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Staying Home for Bowl Season after Rice Flopper

Posted on September 5, 2013 at 05:58 PM.

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Staying Home for Bowl Season after Rice Flopper
by David Sinclair

Tulane's Green Wave football team entered today's game vs. the Rice Owls with one goal in mind: GET TO A BOWL GAME. Well, doesn't look like they'll be crossing that off their list this season. After today's 55-38 debacle in Houston, which left many frustrated, the Wave will reside on their living room couches this Bowl Season. Coach Kaelyn Willingham vented his frustrations after the game.

"I'm just disgusted. Not disgusted, but disappointed. I feel for this football team and this University. While our hopes for a bowl bid were sky high, THIS is not what they deserved. I'm very frustrated right now."

Tulane will finish the season with a 5-7 record including going 4-4 in Conference USA play. While they did win 50% of their conference games to finish 5th overall in the 14-team conference, by NCAA rule their seventh loss prevents them from receiving any sort of bowl invitation. As for the Rice game itself, it left more questions than answers.

"Who's the quarterback next year? That's something my assistant coaches & I will decide, as players return in February for Spring practices."

Devin Powell returned to the field for the Rice game for the first time in over a month, much to the chagrin of many Tulane faithful. They had seen Freshman QB Tim Ashley do a fine job leading the offense the past few weeks and wanted to see that streak continue. Powell played the first half and was largely ineffective. Though much of that can't be placed on his shoulders. The Wave offensive line was lackluster for much of the game, giving way to a sack-fumble that Rice would return for an early touchdown. The Owls would strike gold in the same fashion on the very next drive. Before the Wave could get a first down, Rice was in the lead, 14-0. Again, playing catch-up seemed to be Tulane's approach.

"We've gotta improve that going into next season. You can't win games consistently when you're always playing catch-up." said Coach Willingham.

The Wave wouldn't quit just yet, however. Sophomore CB Renaldo Thomas, who's been making plays all season, would intercept a Taylor McHargue pass in the endzone & return it for a 105-yd TD return. As expected, the game would be a 14-7 shootout early in the first. To everyone's surprise, all three 1st-qtr touchdowns would be on DEFENSE. The Wave would soon tie things up after RB Orleans Darkwa returned his 2nd kick return touchdown of the season.

To no surprise, Willingham would turn to Tim Ashley (dubbed "The Freshman Phenom" by students on campus) in the second half. Ashley did as expected, turning a likely blowout into a close contest. But even he would have his struggles. The Green Wave would pull the game to within three at 41-38 Rice late in the 4th quarter, but turnovers again would kill this team, a team coming into the game at -11 in turnover ratio (120th in the nation). The defense also provided no help, as Rice HB Turner Peterson gouged the Wave front seven, gaining 173 yards on just 19 carries, including two long touchdown runs. Before it was all said-and-done, Tulane knew their season was drawing to a close. Final Score: Rice 55, Tulane 38.

"We just gotta improve for next year. That's all. No doubt about it." said Willingham.

Coach Willingham also mentioned the recruits that the Wave are bringing in, which includes a number of 4-star players.

"We're excited for the players we're bringing into the program, and we're excited for our future. The future of this football team and this program. But as this season has shown us, sometimes you gotta get through grunt work before you can achieve glory."

That will be the message for this team in the offseason. "Work for Glory." It will be posted on banners across the Tulane campus as it is a good message for both athletes and students. Recruiting information on the Green Wave football team will be posted in the coming weeks.

Willingham: "We're close, we're just not their yet. We got a ways to go, but with hard work and determination, we'll get there."

The Green Wave close out their history in Conference USA in losing fashion, but there were some highlights during the team's 35-year run. Including the high-flying days of Mack Brown & Tommy Bowden of the 1990's. The Wave will embark on a new journey into a new conference, as they join many other former C-USA teams in the then-Big East, now American Athletic Conference. They'll encounter old foes such as Houston, SMU and Central Florida, but will also meet some new friends in Cincinnati, UConn and Temple. 2014 Green Wave football information will be distributed in the coming months well into the offseason. Stay tuned!

Roll Wave! See you next season!

Courtesy of the Tulane Lullapalooza, the Tulane student newspaper.