Nov. 18, 2002
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GAME 12
Tulane vs. Southern Miss
Nov. 23, 2002
2:30 p.m. (CST)
New Orleans, La.
Louisiana Superdome (69,767)
Green Wave Facts
2002 Record: 6-5
2002 C-USA Record: 3-4
Head Coach: Chris Scelfo
Alma Mater/Year: UL-Monroe/1985
Record at Tulane/Year: 19-27/4th
Overall Record/Years: Same
President: Scott Cowen
Athletic Director: Rick Dickson
Ticket Office Phone: 504-861-WAVE
2002 Schedule
8/31 vs. Southern 37-19, W
9/7 at Houston* 34-13, W
9/14 at East Carolina* 20-24, L
9/21 at Memphis* 10-38, L
9/28 TEXAS (#3) 0-49, L
10/5 at UL-Monroe 52-9, W
10/12 CINCINNATI* 35-17, W
10/19 UAB* 35-14, W
10/26 NAVY (HC) 51-30, W
11/9 at TCU* 10-17, L
11/16 ARMY* 10-14, L
11/23 SOUTHERN MISS* 2:30 pm
*C-USA Game; (HC) Homecoming game to be played at Tad Gormley Stadium; All times Central.
Golden Eagles' Facts
2002 Record: 6-4
2002 C-USA Record: 4-2
Head Coach: Jeff Bower
Alma Mater/Year: Southern Miss/1975
Record at USM/Years: 79-56-1/12th
Overall Record/Years Same
President: Dr. Shelby Thames
Athletic Director: Richard Giannini
Ticket Office Phone: 601-266-5418
Website: www.SouthernMiss.com
2002 Schedule
8/31 JACKSON STATE 55-7, W
9/7 ILLINOIS 23-20, W
9/14 MEMPHIS* 33-14, W
9/21 at Alabama 7-20, L
9/28 at Army* 27-6, W
10/12 at South Florida 13-16, L
10/19 CINCINNATI* 23-14, W
10/30 at TCU* 7-37, L
11/9 at UAB* 20-13, W
11/14 LOUISVILLE* 17-20 (2ot), L
11/23 at Tulane* 2:30 pm
11/30 EAST CAROLINA* 2 pm
All times Central. *C-USA Game.
NOTES ON THE WAVE
Early Finish
Tulane takes on Southern Miss in its 2002 regular season finale in the Superdome in the last of seven home games. The Green Wave is the only Conference USA team to finish its regular season schedule this weekend.
Senior Day
The Green Wave will say goodbye to 16 seniors today, 10 defensive players, five on offense and one specialist. This class of seniors includes the last tie to the 1998 perfect season as six members of this group were on the team that year as redshirted players, including defensive linemen Chris Washington, Roxie Shelvin and Kenan Blackmon, offensive linemen Derick Bugg and Seth Zaunbrecher, and the only player on the roster to see action on that team, quarterback Derrick Joseph. The group also includes a pair of long-time walk-ons, tight end Stephen Hedemann and defensive end Steven Segari. Nine of those seniors have started throughout most of the 2002 season, seven on defense (SS Adrian Mitchell, FS Quentin Brown, CB Jeff Sanchez, DT Shelvin, DE Blackmon, DE Floyd Dorsey, DT Marlon Tickles), one specialist (K/P Seth Marler) and one on offense (OG Seth Zaunbrecher) while another three have been hurt or injured most of the year: OL Derick Bugg, Washington and SS Terry Fontenot The final member of the class is running back Brant Hocke.
Of Late
The Green Wave suffered a 14-10 upset at the hands of Army in the Superdome to drop to 6-5 on the year as the Wave could not capitalize on five first-half turnovers by the Black Knights, tallying just seven points off those turnovers. Offensively, penalties and other miscues plagued Tulane, which also missed three field goals in the game.
The Series
Tulane and Southern Miss meet for the 24th time in the last 24 years as the USM series is the oldest consecutive series on the Tulane schedule. The teams have met every season since 1979, when the Green Wave won a 20-19 decision in Hattiesburg. Southern Miss owns a 17-6 lead in the series and has won three consecutive games and seven of the last eight. The Golden Eagles have averaged 54.3 points in their three victories since 1999. USM leads the series in New Orleans, 8-3, with Tulane's last win (and only one in C-USA play) in the perfect season of 1998.
