Tulane Green Wave: By the Numbers

An in-depth look at Oklahoma's first opponents in 2021, the Tulane Green Wave.

The Oklahoma Sooners are only eight days away from kicking off their 2021 season.

Up first for OU will be a road trip to New Orleans to face American Athletic Conference foe Tulane.

The Green Wave finished 6-6 last year as they broke in a new quarterback, with two of their losses a year ago coming in overtime at the hands of SMU and Tulsa.

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Read More:

• Oklahoma Schedule Preview: Tulane Green Wave

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Defensively, plenty of new faces will have to step in, but the Green Wave offense will provide a solid test for Oklahoma’s defense right out of the gates.

72.0

Last season, true freshman quarterback Michael Pratt posted a 72.0 passing grade per Pro Football Focus, good enough for sixth in the AAC and a very promising start to his career. Some offseason musical chairs means Pratt will have a new offensive coordinator in Chip Long, but Long proved he can orchestrate an explosive offense as he did in 2018 at Notre Dame.

Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt impressed in New Orleans as a freshman :: James Guillory / USA TODAY Sports

The Green Wave passing attack only put up 176.7 yards per game last year, but there is reason to believe the aerial game could take a step forward this year in New Orleans.

Pratt will have a potent rushing offense behind him (stay tuned for more on that), and plenty of pieces returning in the trenches to keep him upright and protected. While Tulane’s receivers leave something to be desired, Pratt could provide a decent early test for the OU secondary as Woodi Washington and D.J. Graham dip their toes back into the water in 2021.

With dynamic playmakers departing from the defensive side of the football, the keys to the team will be handed over to Pratt as the Green Wave will need to pick apart opponents this season.

217.1

While the Green Wave broke in Pratt last year, they relived a ton of the pressure on their young quarterback with one of the best rushing attacks in the nation. Leading the AAC with 217.1 rushing yards per contest, Tulane ranked 17th in the country in rushing yards per game despite talented freshman running back Tyjae Spears going down in September with a torn ACL. On just 37 rushes last year, PFF logged 16 broken tackles by Spears, and nearly 25 percent of his carries went for 10 yards or more.

Tyjae Spears broke 16 tackles on 37 carries last year for the Tulane Green Wave :: Cam Bonelli / Hattiesburg American-Imagn Content Services, LLC

Spears returns and will join sophomore back Cameron Carrol, a formidable 1-2 punch on the ground in New Orleans. Carrol received a running grade of 88.7 last year from PFF, pacing all AAC running backs.

2-2

Rarely does a program with the pedigree of Oklahoma open up the season on the road.

In fact, the Sooners have opened the season away from home just four times since Bob Stoops stepped foot on campus in Norman, posting a startling 2-2 mark over that period.

Even the pair of victories have been anything but routine. In 2002, three first half turnovers saw OU enter half-time with just a 3-0 lead over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane before turning it on to win the game 37-0.

Again in 2012, an experienced Oklahoma team stumbled out of the gates in a late, mustard-filled trip to El Paso, only topping the UTEP Miners 24-0.

And that’s just the victories.

OU’s injury-riddled 2009 campaign started off on the wrong foot in 2009, as Heisman winner Sam Bradford went down and the Sooners lost 14-13 to the BYU Cougars in the first football game played in Jerry Jones’ brand new palace in Arlington. Freshman Landry Jones introduced himself to the OU faithful with a 6-of-12 passing performance, racking up just 51 yards through the air.

OU running back Jerami Calhoun carries the ball in the 14-13 loss to the BYU Cougars / Photo provided

Punter Tress Way was called upon to attempt a 54-yard field goal for the win, but the ball, and Oklahoma’s season, landed with an anti-climactic thud well short of the goal posts.

Seven years later, it would be a Baker Mayfield's offense that failed to get the job done, falling 33-23 to Tom Herman’s upstart Houston Cougars in the season opener.

The Sooners enter 2021 with sky-high expectations, and should cruise in New Orleans.

But recent history indicates the season opener could be anything but simple. 

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