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Offensive Players to Watch as Tulane Prepares to Face Kansas State
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- Offensive Players to Watch as Tulane Prepares to Face Kansas State
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
The Tulane Green Wave is entering Saturday's game against the Kansas State Wildcats with plenty to prove.
Tulane pulled out a come-from-behind victory over the South Alabama Jaguars last weekend to pick up its first win of the year. Though it wasn't pretty, it was much-needed, as the team faces a tough schedule moving forward.
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Kansas State marks the second Power Four opponent that the Green Wave will face this season, and the matchup isn't in Tulane's favor. The Wildcats are 2-0 on the year with wins over the Nicholls Colonels and the Washington State Cougars; their defense has only given up 10 points between those two games. Considering the fact that the Green Wave's offense has been largely unproductive against strong defenses, it could be a long day for the visiting squad.
However, the program proved in Week Two that it never quits, and its offense has the ability to be explosive at times. Here's a look at which offensive players could be the biggest difference-makers for the team heading into the difficult road matchup.
RB Jaylin Lucas
Understandably, Lucas is one of the players that all eyes should be on this weekend.
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The running back is coming off of a record-setting performance in which he rushed for 214 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. That kind of production is hard to find, and after a bit of a quiet start to the season, it's nice to see him make a name for himself. With the status of fellow running back Jamauri McClure still uncertain, Lucas should expect to receive the majority of snaps at his position.
Kansas State's defense has limited opponents to an average of 96.5 rushing yards per game through the first few weeks, so it's not going to be easy for anyone to pick up big gains on the ground. We'll see if Lucas can maintain some of the momentum he had in the South Alabama game.
WR Destyn Hill
Hill entered the season with plenty of hype, and so far, he's lived up to it.
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The LSU Tigers transfer has led all wideouts through the first two games of the season. In the team's matchup with the Jaguars, he hauled in the game-winning touchdown catch, ultimately finishing the night with 91 yards on four receptions.
Right now, Hill seems to be the most reliable, speedy downfield threat for the Green Wave. He's going to have to battle through more coverage as opposing secondaries become familiar with his name, but he's shown that he can make the big plays when needed.
WR Garrett Mmahat
Heading into the season, Mmahat was one of the offensive players who was expected to take on a bigger role.
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Though he had a slow start to the year, the redshirt senior picked up the pace a bit in the Olive Green and Sky Blue's win over South Alabama. Mmahat finished second on the team with three receptions for 40 yards -- a big step up from his single catch for a loss of yardage against the Duke Blue Devils.
At this point, expect Mmahat to improve more as the weeks go by. He's expected to be a leader on the team, and his stats will need to reflect that.
