TheWaveReport.com - Live Diary - Tulane 24 vs. ECU 28

September 13, 2008

Scott Kushner
TheWaveReport.com Senior Editor

This is the transcript of the live journal during the Tulane vs. East Carolina game. Times are real clock, not game clock.

1st Quarter

1:56 - Just ate a big lunch over at Mandina's and have settled nicely into my seat in the Superdome press box. Dome looks great, all the graphics lit up for the Wave.

Remember when the Dome still had astroturf, and one of the end zones had "Saints" in it and all the scoreboard stuff was still set up for the NFL? Things look much more Tulane friendly, especially with the "Tulane" banners on the loge behind the end zones.

2:02 - Riptide rolls out of the gate, and the home opener is ready to go. East Carolina deferred, I guess they really want to see that Green Wave punt team early.

2:04 - That was ugly. Jeremy Williams sent the Dome into a hush as he fumbled the opening kickoff at the 20 yard line. However, he was ruled down, and the Wave will start the home season.

2:06 - Freshman Joey Ray out of the starting lineup, replaced by Nick Landry.

2:10 - Moore sacked by Quentin Cotton, setting up a 3rd and 16 on the opening drive. That's precisely the situation Tulane can't afford to get itself into.

2:11 - Shows what I know. Moore throws a bullet to Chris Dunn across the middle for 17 yards. First down, Tulane has converted its first three third down conversions.

2:12 - And again. This time Brian King on a slant route. First down Wave, 4-for-4 on third down, all thanks to Kevin Moore and that accurate arm.

2:13 - I'll just shut up now. Next pass, intercepted right across the middle by Cotton. Rough finish to a really promising drive.

2:14 - From bad to worse. Parenton is down. Hush across the Dome.

2:17 - ECU takes a shot toward the end zone on its first offensive play, broken up by Phillip Davis.

2:18 - Three and out, and a standing ovation from an appreciative Superdome crowd.

2:19 - Another injury, this time freshman Alex Lauricella. His leg got caught up in the turf and he's holding a knee. That's a shame.

2:20 - Parenton looks ready to go. Lauricella being helped off the field, that's brutal. We hope it all works out.

2:23 - East Carolina does Tulane a favor and jumps offside on third and one. We'll give Kevin Moore the credit for his excellent cadence skills.

2:25 - And a successful punt! Take a bow Ross Thevenot. Big step for the Wave. Thevenot booted one high and deep for 46 yards and ended with a fair catch at the 19.

2:28 - There's a tackle for loss, huge penetration from the TU defensive line and a Julian Shives Sams stuff.

2:30 - Another three and out. This Wave defense may just be for real.

2:30 - Casey Robottom was just drilled by his own teammate for no gain on the punt return. That could have looked smoother.

2:31 - A case of fumbilitis for Jeremy Williams, he fumbled a quick out and that puts Tulane with a 2nd and 27. Awful.

2:32 - Good God another fumble for Jeremy Williams. Took a screen pass and had the ball jarred loose. Once again the Wave recover.

2:34 - And now East Carolina runs into its own punt returner. The follies staff has plenty of ammo following this first quarter. Flags are down and the refs are discussing dinner plans apparently because it can't possibly take this long to figure out a call.

2:35 - The Wave fans are getting antsy booing the officials conference.

2:36 - Wait! We have a decision! Two fouls, a kick catch interference which ECU puzzlingly declined. Tulane accepts a block in the back, ECU stars from the 11. Bizzare.

2:38 - The Pirates get their first, first down as the clock expires on the first quarter. Skehan in on the tackle, his first action of the season.

Tulane 0 East Carolina 0

2nd Quarter

2:41 - The Wave held the ball for 12:08 in the first quarter. That's a great sign for Tulane, because that neutralizes one of ECU's big strengths - ball control.

2:44 - What a play by Reggie Scott. The defensive end leapt up in the air, tapped the ball, then snagged the tip giving the ball to the Wave at the 35. That even got a "tremendous play" from Dad sitting next to me here in the box.

2:46 - No dice there. Kevin Moore with plenty of time on 3rd and 5, couldn't find an open man and the Wave will try the field goal.

2:47 - This can't be serious. Form a search committee to find a special teams coordinator.

