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Tulane football coach Willie Fritz announced today the appointments of six position coaches and seven support staff members to his coaching staff. Fritz's coaching staff features Alex Atkins, assistant head coach/offensive line coach, Doug Ruse, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Jack Curtis, defensive coordinator/safeties coach, Kevin Peoples, defensive line coach, Mike Mutz, linebackers coach and Jason Rollins, defensive backs coach. Atkins, Ruse, Curtis, Peoples and Mutz each coached with Fritz over the past two seasons at Georgia Southern, while Rollins has been a member of the Tulane coaching staff for the last eight seasons. Fritz will oversee special teams and the remaining position coaches— running back, tight end and receiver— will be announced at a later date. The support staff hires include Shane Meyer, the director of football operations, Wesley Fritz, director of personnel, Matt Barrett, offensive analyst/recruiting, Johnny Jernigan, defensive analyst/recruiting, Mike Krysl, special teams analyst/recruiting and Kyle Speer, head football strength & conditioning coach. Lindy Wertz will remain on the staff as the director of on-campus recruiting. Each of the new hires served the past two seasons with Fritz at Georgia Southern, while Wertz has been on the Green Wave football staff for the last two seasons. read more: http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2016/01/tulane_coach_willie_fritz_anno.html

Tulane made it official Saturday morning when the school fired football coach Curtis Johnson. Johnson finished 15-34 in his four seasons, culminating with a 45-34 loss to Tulsa on Friday evening. "I want to thank CJ for his hard work and his dedication to rebuilding the Green Wave football program. His efforts were rewarded in 2013 when Tulane reached its first bowl in 11 years. Since then, however, the program has not progressed to the level that we aspire to," said Tulane athletic director Rick Dickson in a press release. Tulane also indicated the hiring process for Johnson's successor will begin as soon as the school finds Dickson's replacement, which could come early this week. Dickson is retiring in June. Read more: http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2015/11/tulane_fires_football_coach_cu.html

Barring a last-minute change of direction, Tulane is set to part ways with football coach Curtis Johnson following Friday's game against Tulsa, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Tulane is set to make a decision on hiring a new atheletics director next week and a coaching search will be the immediate priority for the new athletics director, much like the situation at Central Florida. read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/aac/2015/11/25/tulane-university-football-coach-curtis-johnson/76399708/

read more: http://www.yogwf.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=41898&sid=478c73f104715a24c97cbcd56d091e99

