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14•SEPTEMBER12, 2008 SPORTS THE TuLANE HULLABALOO DEFENSE: Strong and ready to take charge Sam Thomas Kwentua is 6 foot 3 inches and 259 middle linebacker. Al 6 foot 1 inch and er Travis Burks is probably the fastest of secondary, a unit that allowed oppos- contributing writer pounds, and his build also favors pass 224 pounds, he has a great mix of speed the starting linebackers. ing quarterbacks to complete 65 per- rushing over run defense. He made and tackling strength that allows him to The converted cornerback, whose cent of their passes last season. After 2.007 was a hallmark season for the 20 tackles and had four sacks in 2007, be a threat to stop both the run and the speed allows him to excel in pass cov- being slotted in as a linebacker at the Tulane defense, a unit that led Confer- the first season in which he earned pass. erage situations, will also see a great in- beginning of fall camp, Skehan suffered ence USA in rushing defense after hav- steady playing time. The strongside posi- crease in playing time. He recorded 20 a sports hernia that required surgery ing finished ninth in that category in the The middle of Tulane's defensive line tion will be held by Da- tackles as a re- and caused the coaching staff to recon- 2006 season. Tulane alse finished third was lost to graduation, so the Wave will vid Kirksey, a talent- serve last sea- sider changing his position. in total sacks andefensive coordinator in the off- hurt us defensively; Toledo said. "Some ing time. Kirk- valuable com- but it's really a nickel or a dime back. season after Kaumeyer left to join the young guys will have to play." Sophomore sey's 2007 ponent of the He's lost 20 pounds. He was 229 pounds coaching staff of the Jacksonville Jag- Tony Bryant and senior Julian Shives- season Wave's re- and now he's at 205 or so. So I think los- uars. Gilbert will focus on maintain- Sams now form the core of the line, and ended vamped cover- ing the weight and having the injury, ing the high level of efficiency of the run their success will have a profound ef- with 27 age scheme. it's in his best interest and our best in- ､ ･ ｦ ･ ｮ ｳ ｾ while also improving the Wave's fect on the pass rush and the run de- tackles "We add- terest- especially position wise since pass defense, which ranked close to the fense for Tulane. The 6-foot-3-inch, 280- ed a couple of we have more linebackers than we have bottom of the conference in nearly every pound Shives-Sams recorded 11 tack- new packag- safeties." statistical category last season. les in limited action last season, and the a reserve, es," Burks said Skehan showed his athleticism "Last season we played so much man 6-foot-3-inch, 256-pound Bryant barely though his after Wednes- in ball-shadowing and pass coverage that our underneath coverage wasn't played in 2007. physical day's practice. last season, recording 66 tackles and very good, and in turn our pass defense Collectively, they cannot replace abilities "And one of the four interceptions in 2007. wasn't very good," Toledo said. "So we've the size of the graduated linemen, who were ap- new packages... At free safety, junior Chinonso Eche- worked hard on playing more zone, break- weighed 290, 275 and 311 pounds. This parent. is a real play- belem is well-built and physical at 6 ing to the ball, keeping people in front of raises questions regarding the defensive At 6 foot maker [for the foot 1 inch and 208 pounds. He used us and limiting the offense to short gains line's ability to handle larger and more defense] ..." these strengths to make 61 tackles and instead of big plays." physical offensive lines. A great deal of 225 pounds, he fits The emer- force three fumbles last season. It's a strategy that will have to work for pressure rests on whether two fairly in- the mould of a Wave gence of Kirk- Senior Josh Lumar has experience Tulane's p ..ss coverage to provide proper experienced and undersized defensive linebacker, in that his sey and Burks on his side and serves as the Wave's balance 011 tne defensive side. tackles can replace the run-stuffing that game revolves around together should best. one-on-one cover corner. Though resulted from the sheer girth of the mid- his explosiveness and lead to more somewhat undersized at 5 foot 10 inch- Defensive I.inc dle linemen that anchored the Wave's de- footspeed. deflected pass- es and 179 pounds, Lumar used his nat- The defensive line is bolstered by the fense last season. "We've changed the es and inter-· ural physicality to make 73 tackles and return of two starting defensive ends, ju- understanding of the ceptions for break up 13 passes in 2007, his first sea- mor Adam Kwentua on the right side and Linebackers plays and how you fit the linebacking son as a starter. senior Ri>ggie Scott on the left. Scott, Returning six lettermen, the lineback- gaps," Kirksey said af- corps. Sophomore Phillip Davis is also un- vho was named the defensive captain ing corps figures to be the uncontested ter Wednesday's prac- dersized at 5 foot 10 inches and 164 in preseason camp, is coming off an im- strongpoint of Tulane's defense. tice, when asked to com- Secondary pounds, but he hopes to build on a sol- pressive season in which he recorded 27 "I look at our linebackers and I think ment on his evolving The re- id season as a true freshman in which tackles and four sacks. At 6 foot 4 inches they will be the strength of our de- role. "Everyone has to turn of junior he recorded 32 tackles. and weighing a svelte 258 pounds, Scott fense because they all return," Toledo have an overall view of strong safe- Competing in a conference that is is built perfectly for pass