Tulane looks ahead to McNeese State Cowboys

After suffering an embarrassing loss at the hands of BYU, the Green Wave hopes to rebound Saturday against McNeese State. Unfortunately for Tulane, the Cowboys are not a team that will roll over easily. The Green Wave’s primary concerns heading in to the game:

Offensively, the Green Wave needs to have some of their key players make more significant contributions. Senior running back Andre Anderson, for example, has rushed for a meager 85 yards on 31 carries through two games, and his average of 2.7 yards per carry must improve for Tulane to have any chance against McNeese State.

McNeese State quarterback Derrick Ferroux surveys the field.

Sophomore quarterback Joe Kemp has performed slightly better, completing 67 percent of his passes, including one which stands as the only touchdown Tulane has scored this season.

Tulane’s total offensive production has been unacceptable. The Green Wave offense has accumulated only 526 yards in two games. To put that in perspective, BYU amassed 527 yards against Tulane in one game alone. The Green Wave’s offensive struggles have come both on the ground and in the air, due mostly to Anderson’s lackluster performances and uncertainty at the quarterback position.

The Green Wave defense will have its hands full against an explosive McNeese State offense. Senior running back Toddrick Pendland, current Football Champion Subdivision national scoring leader, leads the Cowboys. Pendland has single-handedly doubled Tulane’s scoring output in two games, posting 34 points on five touchdowns and two two-point conversions. He also ranks in the top five nationwide for rushing and all-purpose yards.

McNeese State quarterback Derrick Ferroux ranks 12th in the nation with an average of 304 yards per game. He also ranks 18th nationwide in passing efficiency with a 160.87 quarterback rating. Ferroux has thrown for 525 yards and four touchdowns in two games. As a unit, the Cowboys rank among the nation’s top 20 for rushing offense (19th at 193.5 yards per game), passing offense (17th at 262.5 ypg), total offense (13th at 456 ypg) and passing efficiency (19th at 158.14).

This is all bad news for a Tulane defense coming off its disappointing showing against BYU. The defense will, however, receive a boost from the return of three players from suspension. Redshirt-freshman defensive tackle Rich Bell, senior defensive tackle Reggie Scott and senior safety Corey Sonnier were suspended for the first two games of the season for violating athletic department policy. They will each see game action for the first time this season against McNeese State.

Bell is a talented and large-bodied addition to the defensive line. Scott returns to Tulane after the NCAA granted a sixth season of eligibility due to medical hardship. He’s a three-time all-conference selection who started all of the 11 games he played in last season, recording two sacks, 28 tackles, 6.5 tackles for lost yardage, two pass breakups and one interception. Sonnier, who started in 10 of 12 games in 2008, led the team in tackles with 86, forced three fumbles, recovered one fumble and recorded six pass breakups. The Tulane defense will need these key returning starters to contribute if they hope to put up a fight on Sept. 26 at the Superdome.