TULANE HEAD COACH Curtis Johnson Opening statement... "My hat goes off to (UTSA) coach (Larry) Coker and his team. They played a very good football game. They played physical. It got a little chippy at times, but that is something that happens. I thought we did a good job for the most part, but we just couldn't overcome all of our penalties and mistakes. Those things are self-inflicting. We just had guys who were eager and anxious. You just can't do that." On the false starts and whether they were caused by crowd noise... "It could have been (loud), but I don't think so. Those things are self-inflicting. We just had guys who were eager and anxious. You just can't do that." On how you fix the penalties... "We just have to sit at practice and work with a snap count. A majority of our penalties were false starts. We had five false starts. That's elementary football." On a late drive where the team posted back-to-back false starts on a third down... "That's where it catches up with you. We will work on different snap counts (in practice). But we just jumped (today)." On QB Nick Montana's play... "He's healthier. Last week, we may have played him one week too soon. He is much, much healthier. He looked decent. I liked what he did (today). He took some hits, but he was good." On UTSA's 62-yard pass play towards the end that set up the game winning field goal... "We were in Cover-2. (Jordan) Sullen should have just kept going back, back, back. (Sam) Scofield should have been over the top. I think our guys were looking for a big play, and (UTSA) got a big play on us." On playing QB Devin Powell... "We planned on doing that. We didn't know how much Montana could go. (Montana) is coming off a devastating injury. We just wanted to guard (Montana)." On injuries... "We came out ok. Nothing big." On C Zach Morgan's injury... "It wasn't his hip, it was his ankle. But he went back into the game. He is fine." On what this game means for the remainder of the season... "We have two games to play. We have a two-game season now. We will play two good opponents, one at home and one on the road. We have to prepare. We will work hard this week, and get ready to hold senior day against UTEP." On holding UTSA's offense to minimal yardage in the first half... "Our defense has been playing almost every game all season. We didn't play well for a bit against South Alabama and at Syracuse, but the defense is doing well. We are struggling a little on offense. When (Nick) Montana doesn't start for a few weeks, you lose a little rhythm. All of a sudden, he is back. He's moving in the right direction. He'll get it back. We will work with him in practice and get his arm stronger. His arm isn't as strong as it was before because of the injury." On the receiving corps... "I don't think our receivers played well. Some of those plays they should have made. (UTSA) had a good game plan for us." TULANE QUARTERBACK Nick Montana On how he feels... "I was more comfortable. My shoulder is feeling better. We got into a groove as an offense, but we just didn't finish." On the offensive penalties... "There is no excuse. We practice for stuff like (crowd noise). We have to take it upon ourselves as players. When our coaches and our defense put us in the position they do, (the offense) has to make stuff happen." On seeing the team's hopes for the Conference USA Championship fade... "We can't be thinking (about the C-USA Championship). We have to focus about UTEP." On the deep passes today... "We had a lot of good looks. We didn't always capitalize on them. We left a lot of good plays out there." TULANE LINEBACKER Dominique Robertson On his fumble recovery in the first quarter... "I don't know who knocked it out, but it was first-and-goal and somebody knocked it out. I wanted to scoop it and score, but my instinct was to just fall on it and give the offense a chance." On goal line defense... "We are just looking to stop them (from scoring a touchdown). If we hold them to a field goal or if we get a turnover, it's a plus." On the team allowing the 62-yard pass play to set up the game-winning field goal... "We've been doing a pretty good job all year. When it's time to make that play, we just have to make it. It was probably a miscommunication on the backend. Our secondary and line have been playing well all season. Today, it was just that one play that killed us." On if holding UTSA to just 10 points is a mental win... "Absolutely not. We have to get the win. If they score 50 and we score 51, we'll take that." On the bye week... "We have time to prepare for UTEP. We have an extra week, and we just have to capitalize and make sure we do what we have to do to get the win." Read more: http://www.tulanegreenwave.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/110913aad.html

SAN ANTONIO, Tx - UTSA kicker Sean Ianno connected on a game-winning, 34-yard field with 14-seconds remaining to give the Roadrunners a 10-7 victory over Tulane in front of 24,606 at the Alamodome. Tulane was its own worst enemy today, committing a season-high 14 penalties for 111 yards, and giving up two crucial plays in the second half, including a 68-yard rushing touchdown that tied the game in the third quarter and a 62-yard pass play late in the game that set up the game-winning field goal. UTSA improved to 5-5 overall and 4-2 in league play. “My hat goes off to (UTSA) coach (Larry) Coker and his team,” Tulane head coach Curtis Johnson said. “They played a very good football game. They played physical. It got a little chippy at times, but that is something that happens. I thought we did a good job for the most part, but we just couldn’t overcome all of our penalties and mistakes. Those things are self-inflicting. We just had guys who were eager and anxious. You just can’t do that. Tulane senior running back Orleans Darkwa rushed for a game-high 103 yards and one touchdown, but it was not enough. “We have two games to play. We have a two-game season now. We will play two good opponents, one at home and one on the road. We have to prepare. We will work hard this week, and get ready to hold senior day against UTEP.” Despite holding the Roadrunners to just seven points through the first three quarters, the Green Wave had a communication breakdown on defense during UTSA’s final drive, allowing Roadrunner wide receiver Seth Grubb to go virtually unnoticed down the right sideline for a 62-yard completion from quarterback Eric Soza with a just a little over a minute remaining in the fourth quarter. Read more: http://www.wwltv.com/sports/Late-field-goal-drops-Tulane-231306711.html

