Tulane Green Wave: By the Numbers

The Green Wave passing attack only put up 176.7 yards per game last year, but there is reason to believe the aerial attack could take a step forward this year in New Orleans.

Pratt will have a potent rushing attack behind him (stay tuned for more on that), and plenty of pieces returning in the trenches to keep him upright and protected. While Tulane’s receivers leave something to be desired, Pratt could provide a decent early test for the OU secondary as Woodi Washington and D.J. Graham dip their toes back into the water in 2021.

With dynamic playmakers departing from the defensive side of the football, the keys to the team will be handed over to Pratt as the Green Wave will need to pick apart opponents this season.

217.1

While the Green Wave broke in Pratt last year, they relived a ton of the pressure on their young quarterback with one of the best rushing attacks in the nation. Leading the AAC with 217.1 rushing yards per contest, Tulane ranked 17th in the country in rushing yards per game despite talented freshman running back Tyjae Spears going down in September with a torn ACL. On just 37 rushes last year, PFF logged 16 broken tackles by Spears, and nearly 25 percent of his carries went for 10 yards or more.

Spears returns and will join sophomore back Cameron Carrol, a formidable 1-2 punch on the ground in New Orleans. Carrol received a running grade of 88.7 last year from PFF, pacing all AAC running backs.

2-2

Rarely does a program with the pedigree of Oklahoma open up the season on the road.

In fact, the Sooners have opened the season away from home just four times since Bob Stoops stepped foot on campus in Norman, posting a startling 2-2 mark over that period.

Even the pair of victories have been anything but routine. In 2002, three first half turnovers saw OU enter half-time with just a 3-0 lead over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane before turning it on to win the game 37-0.

Again in 2012, an experienced Oklahoma team stumbled out of the gates in a late, mustard-filled trip to El Paso, only topping the UTEP Miners 24-0.

And that’s just the victories.

OU’s injury-riddled 2009 camp gain started off on the wrong foot in 2009, as the Sam Bradford went down and the Sooners lost 14-13 to the BYU Cougars in the first football game played in Jerry Jones’ brand-new football palace in Arlington. Freshman Landry Jones introduced himself to the OU fateful with a 6-of-12 passing performance, racking up just 51 yards through the air.

Punter Tress Way was called upon to attempt a 54-yard field goal for the win, but the ball, and Oklahoma’s season, landed with an anti-climatic thud well short of the goal posts.

Seven years later, it would be a Baker Mayfield's offense that failed to get the job done, falling 33-23 to Tom Herman’s upstart Houston Cougars in the season opener.

The Sooners enter 2021 with sky-high expectations, and should cruise in New Orleans.

But recent history indicates the season opener could be anything but simple. 

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