A horrible snap gets the kick blocked and returned for a touchdown. That's just horrendous. I think Toledo is about to suffer an aneurysm on the sideline.

East Carolina 7 Tulane 0

2:50 - Here's some good news, Jeremy Williams just hung on to the ball during the kick return.

2:52 - Another third down for the Wave, thanks to two straight incompletions.

2:53 - Moore connects with Batiste for 10.1 yards and a first down. Just enough.

2:54 - Another special teams blunder. Matt Harding had a chance to down the punt inside the 2 yard line, but missed the ball and puts ECU at the 20.

2:59 - Big sack from the Wave defense. Josh Lumar comes in from the corner and drags down Pinkney. Tulane's defense came to play.

3:00 - With 7:51 left in the first half, East Carolina has held the ball for less than five minutes, and have gained 27 total yards.

3:03 - Another third and long, and it just got longer. False start on Niermann, 3rd and 18.

3:04 - Real gutsy play call there. Draw play gains little, and the Wave punts again.

3:05 - East Carolina is salivating for special teams plays, and was a little too aggressive. Roughing the punter moves the chains and gives Tulane new life at midfield.

3:08 - Another break for the Wave, as they got away with an obvious hold and take advantage of for 30 yard gain to Jeremy Williams and gets it inside the 5.

3:13 - The red zone is as bad as the special teams. Four straight runs inside by Anderson and the Wave are stuffed. Not real imaginative there coach.

3:16 - Man the Tulane defense is doing this thing themselves. Logan Kelly knocks the ball loose and Evan Lee picks it up. Tulane in business at the 10.

3:17 - That's the end zone! Tulane finds it for the first time this season. Andre Anderson with the one yard plunge. The ensuing Hullaballoo was quite enthused.

Tulane 7 East Carolina 7

3:21 - Welcome back special teams. Thevenot's kickoff hops out of bounds and ECU starts at the 40.

3:23 - ECU converts a third and 15, and sets up at midfield with 16 ticks left in the half. The Pirates will have a couple chances, with two timeouts left, to get themselves into field goal range. I just want halftime food.

3:26 - A few more completions and ECU has set themselves up for a score at the 27 yard line. This would be pretty deflating for Tulane to go in the locker room trailing.

3:30 - Wide left, and the game is tied at 7 headed into the half. Once again Tulane is dominating everything but the scoreboard. Great half for the Wave against the No. 14 team in the country.

HALFTIME

East Carolina 7 Tulane 7

3rd Quarter

3:33 - Want to hear the most Tulane thing ever? The halftime show is sponsored by the Princeton Review.

3:51 - Surprise, 50 yard kickoff return to open the half for ECU.

3:54 - East Carolina is marching right down the field on its first drive, picking Tulane apart for sizable gains each play. Another completion moves the Pirates to the Wave 10 yard line.

3:56 - Reggie Scott headed to the locker room. That's bad news as ECU goes for a 4th and inches from the 3.

3:57 - Not only do the Pirates pick up the first down, but Matt Dodge plows into the end zone and the Wave are behind again. That took some wind out of the sails right there.

East Carolina 14 Tulane 7

4:01 - The kicking in this game is atrocious. ECU kicks the ball out of bounds. If you aren't keeping track at home that's a blocked field goal, missed field goal and two kickoffs out of bounds. The Groza Award reps have left the building.

4:04 - Cody Sparks pulls in the third down conversion, a nice look from Moore across the middle. That's been missing for a while.

4:05 - Redemption Song! Jeremy Williams made a gorgeous double move and Moore hits in stride for a 47-yard touchdown. I guess its good he didn't get tackled so he couldn't fumble again. That was a cheap shot, great play by Williams.

East Carolina 14 Tulane 14

4:10 - Tulane gets its third down stop taken away from it, when Phillip Davis was flagged for pass interference. That illicited quite a few boos from the folks in green. I don't blame them.

4:12 - ECU made it count. Perfect roll out and throw back screen pass, turns into a 51 yard touchdown. Rough. Tulane was totally out of position for that. The scoreboard operators are sweating this one out.

East Carolina 21 Tulane 14

4:15 - East Carolina is doing its part to stop the kicking horrors, opting for the pooch kick.

