Tulane Spring Game Grades
It could not have been a more perfect day for football; the sun was shining, there was a light breeze, and the stands were full for the Tulane spring scrimmage. The scrimmage was a 60 play affair, or at least was in the region so both sides of the ball got plenty of playing time. It was Tulane against Tulane and there were some very interesting results.
The first and second team offenses were on the field for roughly equal amounts of time, and somewhat surprisingly, looked like roughly equivalent units. We’ll go through each one and give them a grade, although because it is a scrimmage, take these with a considerable grain of salt.
Both quarterbacks-Redshirt Junior Ryan Griffin and Redshirt Freshman Taylor Bullock-had very good and very bad moments. Griffin was 11-18 passing and threw two 'why-did-you-throw-that-there?' interceptions, but had some very precise throws as well, including a pair of touchdown passes to check-down receivers. Bullock was 9-12 on the day and threw no interceptions, but looked lost at times in the pocket and is still clearly learning the offense. Redshirt Junior D.J. Ponder, the third quarterback on the roster, was not in attendance because he was with the baseball team in Houston. The effectiveness of the passing game was good, although starter Ryan Griffin’s deep ball was lacking. His decision making was questionable in some cases as well. Fortunately for the Green Wave, the backfield is deep and talented so the play-action pass will be a considerable weapon. The overall grade for this group is a B.
The backfield is arguably the most complete piece of Tulane’s roster, possessing considerable depth and talent. No less than four running backs were featured today, mainly Senior Albert Williams, Sophomore Orleans Darkwa, Sophomore Jamar Thomas, and Junior Stephen Barnett. Williams and Darkwa were running with the first team, and were somewhat effective, but were hindered by shoddy line play. When they did get space, the quartet was consistently gaining four to five yards. Yet, for all of their bursts and spins, if they’re consistently trapped in the backfield, they will struggle to be a threat consistently. Screen plays and dump-offs were working well though. The overall grade for this group is an A.
The receiving corps for Tulane is a very interesting group. They have some talent as both Junior Ryan Grant and Junior Devin Figaro can get open and catch the ball consistently. These two are the premier duo for Griffin and co. but they seem to lack the breakaway speed that could make them truly dangerous. The main speed guy is Redshirt Sophomore Wilson Van Hooser, who had three catches on the day. The tight end group is strong however, and demonstrated today that they will shoulder a considerable amount of the load for the receivers this year. Redshirt Freshman Matt Marfisi was a strong target for Griffin today. The group did show a lot of drive today, even if they are limited in the talent department. The overall grade for this group is a B.
Offenses can’t function well without a good group of players on the line. This is bad news for Tulane. The offensive line is the weakest part of the offense without a doubt. They consistently provided little to no hole for the backs to run through, and considering that the running game is a major part of Tulane’s offense, that could be problematic. Yet, they did give their quarterbacks enough time to throw for the most part, which is a good sign. Another struggle that this group will have to work with is their lack of experience. They had a number of false starts today, demonstrating some possible jitters. With time the group will improve, but for now, they are in need of improvement. The overall grade for this group is a C.
The defensive line for Tulane is another trouble spot, with size being the biggest issue. The group failed to effectively get pressure on the quarterback during the game, against a below average offensive line. They did do a good job of plugging the holes for the run, but for the most part, much of their effectiveness stemmed from their providing just enough time for the linebackers to help them. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, because the linebackers are good. But like I said at the beginning of this piece, size is the biggest problem. Their tackles are end sized and their ends are small for their position. Against many major schools, this will not suffice. The overall grade for this group is a C.
The linebackers, as I mentioned earlier, are good. They hit hard, they tackle well, and they are quick. They were arguably the group that did the most to bottle up the run game on the day, consistently meeting the running backs at the hole. When passes were thrown their way, the linebackers played tight coverage, allowing few yards after the catch. There is little more to say about this group other than that they are solid, and didn’t mess up, which is probably the best compliment a group can get on the football field. The overall grade for this group is an A.
The defensive backfield gets the award for most improved, that’s certain. They had two interceptions on the day, and allowed little space for the receivers to move. They did have some mistakes, allowing a deep ball to a completely uncovered receiver, as well as a couple other deep balls. Yet, for all of that, they still showed a lot of promise. The group is led by Junior Safety Shakiel Smith, who accounted for one of the interceptions. The overall grade for this group is a B plus.
The most impressive person on the field today was Cairo Santos, the Sophomore kicker. He was two for two on the day, drilling field goals from 45 and 48 yards respectively. Moreover, his backup Redshirt Sophomore Ryan Rome nailed one from 21 yards out. The kicking game was perfect one day, and certainly looked like a confident bunch. The overall grade for this group is an A plus.
The football team had some very good and very bad moments today, but for the most part looks far improved over last year’s team. This is a big year for the Green Wave, as it is probably a make it or break it year for Coach Toledo. And as President Cowen has laid down the gauntlet by demanding wins, there is certainly added pressure. Even so, the team has the talent to do it, and it is not out of the realm of possibility that the Green Wave make a significant improvement this season.
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