Is year three the time Bob Toledo gets Tulane back on track? After a solid first year as head coach, that had the Wave in Bowl contention, Tulane took two steps backwards last season posting a dismal 2-10 record.
Tulane could have easily started the season 4-0 in 2008, if not for silly mistakes against Alabama and a close 28-24 loss to East Carolina. The Wave evened their record at 2-2, but finished the season on an eight game losing streak in which they were out scored 101-13 in their last two games.
Coach Toledo hired a new defensive coordinator; he has some talent back on both sides of the ball; and the Wave has seven back on offense and six starters returning to the defense.
On offense, Tulane will be able to move the ball on the ground against their opponents with Andre Anderson back in the line-up. Anderson would have easily rushed for over 1,500-yards last season, if he hadn't gotten injured against the Rice Owls.
Toledo looks as if he has settled on his QB--Joe Kemp. Kemp replaced Kevin Moore last season, only to be lost for the season with a broken collarbone.
Kemp has some weapons to throw to--Jeremy Williams is back for his senior season and Casey Robottom should have a much better year. Keep an eye on incoming freshman DJ Banks. Banks is not a big player, but he's a playmaker, who is dangerous in the open field. Alan Mitchell is back adding veteran experience and depth at WR.
The Wave has three of their five interior linemen back, and this offense could really take off in the first few weeks of the season.
Defensively the Green Wave can't be any worse than they were a year ago. Tulane's defense should provide more of a punch this season with a new boss in former New Mexico DQ Steve Stanard.
The Wave has three back on their D-Line, and three back in the secondary. But the biggest hole to fill will be at Linebacker, where the Wave have three fresh faces in the middle of the defense.
Toledo is a good coach and he seems very motivated after what he said was his worst year in football in forty-years. The Wave have five of their first six at home, and if they expect to contend for their first bowl bid since 2002, they need to get off to at least a 3-3 start.
I'll go out on a limb and say that Tulane will come out of the gate 4-2, and I won't be surprised at all if they are 5-1, after their first six games. Tulane can't find a better coach than Toledo, and 13 of their twenty-two projected starters are seniors. That should help Toledo to get his program back on track.
Coach: Bob Toledo
2008 Record: 2-10
Conference: Conference USA
Returning Starters: 7-Offense / 6-Defense
Projected Offensive Line-Up
QB Joe Kemp So.
RB Andre Anderson Sr.
WR Alan Mitchell Jr.
WR Jeremy Williams Sr.
TE Cody Sparks Jr.
C Andrew Nierman Jr.
RG Tyler Rice Sr.
LG Harris Howard So.
RT Nick Landry Sr.
LT Pete Hendrickson Jr.
Projected Defensive Line-up
DE Logan Kelley Sr.
DT Reggie Scott Sr.
DT Oscar Ponce De Leon Jr.
DE Adam Kwentua Sr.
LB Travis Burks Sr.
LB David Kirksey Sr.
LB Kristofar Rhymes So.
CB Charles Harris Sr.
CB Phillip Davis Jr.
SS Chinonso Echeblem Sr.
FS Corey Sonnier Sr.
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