Tulane Wide Receiver Understands Challenges To 'Lock In' During Short Week
The Tulane Green Wave will be back in action quicker than usual this week.
The team is on a short week as they suit up on Halloween, as they travel to take on the Charlotte 49ers. After receiving votes for the first time since the second week of the season for the AP Top 25, the Green Wave is likely one impressive win away from breaking the poll for the first time this season.
Although this team is on a five-game winning streak, playing on a short week with less time to prepare for your opponent always brings some sort of trouble. As for Tulanes wide receiver Dontae Fleming, he understands that the biggest thing that impacts the team as a whole. He was asked on Tuesday if the most challenging part of preparing so quickly was mental or physical.
“I would say probably the mental part. We have to strain more and just knowing that we just came from a game. Our bodies all beat up and we'll probably want to be in the training room, but I feel like the mental part is that's where it's at. So we have to lock in that.”
Fleming also credited the Charlotte defense, saying that they can “fly around and get to the ball.” The 49ers must accomplish that task if they plan to stop this Green Wave offense, especially the run attack.
Last week against North Texas, Tulane rushed for 297 yards on the ground, including a career-high day from sophomore running back Makhi Hughes, who put up 195 yards and a touchdown. The passing game was not needed in the team’s 45-37 conference win, but that did not stop the receiver room from getting involved with moving the football.
The group was paramount in helping Hughes and the rest of the running game move the ball with their incredible blocking outside the tackles. Fleming stated he was more than happy to get his hands dirty so another teammate could have a big day.
“I mean it is a brotherhood. You want to see your other brother succeed, and I feel like we took pride in that, knowing that even though we threw the ball 13 times, it is football, so I felt like we took blocking. If you want the ball, you got to block like, coach Sumrall said so. And it’s another thing just getting your brother in the end zone. That's what I felt.”
The same game plan may be used again, as Charlotte is 110th in the country with 184.4 rushing yards allowed per game.
The opening kickoff for the game with the 49ers at Jerry Richardson Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET. The game will be available on ESPN.