SAN ANTONIO—In a flash of yellow flags, the Tulane football team saw a reversal of fate on Saturday. The result was stinging: the Green Wave lost control of its Conference USA title fate. Tulane needed to win out its final three games beginning with Saturday’s road game against UTSA in the Alamodome to win the West Division and secure a spot in the league championship game. Instead, the Green Wave lapsed into a two-game slide and couldn't conjure any of the mojo that helped it win close games earlier this season. The 111 Tulane penalty yards, a busted coverage late, and the Roadrunners’ game-clinching field goal with less than a minute to go spoiled all that. Tulane lost 10-7 in front of a raucous crowd of 24,606 that produced an earful of distracting noise. The Green Wave committed eight false-start penalties and the 111 total penalty yards were a season-high for Tulane. “We just couldn’t overcome the number of penalties,” Tulane coach Curtis Johnson said. “Too many penalties, too many mistakes.” There were none more costly than the final two false-start whistles. Tulane looked to be gathering that game-winning momentum when it started a drive with 9:42 to go and the score tied at 7. Quarterback Nick Montana, in his second start since separating his shoulder Oct. 5 against North Texas, was clicking off yards left and right. He found running back Rob Kelley over the middle for a 6-yard gain and then located Ryan Grant on the next play – a third down -- on a 5-yard strike to give Tulane a first down on the Tulane 48. A few plays later, Montana made a brilliant move to elude two tacklers in the pocket, side-stepping one and then backing away from the other just in time to find Kedrick Banks over the middle for a 25-yard gain. Tulane was positioning itself for the go-ahead drive, driving to win yet another tight Conference USA ballgame. Two plays later, the Green Wave was already on the UTSA 32 and with Lou Groza-winning kicker Cairo Santos, who has made two game-winning field goals this season, it was looking good for the Wave. Read more: http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2013/11/tulane_cant_recover_from_mista.html

UTSA technically isn’t bowl eligible until next year. But UTSA coach Larry Coker said Monday that a bowl bid is possible with a strong finish. Coker also said UTSA’s home attendance could be a factor. North Texas (6-3, 4-1) and Rice (6-3, 4-1) are the other teams tied for first in the C-USA West. As the hottest team in the West with four straight wins, North Texas hosts UTEP (1-7, 0-4) on Saturday in another intra-division matchup. Rice, beaten last week by North Texas, has an open date. Read more http://blog.mysanantonio.com/utsa/2013/11/official-says-25000-is-expected-for-tulane-at-utsa/

Tulane QB Nick Montana did not play in their 3 OT win over ECU... Impressive that they were still able to win the game without him.

So I finally got verification that the game will not be televised live at all, on cable, DISH, DirecTV, or online streaming out here. It will be replayed 4 hours later but I'm not setting up an event for a game that's already over because that would be LAME. If there are any last minute changes that make it feasible to view the game in AZ I'll post here right away for anyone who might be in the area. Of course, if anyone else hears anything please add it here as well. A last-minute event is better than none at all if the opportunity opens up. But next week's MTSU game will be streamed online via ULive so we're good to go for that one, already have a reservation in place

The Tulane football team has at least one thing going into its favor this fall in its second campaign under Coach Curtis Johnson: its schedule. Instead of opening up with monsters in the first two weeks like it has in some seasons in the recent past, the Green Wave kicks off 2013 with SWAC opponent Jackson State and the Sun Belt’s South Alabama. There is no SEC team on the pre-Conference USA docket and the best non-league opponents appear to be Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Monroe and Syracuse—three teams Tulane plays in a row in September. Within Conference USA play, Tulane will face some brand-new faces as teams North Texas, Florida Atlantic and University of Texas San Antonio join the league this fall. 5. North Texas (Oct. 5) Can this be the homecoming opponent Tulane has dreamed of? The Green Wave will find out Oct. 5 in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. North Texas finished 4-8 last season and 3-5 in the Sun Belt. Tulane hasn’t won a homecoming contest since 2006 but this is the weakest-looking opponent during the six-year homecoming losing streak. North Texas does return quarterback Derek Thompson, who passed for 2,649 yards and 14 touchdowns last year. Read more: http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2013/05/tulanes_2013_football_schedule.html

No other phrase could describe Tulane football's revitalization from last weeks drubbing at Syracuse or what happened against the Warhawks last year to a 31-14 non-conference victory at University of Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. Just a week ago, Tulane lost 52-17 to Syracuse amid special teams embarrassments (three blocked kicks), a slow start on defense, a lack of running game and faulty protection of quarterback Nick Montana. Those snafus were firmly memories as the Green Wave atoned all four issues against the Warhawks (2-3 overall, 0-0 in the Sun Belt). Tulane (3-2, 1-0 in Conference USA) recovered two fumbles on ULM punt returns, returned another fumble for a touchdown, started fast on defense, gained 267 rushing yards and allowed only one sack of Montana. It resulted in the best season start since 2003 which is the last time the Green Wave started off 3-2. Read more: http://www.bayoubuzz.com/sports/louisiana-sports-news/item/530924-tulane-football-rebounds-with-resounding-31-14-victory-at-un

Interesting...