4:16 - Another bomb from Moore to Williams for 50 yards. He's certainly turned this around nicely.

4:19 - Measurement comes up short at the 10, but Moore provides a quarterback sneak to turn it to 1st and goal

4:20 - Anderson with a nice nine yard run to get it to the one. Dad notices a big block from Casey Stelly. It was hard to miss.

4:21: Touchdown Andre Anderson as he plows through the line. He has a nose for the end zone, well, if you don't count that first red zone possession.

4:21 - This is a good time to mention: What a freaking game.

East Carolina 21 Tulane 21

4:25 - Wave gets the ball back again on a fumble return. Huge play sets up the Wave at the 30.

4:27 - Andre Anderson batters his way for 11 yards. He keeps those legs churning, and you can tell he his working his butt off.

4:28 - We head to the fourth. Standing O from the Dome.

4th Quarter

4:32 - Wave takes a shot at the end zone but Moore overthrows Kessler on a play action pass. I thought that one was going to pull Tulane ahead, now they face a tough second and goal at the 6. Timeout Tulane to sort it out.

4:34 - Penalty pushes them back to the 11. Illegal snap by Parenton. What does that mean?

4:35- They follow that up with a draw that gains nothing. Oh God, kicker coming on the field.

4:36 - Look at that, Thevenot splits the uprights and Tulane pulls ahead. I'm officially done making fun of the kicking game. The dead horse has been thoroughly beaten.

Tulane 24 East Carolina 21

4:36 - They just announced the attendance at 27,189. Not bad, but not 35,000. A win here will help that number in the future.

4:37 - Thevenot boots one into the end zone for a touchback. My jaw just hit the turf. Can't help myself.

4:41 - 25 yard catch on the roll out pass. Pinkney is red hot.

4:42 - Dad notices Reggie Scott still not in the game. Dynamite drop in by our resident accountant/reporter.

4:43 - Heavy blitz pays off on 3rd down, Evan Lee delivers the hit. Tulane takes the ball at the 20 after the fumble recovery. Big time plays, five forced turnovers.

4:46 - Kevin Moore just completed a pass to himself for a loss of five. That's probably not the way Toledo drew that one up.

4:47 - Three and out, after a remarkably conservative run call on 3rd and 10. That's not very underdog of them. Good punt by Thevenot puts ECU at the 26 to start its drive.

4:51 - Reggie Scott is back in the game, and Tulane is confounded by ECU's formation. Timeout Wave, thats their second. Could come back to haunt them.

4:53 - Huge conversion as Pinkney tosses a jump pass to an open receiver and moves the chains. Tulane sent the heat but it didn't arrive.

4:55 - They got there that time. Logan Kelley forces a fumble when he drills Pinkney, there is a vibe in this stadium not felt in a long, long time. Tulane's confidence is evident. Got to love their enthusiasm.

4:56 - Whole lot of nothing going on there. Squandered an absolutely golden opportunity with that field position. Kevin Moore has been happier in his life.

4:57- Thevenot punts it through the goal posts. I think he just got his jobs confused. That's the trouble with being a punter/kicker.

5:02 - East Carolina's sports information director is not happy with the way Tulane counts sacks. Who cares?

5:04 - Ouch! Giant pass play moves ECU into Tulane territory. That's got to have O'Neill Gilbert spitting blood.

5:06 - A la Daunte Culpepper, Pinkney drops the snap, picks it up and plows ahead for a first down. There goes my jaw again.

5:07 - East Carolina marching straight down the field, it's nervous time.

5:08 - We just passed nervous. Touchdown strike. East Carolina grabs this game. Who smells moral victory?

East Carolina 28 Tulane 24

5:10 - You think Toledo would like to have those time outs back?

5:11 - They just threw a four yard pass and didn't get out of bounds. Less than smart.

5:13 - Tack on a holding penalty. This is not what game-winning drives look like.

5:14 - I wonder if Tulane knows there's 40 second left? They haven't thrown a pass more than 10 yards. It's time to let Moore know he needs to let it fly.

5:15 - There's the interception, and that's another huge opportunity squandered.

5:16 - East Carolina wins. Woe is Tulane.

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