rushing and said. "We've got more linebackers than what to do on the de- ty David Ske- often described as pass-oriented, the his speed should allow him to thrive in a any other position." fense, so it all comes to- han will help \\'ave will need each member of the Reggie Scott looks to lead 2008 defense that plans to use the blitz more Senior Evan Lee, who led the team gether. Like a ｰ ｵ ｺ ｺ ｬ ･ ｾ the lo strengthen secondary to help contribute to the de- defensive squad to victory. than in 2007. \vith 99 tackles last season, returns as a Weakside lineback- Tulane's shaky velopment of the team's pass defense. SPECIAL TEAMS: kicking it OFFENSE: New RB and QB up a notch in new season. pick up where Forte left off Chaitanya Nandipati behind the starting five, as a liams. Their performance v.'i.ll William Van Wazer But thanks lo drills in practice sim- For deRochemont, tl1e upcom- guest columnist handful of freshmen dot the be doubly important this season staff writer ulating last minute situations, he ing season looks to hold more op- two-deep depth chart. with the running backs largely will be better prepared this year. portunities to succeed as both the The 2007 Green Vlave offense untested. As far as the tight ends Special Teams for Tulane will "We're all athletes; we kind of starting punter and holder. Af- could have been summed up in 2 Running Backs go, Toledo plans on involving have much of the same look it did want the ball in our hands come ter laking over the punting duties \vords: Matt Forte. Unfortunate- Junior Andre Anderson has the them in the offense more than last year, with both Ross Thevenot, late in the game; he said. "It in the fourth game of last seac;on, ly for Tulane, Forte is now plying unenviable task of replacing For- they were last year. Starting tight the team kicker, and Darren deR- deRochemont averaged an impres- his trade for the Chicago Bears te, but his performances in fall end Justin Kessler is primarily a ochemont, the team punter, re- sive 38. 7 yards per punt last season "Everything is just in the NFL and head coach Bob scrimmages are a source for opti- blocker and converted lineback- turning to their previous roles. and placed opposing teams inside Toledo must replace almost half mism. The dismissal of Andre Ag- er Cody Sparks will see a lot of Thevenot will begin this year picking up where the 20-yard line nine times, includ- of the offense's production. Also ers from the team in the fall, how- action and will be counted upon focused on kicking. as opposed to ing four times against National we left off. We're gone is quarterback Anthony ever, has left true freshmen i 'a- to provide another dimension to last year when he entered the sea- Champion LSU. Scelfo, who while undersized for than Austin and Albert \V"tlliams the \\'ave offense. son handling both the punting and just going to try "Everything is just picking up the position, still provided an as the only backups to Anderson. kicking responsibilities. where we left off,' deRochemont and do what we do extra dimension with his speed. Austin is more of a power runner Quarterbacks "[DeRochemont] isworriedabout said. ｾ ｗ ･ Ｇ ｲ ･ Just going to try and best." Much like previous years, fresh- while Williams provides a home \\'ith Scelfo departed to pro- punting. and I'm worried about kick- do what we do best:' men and sophomores will play a run threat with his speed. Sopho- fessional baseball, sophomore ing. and I think it works out better One notable thing to look out for significant role in the success or more Cody Blackwelder began the Kevin Moore beat out fresh- this ｷ ｡ ｹ Ｌ ｾ Thevenot said, as he looks -Darren deRochemont on Special Teams this year is Coach failure of the Tulane offense. season as the starting fullback but man Joe Kemp for the startmg to improve on last season, in which team punter Bob Toledo's trademark: trick plays. also expect freshman Kasey Stelly job this fall. .Moore gained in- he made every extra point and 72 "Every game we'll always have a Offensive Line to sec a lot of action. valuable experience at the end percent of hie; field goals, also mak- special play of two; Toledo said. A significant portion of the of last season that will have to ing 100 percent of his attempts from worked out last year that we had a Editor's Note: For the time- offensive line that helped For- Wide Receivers/Tight Ends carry over to this upcoming longer than 40 yards. few games come down to the end being; Coach Toledo stated that te to over 2,000 yards last sea- \\'hile the receh.ing corps season. The early returns are , 'o stranger to big game pres- that didn't work out for us, and Thevenot will now take over the son returns for the 2008 season. won't win any beauty contests, already promising, as Moore sure, Thcvenot will most likely face that's something we've been push- position of punter, effective after The starting five is experienced they form a solid group led by ju- was able to consistently move more than a few big kicks this year. ing ourselves ｯ ｮ ｾ last week's loss to Alabama and will be led by sophomore nior Jeremy \\'illiams, the \'\'ave's the football against Alabama. guard Andrew Nierman, who leading receiver from last season. While Moore looks to have a was named an honorable men- Seniors Brian King and Michael strong hold on the starting job tion to the national All-Fresh- Batiste, junior Chris Dunn and for no\\', don't be surprised if Be A Professional Peacemaker. men team a year ago. A cause sophomore Casey Robottom pro· Kemp sees action this season, for concern could be the depth vide quality depth behind Wil- especially if Moore struggles.

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