Early August is usually the peak of optimism for the Tulane football team before the inevitable cliff dive once the season starts. After a decade of losing, though, the Green Wave and second-year coach Curtis Johnson are seeing tangible signs that their talk of a turnaround won’t get hit with a reality check in September. Specifically, they can point to the heft on their defensive front seven and the lack of heft on the schedule in revamped Conference USA. “As ultra-competitive as I am, I’ll probably be disappointed with (just) six wins,” Johnson said Monday at Media Day. “We better get more than six this year. We’ve added some pieces to the puzzle, and hopefully by the end of the year, we’ll have this thing completed and we’ll be holding up a (Conference USA) trophy.” Six wins would make Tulane bowl eligible for the first time since 2002. The Green Wave has not won more than four since Hurricane Katrina and has gone 4-21 in a turbulent past two seasons bridging the end of Bob Toledo’s tenure and the start of Johnson’s. With eight starters returning on offense and defense, Johnson expects different results. “I’d like to see 12 wins this year, but if we get to a bowl game, which I hope and pray we are, it would be a step in the right direction,” he said. “It’s leading to the foundation of the program that we want to set here.” That foundation got bigger with the transfer of a pair of former SEC players. Tyler Gilbert (6-feet-3, 244 pounds), a junior college transfer who played linebacker for Arkansas two years ago, is getting reps at defensive end. Defensive tackle Chris Davenport, a 6-4, 334-pound five-star recruit who played sparingly in four years at LSU, will attend graduate school while anchoring the line. “It’s like having a big Chevy Suburban right in the middle of the defense,” co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Jon Sumrall said. “He takes up a lot of space.” The transfers give Tulane 15 defensive linemen on scholarship a year after Sumrall recalled beginning spring practice with seven. The depth-shy, size-challenged Wave ranked 114th nationally out of 120 FBS teams in rushing defense, allowing an average of 222.9 yards on 5.1 yards per carry. “We couldn’t even do drills,” Sumrall said. “Now we’ve got 14 or 15 out there and could run like four drills. (Johnson) has been fantastic about it. He’s a wide receiver guy, but he gives me more opportunities to bring in defensive linemen than you would ever imagine.” Part of Johnson’s line-centric philosophy is preparing for the increased competition in the American Athletic Conference, which Tulane will join next year. That league features former Big East teams Cincinnati, Connecticut and South Florida along with former Conference USA heavyweights Houston and Central Florida. He hopes to reap the benefits this season in a diminished C-USA, which brings Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Florida Atlantic and Texas-San Antonio to the schedule. Throw in the first two games against Jackson State of the lower-level FCS along with FBS upstart South Alabama, and seven of Tulane’s foes are ranked below the Wave in analyst Phil Steele’s preseason rankings. Read more: http://theadvocate.com/sports/6704136-128/stronger-defense-lighter-schedule-boost

Grant said he is undaunted by the selection. "I've done some research on the teams and they haven't really impressed me. I'll go with the coaches say, we have an easy schedule so we definitely are going to win more than six games," Grant said. Read more: http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2013/07/tulane_picked_to_finish_sixth.html#incart_river

