TigerBait.com - LSU-Tulane pre-game notebook

October 31, 2009

Bryan Lazare
TigerBait.com Senior Writer

Saturday's meeting between Tulane and LSU will be the 98th between the schools. There is a discrepancy in the results of the games. Both schools agree there have been seven ties. But, LSU claims it has won 68 games. Tulane claims that LSU has won 66 games.

Since the start of the 2000 season, LSU has the highest winning percentage of all the SEC schools against non-conference opponents. The Tigers have a .941 winning percentage (32-2). Their two losses came against Alabama-Birmingham and Iowa.

LSU has won 21 straight games against non-Southeastern Conference opponents since the loss to Iowa in the 2005 Capital One Bowl. The Tigers have won 26 consecutive non-conference games at home since the defeat against UAB in 2000.

LSU has a 23-game winning streak against in-state opponents. The last time the Tigers lost to a Louisiana school took place in 1982 when they were beaten by Tulane (31-28). LSU has won 17 straight games against the Green Wave since that loss 27 years ago.

The two schools mutually agreed to cancel the remainder of what was scheduled to be a ten-game series. Saturday's game will be the fourth in this contract. There will be one more game at a later date in the Superdome.

LSU is first in the SEC in kickoff coverage. The average starting position for its opponents after kickoffs is the opposition's 24.

The Tigers are last in the SEC in kickoff returns with an average of 18.2 yards. LSU is the lone SEC team to have fewer than ten sacks. The Tigers have sacked nine quarterbacks in seven games.

LSU has the poorest fourth-down conversion percentage in the SEC. The Tigers have been successful on just two of nine fourth-down tries for a 22.2 percent conversion rate.

LSU has scored 41 points off 15 turnovers this season. The Tigers have committed six turnovers this season. Their opponents have not scored following those turnovers.

Entering the Tulane game, LSU has picked off a pass in nine consecutive games. The Tigers have intercepted ten passes in seven games this season.

With the victory against Auburn, Les Miles tied Nick Saban as the third winningest coach in LSU history. Both Miles and Saban have 48 victories as Tigers coach. Miles has lost 12 games, while Saban lost 16 games while at LSU.

Miles has a 30-3 record against unranked teams as Tigers coach. Miles' LSU teams have a 27-6 record at home. The Tigers have never lost a non-conference game with Miles as coach. The average score in those 21 games is 36-9.

Brandon LaFell is the SEC's active leader in receptions (151), receiving yardage (2,118) and touchdown catches (20). On LSU's all-time lists, LaFell is seventh in catches, eighth in receiving yardage and tied with Early Doucet for third in scoring catches.

With four catches, LaFell will move past both Eric Martin and Dwayne Bowe into fifth place. With 57 receiving yards, LaFell will move past Craig Davis into seventh place. With two scoring catches, LaFell will move past Michael Clayton into second place.

LaFell is second this season for LSU in pass receptions with 33. Terrance Toliver, who caught a career-best nine passes against Auburn, has 34 receptions for 442 yards.

Richard Dickson will have the most touchdown catches for a tight end with one more such reception. Dickson and Brad Boyd have ten scoring catches.

Charles Scott needs two rushing touchdowns to move ahead of Terry Robiskie into fourth place on the school's all-time rankings. Scott has run for 30 touchdowns. Scott, who is averaging 4.1 yards per carry, is the team's top rusher with 347 yards.

Jordan Jefferson has completed 64 percent of his passes (112-of-176) for 1,258 yards and nine touchdowns with three interceptions. Jefferson had career-highs in completions (21) and yardage (242) last week against Auburn.

Linebacker Harry Coleman is tied with Vanderbilt's Chris Marve and South Carolina's Cliff Matthews for the SEC lead in forced fumbles with three. Coleman and Perry Riley have 47 tackles - 10 behind team leader Kelvin Sheppard's total.

Backup defensive tackle Drake Nevis has 5½ tackles for loss, including two sacks. Coleman and defensive end Rahim Alem also have two sacks. Alem has three quarterback-hurries.

Cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Chris Hawkins have seven pass defenses. Peterson has one interception and six breakups, while Hawkins has two interceptions and five breakups.

Free safety Chad Jones has two interceptions and three breakups. Strong safety Brandon Taylor also has two interceptions. Safety Danny McCray has recovered two fumbles - both against Auburn last week.

Josh Jasper is one of three SEC kickers who have not missed an extra point attempt this season. Jasper is 17-for-17. The other two perfect kickers are Auburn's Wes Byrum (30-of-30) and Georgia's Blair Walsh (20-of-20).

Jasper is averaging 37.7 yards on six punts as Derek Helton's backup. Jasper, whose average kickoff reaches the opponent's 8, is 10-of-13 on field goal attempts.

Trindon Holliday has gained 346 yards on returns this season - 261 yards on 11 kickoffs and 85 yards on 10 punts. From scrimmage, Holliday has 15 touches for 89 yards. He has one touchdown this year - a run against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Tulane has split its two previous road games - winning at Army (17-16) and losing at Southern Mississippi (43-6). The Green Wave lost to two ranked teams earlier this season - 54-3 to Brigham Young and 44-16 to Houston.

Tulane has lost 37 consecutive games against ranked opponents. Its last victory against a ranked team came against LSU in 1982.

Safety Chinonso Echebelem has forced four fumbles, the second highest total for a player in the country. Echebelem is the leading Tulane tackler with 70. Echebelem and cornerbacks Phillip Davis and Charles have one interception and two pass breakups.

Defensive tackle Reggie Scott leads the team in tackles-for-loss with 4½. Defensive end Logan Kelley has two sacks.

Wide receiver Jeremy Williams has caught a pass in his last 20 games. The last time Williams failed to make a reception came against LSU in 2007. For the season, Williams has made 44 catches for 662 yards and three touchdowns.

The Green Wave's top rusher is Andre Anderson, a high school teammate of Riley and Sheppard. Anderson, who is averaging 4.9 yards per carry, has rushed for 646 yards.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Griffin made his first career start last week against USM. So far this season, Griffin has completed 63 percent of his passes (44-of-70) for 397 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions.

Ross Thevenot is averaging just 39.1 yards on 22 punts. Two punts have been blocked. Thevenot is 8-of-11 on field goals and 11-of-12 on extra points. Thevenot's averaged kickoff has reached the opponent's 10.

The Green Wave has played 18 true freshmen this season - the most for any team in the country. Tulane has also used six redshirt freshmen this year. The only freshman to start every game is linebacker/nickel back Shakiel Smith, who has made 39 tackles.

Tulane starting defensive end Adam Kwentua played his high school football at University High. Kwentua has made 27 tackles. Green Wave linebackers coach Greg Jackson was an All-America defensive back at LSU in 1988.

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