The Last Meeting
A year ago in Hattiesburg, Southern Miss scored on their first five possessions and went on to a dominating 59-6 victory over Tulane in the 2001 season finale. Southern Miss dominated on both sides of the ball as Mewelde Moore's 128-yard rushing day provided the lone bright spot for the Green Wave.
In Conference
Tulane is 20-24 (.454) all-time in Conference USA play and stands 3-4 so far in 2002 with three of its four league losses coming on the road. The league moved to an eight-game schedule this year after playing seven games for the last two seasons. In 1996, teams played five league games and the number stood at six from 1997-99. Currently at 10 schools, C-USA will add its 11th football member in 2003 when South Florida becomes a league football school.
Tulane vs. C-USA
Tulane and Southern Miss meet for the sixth time as Conference USA foes with the Golden Eagles owning a 5-1 series edge in C-USA meetings. USM has more C-USA wins over Tulane than any other league school. The Wave is 44-62-2 (.417) all-time versus teams that currently comprise Conference USA.
Staying Home
In all, the Green Wave will play seven games in New Orleans this season, the most home contests for Tulane since 1988 - a stretch of 13 seasons. Six of those games will be played in the Superdome, the most games in the 'Dome for Tulane since the 1998 season. After playing four of its first six games on the road, Tulane plays five of its last six games of 2002 at home, including the last two.
Home, Home at the 'Dome
Since moving into the Superdome in 1975, the Green Wave is 73-87 (a .456 winning percentage) all-time in its home stadium. Tulane is 3-2 in the Superdome so far this season, went 2-3 at home last year and is 24-12 (.667) in the building since the beginning of the 1997 season.
Bowl Eligible
With its win over Navy, Tulane became bowl-eligible for the fourth time in the last six years, the most successful run for the Green Wave program since the late 70s. In fact, Tulane is tied with Louisville and Southern Miss, behind only TCU, in wins among all Conference USA teams in 2002. The league has five bowl tie-ins this year, including the New Orleans, Houston, GMAC, Hawai'i and Liberty bowls. Tulane's last trip to a bowl was the 1998 Liberty Bowl trip at the conclusion of the Wave's undefeated season that resulted in a victory over BYU.
The Turnover Tale
The Green Wave defense collected five more turnovers versus Army to up its season total to 36, the most by a Tulane team since the 1984 D had the same number. That total is also the second-highest by a Wave team since the 1980 defensive unit forced 44 turnovers. The Wave ranks second in the country in turnovers gained, one behind national leader San Jose State. Tulane's 19 interceptions are tied for fourth in the nation while their 17 fumbles recovered are tied for fifth. Tulane has upped its turnover margin to +1.45 for the season, a mark which ranks fifth in the country. The Green Wave has scored 104 points (14 TDs and 2 FGs) off of those turnovers, although they added just seven on five TOs last week.
All-America Candidate
Tulane junior Lynaris Elpheage has turned into one of the best multi-purpose players in the nation as he ranks among the Top 23 players in the country in four different categories. On defense, he led the nation in passes defended in the latest NCAA defensive stats and now has 24 on the year. The New Orleans native is also tied for fourth in the country in interceptions with seven. His 13 career interceptions rank third all-time in Conference USA. As a special teams star, Elpheage has punt returns of 35, 26, 44 and 57 yards this season, with his lateral to Gerald Brobbey on the 57-yarder leading to a TD versus UAB. Elpheage's 308 punt return yards is the fourth-highest single season total in school history and he ranks 19th in the country with his 13.4-yard average. In the TCU game, Elpheage had his top kickoff return day with four returns for 126 yards, including efforts of 28, 26, 52 and 20 yards. He now ranks 23rd in the country with his 24.8-yard average on 16 returns. He also has a touchdown on a 42-yard kickoff return of an onside kickoff versus Houston.
