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Offensive Players to Watch as Tulane Prepares for Charlotte Showdown
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- Offensive Players to Watch as Tulane Prepares for Charlotte Showdown
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
It's been a tough few days for the Tulane Green Wave following a demoralizing 42-19 loss to the UTSA Roadrunners.
Outside of the first few minutes of action, the game was never truly close. The Green Wave totaled just 332 yards on offense, and only 67 of those yards came on the ground; though the team technically picked up 113 rushing yards, it lost 46. Throw in the six turnovers that the team had, and it was a very forgettable performance on the gridiron.
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Tulane is looking to right the ship against the Charlotte 49ers: a team that has had an even more tumultuous season. It certainly won't be easy on the road with a short week between games, but there is hope that the Green Wave can get right back into the thick of the American Conference with a few weeks left to play.
Which Uptown boys will be the ones to watch this Friday? Here's a look at who might take control offensively
RB Johnnie Daniels
All around, the Green Wave didn't see many contributions from its running backs against UTSA.
Daniels was the lone exception to that, with 104 yards and 1 touchdown on eight carries. Though 81 of those yards came on a single long run, he still had a bit more success than anyone else who played and was trusted with the ball the most out of anyone.
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There's been high hopes for Jamauri McClure since his return, but he's had a quieter start than expected. Jaylin Lucas hasn't been consistent, and Maurice Turner has been sidelined for the past few weeks with an undisclosed injury. It's up to Daniels to lead the charge now, and he's going to be looking to feast against Charlotte.
WR Garrett Mmahat
Mmahat seemed to be a favorite target against the Roadrunners. The problem? He only caught two of his seven targets.
Those two receptions went for a total of 62 yards, so Mmahat has shown that he can be a downfield threat at times. The wideout just has to figure out a way to make the plays. He's a veteran at this point, and only catching 29 percent of passes is unacceptable, even if some of those misses weren't entirely his fault.
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Expect Mmahat to still remain a target, but it's up to him to show that he's earned his playing time.
QB Trace Johnson
Johnson has experienced the highs and the lows through his first two weeks as a starter.
The true freshman showed off some arm talent with 265 passing yards, but going 24-of-44 with two interceptions leaves much to be desired from an accuracy standpoint. Additionally, Johnson didn't have any touchdown passes, and his pocket awareness wasn't as strong as it was against the Memphis Tigers.
There's no better way to shake off a tough performance than by bouncing back in a big way, and Johnson has the opportunity to do that against the 49ers. He has to show the fanbase that he can learn from mistakes and truly be a viable asset to the future of the program.
