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Offensive Players to Watch as Tulane Gears Up for Tulsa Contest
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- Offensive Players to Watch as Tulane Gears Up for Tulsa Contest
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Tulane Green Wave is looking to keep building momentum through the final month of the season, and that starts with a big matchup against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Saturday.
The Green Wave enters the matchup off a 38-31 overtime victory over the Charlotte 49ers; even though the end result was a win, it was an incredibly sloppy, unfulfilling game for Tulane. Meanwhile, Tulsa is coming off a bye week, but it lost its most recent game against the Army Black Knights by a score of 38-35.
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It's shaping up to be a close contest in Uptown, and Tulane will need to dig deep to muster the victory. Here's a look at which offensive players could be crucial for the Green Wave as it looks to improve in American Conference standings.
RB Johnnie Daniels
More often than not, Daniels has been on this list, but it's for a good reason.
The running back has been the most consistent threat on the ground for the Olive Green and Sky Blue, and he's often proven to be the biggest difference-maker for the program. Daniels picked up 99 yards and two touchdowns on 13 rushes against Charlotte, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. He's equal parts shifty and strong, and he seems to be getting better every week.
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The senior has likely had higher expectations placed on him than expected, but he will have to continue to carry the load for an offense that has struggled heavily at times. Expect him to continue to get the brunt of the action on the ground this weekend.
QB Trace Johnson
Johnson took a step forward over the weekend, with his most taxing game of the season so far.
As a true freshman, Johnson probably didn't imagine that he'd be starting for Tulane in his first season, but at this point, he's the best option the team has. The signal-caller went 28-for-36 passing for 284 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the 49ers, tossing the game-tying score with just 10 seconds remaining to force overtime.
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Johnson was more accurate and dependable than he has been all season, though it would be nice to see him push the ball downfield a bit more at times. He'll continue to improve and work through some standard rookie mistakes through the final month of the regular season.
WR Zycarl Lewis, Jr.
Lewis hasn't quite had the prolific season that many expected.
In his defense, the wideout faced has some injury setbacks that have significantly limited his playing time. However, Lewis finally made some strides against Charlotte, catching three passes for a total of 55 yards. It was his most prolific game of the season so far, and it expanded upon his workload in games against the Memphis Tigers and UTSA Roadrunners.
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Johnson has shown that he likes to spread the ball out more, and Lewis is beginning to heat up at just the right time. There are still a few games left for the redshirts sophomore to make his mark, and that begins this weekend.
