"The offense boasts a burgeoning superstar in quarterback Lester Ricard and two good backs, Jovon Jackson and Matt Forte, working behind a line loaded with experience."

On the negative side:"There are problems with a shaky receiving corps, defensive concerns after a lousy year and a troubled field goal kicking game,"

However,"but the positives far outweigh the negatives."

Note the wording "far outweigh."

Also, they have us ranked #79 in the country, which is above 8 of our opponents. Also, Mississippi State is at #76, so that's another possible win.

We need to win 8 or 9 games minimum this year.

In regards to the Tulane football team, the biggest negative still remains at the head coaching position, Scelfo and his brother has to go. As long as that situation remains, fan support for Tulane football will continue to lag. :chair:

Yeah, right. Frank Scelfo has done a terrible job. He only groomed two 1st round QB draft choices. And the job he did with a very raw Ricard is unmatched in the annals of coaching. I'm afraid you'll have to look under a different rock for your excuses. People aren't staying away because of the Scelfo's. They have been missing from the dome for over 20 years now. Lack of sustained success has kept them away. Success and the promise of future success will bring them back.

[QUOTE]People aren't staying away because of the Scelfo's.[QUOTE]
The Scelfo's are a factor in the erosion of the football fan base, ask any current season ticket holder. Chris Scelfo has consistantly been outcoached in year in and year out. I know many of the true dye-in-the-wool, old guard and long time sticket holders and all of these people feel the same about this coach. Every person that are seated around me has, like myself, been a season ticket holder since the early to mid 1970's and we have seen many Tulane coaches come through, but we all agree, the Scelfos are the worst. Look at the track record. :rolleyes:

Strange, because I have been a season ticket holder since the early 70's also. And I also know many others. And I am not experiencing the same negativism from the fans I know as you are from the ones you know. So, you can't possibly mean "ask any current season ticket holder."

[QUOTE]So, you can't possibly mean "ask any current season ticket holder."[QUOTE]

I have a better "yardstick", let us measure how many season ticket holders NOT renewing their tickets this year. I have been told within the past three days that this number is alarming.

All we can do is wait and see. I was talking to some that I know have been buying football season tickets for many years. Most have told me that they are slow in ordering their football tickets this year because of other expenses incurred due to baseball.

greenwave Wrote:the Scelfos are the worst. Look at the track record.

The track record for Chris Scelfo is middle of the pack for Tulane coaches since the '70's, definitely not the worst. Much better than Davis and Teevens. Better than English. Worse than Bowden and Smith. About the same as Brown and Ellender.

JMO, not my business, but I don't think your coach is all that bad, but if he is hurting attendance, its time to do something. MO, is the team has pretty good coaching, and players, but lacks the intangible swagger. If they were to get that, they would instantly become a very dangerous team.

Carolinaherd,

carolinaherd Wrote:but lacks the intangible swagger. If they were to get that, they would instantly become a very dangerous team.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Some of the players need to step up as leaders to give us that swagger. I would love to see our QB, Ricard, be that guy on offense, but I don't know if it's within his personality to do that. And on defense, I think we need one of the defensive linemen to step up.

We have the making of a very good team. Kinda reminds me of the 2002 Hawaii Bowl team - Good Offense and surprising good Defense. Ricard will be great when given time to throw and the O-line has veterans. the RB's are good, proven kids and the WR's need to just catch passes, which we've usuallly had them do in the past. The Defense figures to be one of the better units for us. The D-Line has experience, the linebackers are good, esp. A. Cannon and Boger in the backfield will help. Our schedule is set up nicely with the tougher teams on the schedule at home and the weaker ones at home.
Scelfo? Average coach - very middle of the pack, which is something new at TU as well - a coach who took us to a Bowl and stuck around the next year, yet cant quite get the team over .500 with NFL talent at QB, RB and WR playing for him in his tenure. We've usually been hit or miss with coaches and Scelfo is right in between the two extremes. The fact that he wants to stick around a build a winner is something I commend him for. In time TU will have a solid, balanced football team and a steady program that will be successful. If only we could bring in JUCO kids to fill in gaps when the team needs to replace players. If TU could assure itself of steady, strong D-linemen every year, this team and program will be a force in C-USA. Getting the necessary players on Offense hasnt been a problem and a Good D-Line would allow TU LB's and DB's to make plays, which makes for a great D.