Scary special teams for Tulane

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 1, 2009

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Special teams problems continue to haunt the Tulane football team.

Going into their Halloween Night contest with LSU in Tiger Stadium on Saturday, the Green Wave had 10 kicks blocked in the last 19 games dating to the 2008 season opener. They also ranked 120th in punt return defense, allowing 14.6 yards per return in their first seven games.

Which explains why special teams were once again so frightening in a 42-0 loss to ninth-ranked LSU. It was the first shutout of Tulane since Texas posted a 49-0 victory on Sept. 28, 2002.

A blocked punt led to the Tigers’ first touchdown of the night, and while LSU scored only one touchdown following two 50-yard punt returns by Trindon Holliday, enough damage had been done.

Throw in a missed 43-yard field-goal attempt by Ross Thevenot in the second quarter and it was easy to see why Tulane coach Bob Toledo, who appointed himself special teams coordinator earlier this season, was shaking his head after the Green Wave’s latest setback.

LSU capitalized on Tulane’s kicking woes early after forcing the Green Wave into punt formation on their first possession. The Tigers’ Daniel Graff crashed in from the right side to block Thevenot’s punt and Stefoin Francois recovered at the Tulane 23.

“We just got a little mixed up,” Thevenot said of the early jolt by the Tigers. “The guy (Graff) was coming off the side and made a real good play. He just cut the corner well and my get-off time was a little slow.”

From there, the Tigers needed just two plays to score as Russell Shepard’s 19-yard run with 8:05 remaining in the opening quarter put them in front.

“The punt block was disappointing, then they score in two plays,” Toledo said.

But that was just the start of a long night for Tulane. On the next possession, Thevenot, who averaged a healthy 45.8 yards on his other eight punts, launched a 53-yard kick that Holliday returned 50 yards.

Tulane defensive end Adam Kwentua, a former University High standout, saved an LSU score on the next play when he dropped into coverage and intercepted a Jordan Jefferson pass that was intended for Holliday.

After LSU increased its lead to 14-0, Tulane marched to the Tigers’ 14 before Thevenot’s 43-yard field goal try was wide left.

“That could have given us some points,” Toledo said, “given us some momentum.”