Fantastic Frosh
Tulane linebacker Anthony Cannon continues to rank as one of the top true freshmen defenders in the nation after posting a season-high 12 tackles, seven solo, versus Army to raise his season total to a team-leading 96 stops. He added his fifth tackle for loss of the year, his second pass break-up and his second caused fumble. Cannon could become the first true freshman in 25 seasons, since Wilfred Simon (1977) to lead the Wave in tackles. Redshirt freshman Mike Staid was Tulane's leading tackler in 1991. Entering the Army game, he ranked second in the nation among all true freshmen in tackles. A native of Stone Mountain, Ga. and a high school teammate of another of Tulane's remarkable rookies, three-TD scorer Sean Lucas, Cannon is the only true freshman leading his team in tackles.
All-Time Best
Tulane running back Mewelde Moore broke the school's 54-year-old career rushing record on a 17-yard run in the first quarter of the Navy game. Moore has now upped his career total to 3,197 yards, surpassing Eddie Price's mark of 3,095 yards compiled from 1946-49. The junior from Baton Rouge, La. now owns 17 Tulane and four Conference USA marks (for a complete list, go to www.Mewelde Moore.net).
All-Purpose Back
Versus TCU, Moore added the Tulane career record for all-purpose yards on a 47-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter to account for the Wave's only touchdown. Moore added 111 all-purpose yards last week against Army and now has 4,792 career all-purpose yards: 3,197 rushing, 1,513 receiving and 82 return yards as he also ranks in the Tulane top 12 for career receiving yards. Moore ranks third on the Conference USA all-time all-purpose charts, behind only Houston's Ketric Sanford (5,817) and Louisville's Arnold Jackson (4,915). One of the top all-around backs in the nation, Moore is tied for the Tulane team lead in receiving with 41 catches for 407 yards this year.
Line Losses
This week's senior day activities point up the fact that with five seniors, four starters and the injured Chris Washington, on the defensive line in 2002, the position will have a much-different look a year from now. Roxie Shelvin, Floyd Dorsey, Marlon Tickles and Kenan Blackmon, Tulane's senior defensive line foursome, have been together, and been mainstays in the Green Wave line-up, for four years. Three of the four have started at least 30 games for Tulane. Blackmon and Dorsey rank 1-2 in career sacks all-time. This year alone, the four have combined for an amazing 52 tackles for loss. They have made 578 tackles in their 165 career games, stopped 126 ball-carriers behind the line of scrimmage for 547 lost yards and accounted for 54 sacks as a group. They've batted down 19 passes, forced 10 fumbles and recovered nine.
Great Eight
Tulane has scored eight non-offensive (defensive or special teams) touchdowns this year, with at least one in each of Tulane's six victories and two each in the Houston and UAB games. Tulane's non-offensive scores have come on three fumble and three interception returns, and on a punt and a kickoff return from the special teams. The plethora of former high school quarterbacks, running backs and receivers on the Wave roster on both sides of the ball make it less surprising that Tulane's defensive players have shown a nose for the end zone this year. The 2002 "D" has broken the school record for defensive touchdowns in a season and added to that record in the Navy game when Chris Williams picked up a fumble and rumbled 35 yards for a touchdown. In all, six different defensive players have scored eight TDs for the Green Wave this year, including Lynaris Elpheage's kickoff return score versus Houston and Brobbey's (with a big assist from Elpheage) TD against UAB. True freshman Sean Lucas leads the way with three scores with Elpheage adding two TDs and Williams, Floyd Dorsey and Brobbey collecting the others.
C-USA Honors
With a school-record-tying five touchdown passes versus Navy, J.P. Losman earned Conference USA Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 28th. Losman had his top game of the season versus Navy, completing 25-of-35 passes for 329 yards and one interception to go with the five TDs. Losman was the third Tulane player to earn C-USA honors this year as Lynaris Elpheage and Seth Marler earned Special Teams Player of the Week accolades after the Houston and Cincinnati games, respectively.
Defensive Details
Tulane continued its defensive resurgence despite the loss versus TCU as for the second time this season the Tulane defense held an opponent without a touchdown. TCU's lone TD of the game came on special teams when they blocked a Green Wave punt and recovered it in the end zone. The Wave "D" also held UL-Monroe without a score earlier this year. Tulane has held seven of its 11 2002 opponents to 20 points or less, after limiting opponents below that mark only once last year.