It's safe to be excited about the future of Tulane football even if the Green Wave's recent results – say, over the past 14 years – paint a picture of a program stuck in a long, painful and irreversible malaise. Here are three reasons for optimism: One is the coach, Curtis Johnson, the former Miami (Fla.) and New Orleans Saints assistant with the inroads and recruiting touch to eventually bolster Tulane's roster with the sort of talent needed to win not merely once but consistently. The second is Tulane's upcoming conference swap, with the American Athletic Conference replacing Conference USA beginning with the 2014 season. Say what you will about the AAC, that it's a glorified rehash of Conference USA's elite or that it lacks staying power; at the same time, there's little doubt that the league is a definite upgrade over Tulane's current home. Then there's this, and it's the biggest of all: Tulane has started construction on a new on-campus stadium, right on the site of a former practice facility, with an unveiling set for 2014. The Green Wave haven't played games on campus since 1980, when the school demolished old Tulane Stadium. No. 125 to No. 1: College football countdown LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION But can Tulane take this newfound energy and turn it into a substantial increase in the win column? While there are things to like on this team, I don't think we're going to see a major jump in Johnson's first season. While every team hits a learning curve under a first-year head coach, I'm worried about the lack of time this team spent with the new staff before heading to the summer. This will make August key for this team; it's over this month that the Green Wave need to gel as a group in advance of the tough start to the season. What do I think about the future of Tulane football? With a promising coach and a new stadium on the horizon, the future looks brighter than ever. Even a struggle of a 2012 season doesn't change that fact. 2012 RECAP — In a nutshell: A few things remained the same, unfortunately: Tulane lost 10 games, scored less than 300 points, allowed more than 415 points, was outscored by more than 200 points, lost to a Sun Belt team and beat only one team of consequence. These are recognizable facts and figures for anyone familiar with Tulane's recent history. So what changed? While Tulane did hang tight with more than a few teams during Conference USA play, the changes occurred primarily off the field and on the recruiting trail, where Johnson has made a definite mark after little more than a year in his new position. More is needed, of course, but progress is progress, and Tulane will take it where it comes. — High point: A 27-26 win against SMU on Oct. 13. The Green Wave would top UTEP two weeks later, giving the team two wins over a three-week span for the second time in three years. — Low point: Ten losses, some worse than others, but none worse than a 63-10 loss at home to Louisiana-Monroe. Not to rag on the Warhawks, who were a great story last fall, but to lose at home by 53 points to any team from the Sun Belt is completely and utterly inexcusable. Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/05/25/tulane-college-football-countdown-2013-preview/2358619/

Always good to see the Green Wave win. Especially against them.

Brett McMurphy‏@McMurphyESPN6m Tulane LB Trent Mackey, CUSA Def Player of Year, suspended indefinitely after arrest for armed robbery. TU opens vs. Rutgers sTORY >> SBNATION

Curtis Johnson, age 29, struck a hip pose among the youth in New Orleans in 1991. He even had hair back then. Tulane football coach Curtis Johnson has area players considering his program Clad in a suit and tie, Johnson stepped into his hometown as a top recruiter/assistant coach from San Diego State, promising his head coach to pull some big fish out of the Big Easy and Louisiana-wide. Twenty-one years later, Johnson is the 50-year-old first-year Tulane head coach, tasked with the same thing — reaping talent from the local area. But one recruit changed everything for Johnson and it explains Johnson’s charisma. To understand what Johnson is doing now, you have to hear the original Coup d’état recruiting story — the tale of how Johnson stole Hall of Fame talent Marshall Faulk out of LSU’s back yard. Faulk was a gifted Carver player with 4.3 speed in the 40, but was coveted for his play at defensive back — not his preferred position of running back. And he wasn’t Johnson’s top target in the state — Fred Harris, a defensive end from Shreveport, was. But after seeing film in the Carver fieldhouse of Faulk, Johnson promised Faulk a recruiting visit and swore to Faulk he could play tailback at San Diego State. But it wasn’t until the logistics of the official recruiting trip got so tangled that Johnson positioned himself for perhaps the biggest recruiting heist in the history of the area. Faulk’s father died in the days before his visit to San Diego State, something many would have thought would have given LSU or a closer school an edge. But Faulk still agreed to come visit Johnson and the Aztecs in California. Back then coaches could escort recruits on their visits, and Johnson arrived at the New Orleans airport to find Faulk ready to go. But instead of boarding a plane, fog delayed their flight for hours. Then fog delayed their flight in Houston. Young, hip coach and kid-whose-dad-just-died stiffly regarded each other in the airport. “I didn’t know what else to say,” Johnson said. “I’ve never been a suit-and-tie guy, so I looked at Marshall and said, ‘Hey, this is the bottom line with this trip: we’re going to make the best of the trip.’ I said I’m taking my tie off and I’m getting on some shorts and we’re just going to sit back, kick it, and have some fun. So I took my suit and tie off, he took his suit and tie off and put on shorts and we just started talking and laughing and joking. We didn’t arrive in San Diego until about midnight.” Never had a botched travel agenda reaped so much advantage. Though Faulk barely uttered a word on his visit once stepping on campus, the bond had been established.

Read more: http://www.thehullabaloo.com/sports/article_4040532e-b722-11e1-bada-001a4bcf6878.html

We seem to be bumping into the Tulane folks quite a bit this days: http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2012/06/st_charles_defensive_endlineba.html