of last season.

Schedule - Compared to the slate from last season, this season’s schedule could be considered a cakewalk. It’s not however as the season starts with three straight non-conference road games against Houston, Mississippi St. and LSU. That will make it 15 consecutive games away from home before Tulane welcomes SMU to town for the first game in New Orleans in nearly two years. It’s the first of back-to-back home conference games before hitting the road once again, traveling to UTEP and Auburn. Three of the final five games are at home with the most difficult road game being the season finale at Tulsa. Only five games dot the home schedule but that is certainly more than the zero Tulane had last season.

You can bet on… More than two wins come to Tulane this season and this team could be a tough out for many. Reaching the CUSA title game will be likely impossible seeing that three road games at Houston, UTEP and Tulsa are against the three top teams in the West Division. The other games present better opportunities to pick up some victories but not necessarily spread wins. The Green Wave are going to be a very sentimental favorite this season and that goes for the betting public, cutting a lot of value out of the points that they will be receiving. I will be rooting for this team as will most of the nation and we should expect nothing less than 110 percent yet again.