Double Trouble
When it comes to interceptions, the Tulane duo of Lynaris Elpheage and Quentin Brown has been double trouble for opponents. While Elpheage's numbers are well-documented, Brown has also quietly put together a career year from his free safety position. After collecting just one interception in 31 career games prior to 2002, Brown has made FIVE INTs in 11 games in his senior season to rank tied for sixth on the TU single-season charts. His latest pickoff came versus TCU. Brown is also Tulane's second-leading tackler with 91 stops, far surpassing his previous single season high of 72.
Resounding Success
On Oct. 26th versus Navy, Tulane played its first outdoor home football game in 28 seasons, since Nov. 30, 1974, when they took on the Midshipmen at Tad Gormley Stadium in City Park. Tulane last played outside in the on-campus Tulane Stadium before moving to the then brand-new Louisiana Superdome in 1975. The Homecoming celebration was complete with a Homecoming parade down Roosevelt Mall, a team-walk into the stadium, a military flyover and 50 party tents erected in Homecoming Village. Despite Friday rains which cleared by game time, the Wave sold 28,123 tickets to the contest.
The Future's So Bright
An unusually high number of players -- 19 -- have scored for the Green Wave this year with 18 having reached the end zone for touchdowns 36 times. Of those 18 players, only one, defensive end Floyd Dorsey, is a senior, leaving 17 Tulane players who have accounted for 35 TDs on the year are expected to return for 2003. Even more encouraging is the fact that 11 of those players are underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores) this year. Tulane is expected to return 216 of its 294 points for 2003 (kicker Seth Marler with 72 points is the other senior to have scored).
Powerful Punter
At this rate, it's too bad senior Seth Marler didn't start punting earlier in his career! In the last four games, Tulane's kicker turned punter has blasted 25 punts for a 46.8-yard average as he kicked six times for a career-high 51-yard average last Saturday versus Army. On the season, Marler ranks 11th in the nation and second among C-USA punters with a season average of 43.3 yards per punt. His season total of 2,812 punting yards already ranks fifth on the single season list, although his number of punts (65) do not make the top 10. His 43.26 average would rank sixth for a single season as of today.
Kickoff Monster
The all-time leading scorer in Green Wave and Conference USA history who leads Tulane in points on the year with 72, Marler has also vastly improved his kickoffs in 2002, resulting in a powerful weapon for Tulane. Forty-seven of his 61 kickoffs this season have gone to the endzone, and only 27 have been returned, the lowest mark in Conference USA. Tulane opponents returned 51 kickoffs in 12 games last year.
Dorsey Dominating
In his final season, defensive end Floyd Dorsey has become the dominating player Tulane coaches expect him to be. The Tyler, Texas native has been named the Green Wave's defensive player of the week in three of the last four games. And the stats back that up; Dorsey has three tackles for loss and at least one quarterback sack against UAB, Navy and Army, with two quarterback sacks in the UAB game and a forced fumble last week. He leads Tulane defensive linemen in tackles with 54, and leads the team in tackles for loss (18) and sacks (6.5). He has twice as many tackles for loss this year as he had in his previous top year (9 in 2000).
Laterally Speaking
It's possible, though not normal, to see one touchdown scored off a play involving a lateral. But two TDs -- one on an interception and the other on a punt return -- involving a lateral? In the same game? The lateral was Tulane's secret weapon versus UAB. In the second quarter, Lynaris Elpheage caught a punt at the Tulane 22-yard line, made the first couple of tacklers miss and went 57 yards to the UAB 21, where he was on the verge of being tackled when he lateralled the ball to a trailing Gerald Brobbey, who went 21 yards for the score and a 13-7 Tulane lead. Then in the third quarter, Tulane's Tra Boger picked off a UAB pass at the Tulane 40, got to the 47 where he was corralled, and shoveled the ball behind him to teammate Sean Lucas. The freshman, who had already scored two TDs on defensive plays this year, went the remaining 53 yards for the touchdown.
Great Rates
In the latest graduation rates figures released by the NCAA, Tulane once again ranks among the national leaders in terms of graduating its student-athletes, and also its football players. In fact, Tulane's graduation rate of 80% for the four-class average ranks it fifth among Division I-A programs. The Wave's 82% number for the 1995-96 cohort alone is tied for 11th in Division I-A. The Green Wave's graduation rate of 78% for all student-athletes was 12th nationally and ranked ahead of all other Louisiana and Conference USA schools.
Sack It To Me
With four sacks versus Army, Tulane has compiled 36 sacks on the season which is the second-highest Green Wave sack total in history, behind only the school record of 46 sacks set by the 1973 "D". Tulane's effort last week bested the mark of 35 sacks set by the 1997 defense. Tulane's defensive line boasts the top two career sackers in Green Wave history in defensive ends Kenan Blackmon (20.5) and Floyd Dorsey (18.5). While Dorsey's 6.5 sacks leads this year's team individually and rank sixth on the single season chart, he is one of 13 players on the defense with at least one sack and one of four (with Blackmon, Roxie Shelvin and Blake Baker) with at least five sacks on the year.
The "Cycle," FB Style
Tulane cornerback Lynaris Elpheage has apparently accomplished a unique feat -- the football "return cycle." When Elpheage returned Houston's on-side kickoff attempt 42 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, he added a kickoff return TD to his career punt return, interception return and fumble return scores. No other current Division I-A player has turned the trick. Last year, he recorded touchdowns on a 64-yard punt return versus Southern and on a 48-yard interception return against Navy. As a freshman, Elpheage scored on a 23-yard fumble recovery and return. The kickoff return TD was Tulane's first in 53 games, since Adam Moorhead brought a kick back 67 yards versus Louisville on October 11, 1997.
Freshmen Impact
Tulane's 2002 freshman class has made a large impact on the squad with four players from that group listed as starters and five others in second team and/or key contributing roles. In addition to starting weakside linebacker Anthony Cannon on defense, three offensive freshman have earned starting roles - receiver Damarcus Davis, left tackle Chris McGee and offensive guard Matt Traina while CB Sean Lucas and WR Cletus McGee have seen a lot of playing time and RB Jovon Jackson, C Will Blaylock, OG Donald Madlock and DE Michael Roberts have all made significant contributions off the bench.
2-0
Tulane started the year 2-0 for the first time since 1998, but more incredibly, for just the second time since 1975 - a stretch of 27 years. That '75 team defeated Clemson and Ole Miss in the first two weeks of the year before falling to Syracuse in week three. The '98 squad defeated Cincinnati and SMU on the start of its undefeated string.
Captain My Captain
Four players were elected the permanent team captains for 2002 by their teammates at the conclusion of preseason camp. A pair of juniors - running back Mewelde Moore and quarterback J.P. Losman - were tabbed as offensive captains, while defensively, senior tackle Roxie Shelvin and senior end Kenan Blackmon were the choices.
Next?
Tulane, which finishes the regular season before any other school in Conference USA, awaits the end of the regular season and news of a possible bowl berth. No matter the result of the Southern Miss game, the Wave's run of success in the past six seasons -- four years with six wins or more -- marks its top era since the late 1970s.
ON THE AIR
Tulane-Southern Miss on TV
There is no television broadcast of the Tulane-Southern Miss game.
Tulane-ISP Radio Network
In 2002, Tulane games will be heard in the New Orleans area on WTIX-FM (94.3), WTIX-AM (690) and WJSH-FM (104.7), as part of a 13-station network that stretches across the state and even into Florida. Newcomer Sean Kelley calls the play-by-play action while former Tulane wide receiver Steve Barrios returns with color commentary and Todd Graffagnini is back on the sideline beat.
Tulane Coaches' Call-In Show
Head Coach Chris Scelfo will be the featured guest on the Tulane Coaches' Call-In Show every Monday from 7-8 p.m. during the season. Tulane radio voice Sean Kelley hosts the show, which is broadcast live from Superior Grille on St. Charles Ave. in New Orleans.
Tulane Sports Today
"Tulane Sports Today," featuring Head Coach Chris Scelfo with game highlights and player features, and hosted by Sean Kelley, will air weekly in New Orleans on WDSU-TV Sunday nights at 11:05 p.m., and on Cox Cable Mon. at 8 p.m. and Weds. at 7 p.m.
"Ringside"
Tulane Athletics will be the featured topic on the radio show "Ringside" with host Jeff Crouere each Wednesday from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on WTIX-AM 690 in New Orleans. Tulane coaches, players and athletics staff will be featured during the segment, which will run throughout the 2002-2003 school year.
